Page 42 of Bound By Valor

“What was that for?” she murmured, her eyes searching mine for clues.

“Just needed to catch my breath for a moment,” I confessed, allowing a broad grin to spread across my face.

“Aren’t we already outside?” she teased, her chuckle mingling with the evening breeze.

I responded by kissing the tip of her nose, a playful shrug accompanying my gesture. “Just making sure you’re really here,” I joked.

She leaned into me, her voice lowering as she shared, “My parents told Ally and the others I’m okay. They were freaking out when I disappeared on my birthday.”

“Should we meet up with them, maybe reassure them in person?” I suggested, half-hoping to integrate more normalcy into the chaos that had become her life.

She shook her head firmly. “It’s better if they stay out of this. I don’t want anyone else getting dragged into this mess.”

My lips twitched into a half-smile at her protective instinct. “So you’re saying you’d want to keep them safe from this life, huh?” I teased, echoing her earlier concerns about involvement.

She caught the irony immediately and gave me a playful shove. “Zarek Rivera, you donotget to turn my words around on me. They’re not in this, not like I am.”

I chuckled, accepting my defeat, but my gaze couldn’t help wandering over the serene backyard setting. Turning back to her, a more serious tone took over. “Do you wish for this?”

“Wish for what?”

“Brick houses, backyards with patio furniture… this?”

She paused, considering the question seriously before letting out a soft sigh. “Are you worried that you might not be able to give me the life youthinkI want?”

I gazed deeply into her eyes, looking for any trace of doubt or hesitation. Finding none, I listened intently.

“I don’t want any of this, Zarek. I wantyouand I hope Ihaveyou.”

I kissed her temple and sighed a breath of relief. For now, I would believe her. I spent too much time assuming and deciding for her. No more.

“You have me,Mi Corazón.”

But for how long?

TWENTY

Leora

As soon as we pulled up to the new safe house near Woodstock, I slid out of the car, eager to stretch my legs. The warehouse, a behemoth structure, loomed larger and more fortified than our last hideout. Its walls, thick, promised better security, and the discreet underground parking meant our presence would be virtually undetectable from the outside.

This time, Zarek and I shared a room, which, despite its small closet, didn’t bother me—I hadn’t brought much with me. Amelia had claimed the only other room with an ensuite bathroom, leaving Logan, Kabir, and Dylan to manage with a communal bathroom.

“I really don’t give a shit,” Kabir declared nonchalantly. “I don’t need much space unlike Logan who uses five different hair products.”

We were all sitting circling the table in the mainarea.

“I donot!” Logan retorted.

“Yeah, well, I’m keeping my stuff in my room,” Dylan chimed in casually, steering clear of the bathroom debate.

Logan, not one to let the jibe at him slide, raised a hand in protest. “For the record, I use one shampoo, one conditioner, and one hair mask—that’s it!”

“That’s two more than I use,” Kabir quipped, unfazed. “You’re not taking the small ass shelf space!”

“Imbecile,” Dylan muttered under his breath.

Zarek, Amelia, and I watched the banter unfold with amused smiles, barely suppressing our laughter.

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