Page 94 of BounBound By Scars

“Yes,” she shot back, voice trembling but firm.

She was shaking now, full of fury and something deeper—something closer to determination.

“Baby, please,” I tried. “I can do this alone. It’s better that way.”

A throat clearing behind us broke the standoff.

“Care to include the rest of us in this riveting telepathic showdown?” Logan smirked, arms crossed like this was a game show.

“She wants to—”

“I want to volunteer for the mission,” Amelia interrupted. “I’ll join Kabir and Delara.”

“You won’t.” Dylan’s voice was low and final. A steel wall.

I let out a breath. Thank god.

“Dylan,” Amelia argued. “You can’t seriously think I’m incapable.”

“She’s not incapable,” Delara added. “And you know it.”

Dylan’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond.

Delara continued. “Amelia trained with us during the VR sims. She’s more than capable. And Kabir’s not going to be able to manage the Crazon interface while infiltrating. You’ll need someone who knows the tech side.”

I hated how logical that sounded. Hated that Delara was right.

But Amelia?

I looked at her again.

She wasn’t asking.

She was standing like she already had boots on the ground.

Zarek finally stepped forward, arms folded. “I won’t be joining this op,” he said. “Leora’s not doing well. I need to be with her.”

Logan smiled quietly to himself at that, but didn’t say a word.

Sebastian looked around at all of us before finally settling his gaze on me. “You’re the lead. You okay with this?”

I didn’t answer immediately.

I wanted to say no.

I wanted to keep Amelia far, far away from danger.

There was already a fucking hit out for all of us.

But I wasn’t the man who could tell her where she could and couldn’t stand.

“She’s an asset,” I muttered at last. “She knows Sentrix. She can help.”

Amelia’s eyes softened—just slightly. But she didn’t gloat. Didn’t even smile.

Because she knew what I was really saying.

She wasn’t just a good choice.

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