Page 10 of Bound By Valor

Her eyes, wide and flickering with both fear and a spark that might have been determination, scanned the room. It was clear she was a walking paradox; courageous yet visibly shaken.

“I know you’re watching me!” she yelled, her words echoing off the walls. I froze, the cold fear thatshe might have discovered the cameras settling in. Had she seen the one hidden in the living room? Or on the balcony?God, the bedroom too…

She hardly ever slept in her bedroom anymore, always on edge, always ready. I found myself wondering how she managed any rest on that cramped couch.

Her voice broke through my thoughts again, stronger this time but quivering with an undercurrent of fear. “I don’t know how, but I know I’m being watched. If it’s you, and you know who you are, fucking face me, coward!”

The blend of anger and vulnerability in her tone did something to me. Her trembling yet fierce defiance made my heart race, and I felt myself harden at the thought of her actually finding me in her apartment. Hell, Iwantedto be there.

I slammed my laptop shut, a harsh clack echoing around the room, and let out a ragged sigh. I needed a cold shower—like I had been, every fucking day.

SIX

Leora

More days slipped by, and the details of Zarek’s visit began to blur, which unsettled me more than I cared to admit. I found myself clinging to the remnants of his memory—his resonant voice and the sculpted lines of his powerful body.

Stop it. He’s probably your stalker.

As my birthday weekend approached, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about celebrating. But a handful of my closest friends, including the irrepressible Ally, had other ideas. They orchestrated a small house party at my place, and despite my protests, I found myself swept up in their plans.

Ally bounced on the couch as she laid out her idea. “Let’s hit a club!” she proposed, her eyes sparkling with the thought of neon lights and dance floors.

“Sure.” I sarcastically laughed it off.

“Perfect!” Ally clapped her hands, a grin spreadingacross her face.

Ah, fuck.

Just then, Jenna walked in, carrying bags of chips and a suspiciously wobbly cake that looked like it had seen better days.

“Are we really doing this? Going clubbing?” Max asked, eyebrows raised as he helped Jenna set down the snacks on the coffee table.

Jenna chimed in with a smirk. “Why not, Max? It’s not like we have anything better to do at one in the morning. We’ll eat the cake after, I promise.”

Glancing at the clock, I noticed it was already 1:35 AM. “Isn’t it a bit late for clubbing?” I asked, half-hoping they'd take the hint and settle for a quiet night in.

“Hey, no worries—there are a few clubs that don’t close until 3 AM,” Ally reassured everyone, waving off my concerns with a dismissive hand.

“Let me rephrase,” I corrected, “Isn’t it too old for us to be hitting a club?”

“Speak for yourself!” Ally rolled her eyes grinning. She was the youngest of us all.

Max plopped down next to Jenna, his hand caressing her thigh. “Which clubs are these? And more importantly, do they serve decent drinks, or are we talking about beer that tastes like it’s been brewed in a bathtub?”

Jenna punched Max lightly on the arm. “Come on, it’ll be fun. And besides, it’s Leora’s birthday. We can’t let her spend it just lounging around here, can we?”

“Fine, let’s do this,” I declared, begrudgingly. “But if we end up at a club with bathtub beer, Ally is buying the first round.”

“Deal!” Ally agreed, raising her hands in mocksurrender.

With that settled, we gathered our things.

Thirty minutes later, we spilled into Century, a club pulsing with the kind of energy that could erase all your worries—or at least drown them out for a while. I had slipped into a chic, short dress that felt daringly out of character for me. I shucked off my coat at the door, hoping my ever-present shadow had taken the night off. Tonight, I didn’t feel the usual prickle of being watched.

Inside, the club was a riot of lights and sound, each beat of the music thumping against my chest like a second heartbeat. We carved out a little island for ourselves on the dance floor, letting loose among a sea of bodies. Jenna and Max, the newest couple in our crew, were practically glued together, lost in their new love bubble. They just couldn’t keep their mouths from each other.

As the thudding music pulsed in time with my heartbeat, a strange unease crept over me. It was as if my body was rejecting the distraction, craving the silence instead. So after a few songs, I excused myself and headed out.

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