Page 13 of Bound By Valor

I rounded on him, my fear spilling over into anger. “You’re assuming it was her that was taken!” I bellowed, the possibility gnawing at my insides.

“But you said—” Logan raised his hands as his eyes met my icy glare. “You know what, screw it. All I’m saying is,ifit’s her, we’re going to find her. Trust me. Kabir’s already on it.”

I redirected my focus just as the store employee managed to pull up the desired footage. My breath hitched, my heart thudding ominously as the grainy images flickered to life on the screen.

“Fuck!” The curse slipped out as my worst fears materialized before my eyes. There she was—Leora, unmistakable even in the poor quality video, her body limp in the grasp of a familiar brute. She looked helpless and I felt bile rise up my throat.

Logan leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the assailant. “That’s Casteel Romano.”

“I know.” I snarled. “Does Kabir have a locationyet?”

Logan’s phone buzzed at that exact moment, and he glanced at it, a crooked grin spreading across his face as he read the message. “Got something. He’s traced her to an old apartment on the northeast side.”

The surge of energy that shot through me was palpable, a fierce cocktail of fear and determination. “Let’s go!” I barked, already heading for the door.

???

The apartment building stood isolated on the outskirts of the Greater Toronto Area, its once vibrant paint now peeling away in ragged strips, revealing the weary bones of a structure long neglected.

“Third floor, south-facing apartment. Belongs to Casteel’s girlfriend,” Logan whispered, his voice low under the cloak of night. I gave him a curt nod, feeling the weight of the moment tighten around my chest as I made my way to the fire escape, the metal cold and unyielding under my hands. Logan opted for the main entrance, planning to blend in just another day’s end.

I ascended with cautious agility, reaching the third floor to find myself facing a row of windows, some cracked, others fogged. Peering into what looked like an empty room, I muttered a curse under my breath. She wasn’t here—or perhaps not in this apartment at all.

Climbing through the window, I was greeted by the room’s stale air, thick with the scent of neglect. Almost immediately, I heard Casteel’s distinct voice from the living room, his tone laced with frustration. “No, she’s saying she doesn’t know him. This whole thing was stupid. He would’ve shown up by now. Why do you think I didn’t switch cars?”

Stealthily, I moved toward the room’s exit, my gun raised and ready. As I stepped through the doorway, Casteel’s head snapped up, and his lips twisted into a smile—a chilling, unsettling smile.

“I got him,” he said into the phone with eerie calmness before hanging up and raising his hands in surrender.

“Where is she?” The words scraped from my throat, hoarse and strained.

“Oh, the little bird?” He was grinning now. “She’ll be fine. Unless you try to do something stupid.” He strolled aimlessly across the living room. “You know, like, kill me?”

I moved slightly closer to him. I needed him alive, but that didn’t mean his kneecaps needed to stay intact.

He continued, “You pull that trigger, Grant. And see how beautiful she’d look with a hole in her head.”

My breath came in short sprints. I needed to stay calm.

Where the fuck is Logan?

I edged him towards one of the rooms and he confidently followed my lead.

“I’ll take great pleasure in killing you, Casteel. Just like I did with Calzone.” I declared.

His grin fell, morphing into a scowl. “You’ll pay for what you did.”

I nudged him further into the room. My finger itching to pull that trigger. But I knew I couldn’t. Leora could be killed.

Before I could lunge at him, something flew rightby my ear, lodging into Casteel’s shoulder. A knife. I peered back to see Logan shrugging.

“You fucking—”

Before Casteel could finish his sentence, I acted, my emotions boiling over. I shut him inside the room he was caged in. His muffled scream sliced through the tension and I panicked. This could alert someone to take the shot at Leora.

I ran to the only other room in the apartment, leaving Logan to deal with Casteel.

My heart pounded with dread as I pushed open the door. I braced myself for what might come next. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greeted me in that room—a sight that sent a shockwave of anger through me.

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