Page 19 of Bound By Valor

‘I’m trained to not get distracted by mere breasts, Leora.’

God! I wasn’t sure why, but in that moment, compelled by a mix of defiance and a desire to test him, I had turned around and done something I hadn’t had the courage to do in front of anyone for years. I just needed to see his reaction.

I exhaled a heavy sigh and shuffled outside to meet the team for the relocation. I didn’t even know our destination.

Standing slightly apart from everyone, I noticed they were all geared up, gripping their duffle bags, dressed in combat-ready attire.

It struck me then—the kind of life I was getting deeper into. Despite the chaos, this unsettling shift was oddly comforting in its own twisted way. My apartment hadn’t felt safe in ages.

My gaze drifted to a tall man with dark hair conversing with Zarek. His clean-shaven face revealed a noticeable scar on his jaw, adding a rugged aspect to his appearance. Nearby, Logan shared a joke, laughter echoing from him and another man who, although slightly shorter than Logan, still towered over most with a stature I guessed was over six feet. His skin was a rich brown, and he sported a neatly trimmed beard—perhaps he was Hispanic, or Indian?

God. But what a sight they made. All were ridiculously handsome, emanating deathly strength. They all had a hardened face, chiseled muscles, and biceps the size of my fucking waist.

“Don’t let the looks fool you. They can kill with their bare hands,” A woman appeared beside me, her voice pulling me out of my reverie. “Well, maybe not Kabir. He’s a softie.”

Standing a few inches taller than me, she had a presence that commanded attention. At five foot nine, I was hardly short, but next to her, I felt compelled to look up. Her dark-brown hair brushed just above her shoulders, and even in her tactical gear, it was clear she possessed a physique as capable and deadly as any member of the team.

I offered a hesitant smile, feeling slightly out of my element, “I’m not sure I know them enough to make any judgements.”

She cocked her head, her gaze piercing as she studied me for a moment before extending her hand. “First, let me introduce myself. I’m Amelia Desmond. But they call me Amelia ‘Falcon’ Desmond. A call sign that stuck from my time in the FBI. I do surveillance and drone support for the squad.”

Taking her hand, I felt the firmness of her grip, her strength subtly asserting itself. This woman wasn’t just strong; she was formidable.

Or making a statement.

“Should you be telling me all this?” I asked.

She chuckled. “Well, I don’t think you’re going anywhere for a while. Boss won’t let it happen.”

“Would that be Zarek? The boss?”

She nodded, her gaze scrutinizing.

“In that case, maybe I should know a little about who I’ll be spending my time with.”

She smirked at my forwardness. Glancing towards Zarek and the imposing figure standing beside him, she continued. “That’s Dylan ‘Titan’ Desmond. My brother and ex-CIA. Logan, Zarek, and Dylan were in the same special unit. They met there and never really separated, it seems.”

Her nod shifted towards Logan and the other man, who I guessed was Kabir, sparking my curiosity about his call sign.

“And that softie, there, is Kabir ‘Cipher’ Gill. He worked with NASA’s cybersecurity team and is our technology support. Hell of a hacker. But he goes in as a muscle every now and then.”

“What are Zarek and Logan’s call signs?” I asked,intrigued.

“Oh, Zarek is ‘Ghost’. Apparently he was very good at sneaking up on people on missions.” Then she smirked at me, “Maybe not just on missions. And Logan is ‘Gunner’ because…well, he’s good with guns. Knows everything about them.”

She leaned in conspiratorially, “Don’t tell him I said this, but the guy is a bit of a gun nerd. I’m sure he’d prefer a gun over a woman.”

I stifled a laugh as I watched Logan enthusiastically showing his handgun to an unimpressed Kabir.

“FBI, CIA, and NASA.” I mumbled. “What are you all doing in Canada? It seems like you’re mostly American.” I asked.

“We move around. We’ve only been here for three months. And we’re not all American. Kabir is from India and Zarek’s family is Canadian.”

I nodded, following her as we approached the rest of the squad.

“Boys, ready to go?” Amelia called out.

A flurry of nods followed, and I watched as Amelia fell into step with Kabir, whispering something that made him shove her playfully. Moments later, I found myself in a Cadillac Escalade, tucked between an assortment of tactical gear.

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