Page 49 of Bound By Valor

“Find her, Kabir,” I rasped out.

“Already on it, Ghost!” Kabir called back, already typing furiously.

???

After splashing water on my face, I stepped backinto the dim hallway of the safehouse, pausing outside my room. The murmur of hushed conversations trickled from the common area. Leaning against the cool doorframe, I caught snippets of Logan’s strained voice drifting through the air.

“You don’t understand, Dyl. She told me to stay safe, and I just shut her out,” Logan said, his voice tinged with regret and something else—fear, maybe.

“Logan, pull yourself together. If you keep this up, Zarek’s going to lose it,” Dylan replied in a low, steady tone meant to ground his friend.

They hadn’t noticed me yet, too caught up in their own world of worry. But Amelia, ever observant, caught my eye from across the room. She offered a small, reassuring smile and subtly signaled to the others. They turned, and the change in Logan’s expression was immediate, marked by a mix of surprise and guilt.

“Zar, I’m so—” Logan started, his voice faltering.

I raised a hand, cutting him off. “Don’t. You’ll apologize to her, not me. And Dylan’s right, you know how I’ll react if I think you’re stepping out of line.”

“I don’t have feelings for her, Zar. She’s like my little sister,” Logan quickly clarified, almost defensively.

As he buried his face in his hands, my chest tightened. This wasn’t just about keeping the team in line; it was about her—Leora. My fear of losing her gnawed at me, a relentless reminder of what was at stake.

Turning to Kabir, I tried to keep my voice even. “Got anything, Kabir?”

Kabir’s eyes were laser-focused on his laptop, his fingers paused above the keyboard. After a tensemoment, his face hardened with resolve. “I’ve tracked a black SUV and a red Tesla Roadster swapping passengers at a gas station about twenty-five kilometers from here. The SUV came back empty, and the Tesla headed to a nondescript house in Stratford.”

My heart skipped a beat. Stratford. It could be a break or another dead end, but we had to move fast. Nodding decisively, I felt the leader in me take over, pushing down the personal terror that threatened to overwhelm me.

“Squad Six, gear up. We’re heading to Stratford,” I commanded, my voice steady despite the storm of dread inside. “This is a rescue mission, and we’re bringing her back.”

The room sprang into action, the weight of the situation settling over us like a dense fog. As they prepared, I pulled on my tactical vest, each click of the clasps a reminder of what was on the line. Not just a mission. Not just a teammate. But myLeora. I realized it then. No matter what, she was ingrained into me. I couldn’t let her go.

TWENTY-THREE

Leora

The faint scent of leather hit me as I came to, my hands bound tightly behind my back.

Damn it.

Memories of the afternoon trickled back in a disorienting rush—I had been snatched from the safehouse. Peering through half-lidded eyes, I could see the blur of streetlights zipping past. It was dark outside; how long had I been unconscious?

My arm was wrapped in a bloody bandage, marking the spot where they must have cut me. “She’s awake, Cas,” Mason’s voice cut through the silence.

I shifted my weight and managed to sit up.

“Leora, Leora, Leora,” Casteel’s voice was taunting. “How are you feeling, little bird?”

“Long time no see, Casteel. How’s your friend’s dick?” I coughed out a laugh, which earned me a furious glance.

His grip whitened on the steering wheel. “You fucking bitch.”

“Mind telling me where we’re headed?” I asked, trying to gauge our destination.

He glanced back briefly. “Why, so you can signal your boyfriend? Don’t worry, we’re counting on him showing up.”

Moments later, we pulled up to a row house in what looked like a suburban development. Most of the houses here were still under construction. Roughly, Casteel yanked me from the car and pushed me towards the house.

Inside, the darkness was almost complete, broken only by the outline of three large trunks against the walls. They dragged me upstairs to a room with a single chair in the center.

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