Page 40 of Bound By Thorns

I flung off my duvet in a huff, stormed out of bed, and marched to the bathroom—my head spinning slightly. A shower seemed like the only thing that might calm my frayed nerves.

Twenty minutes later, I entered the lounge, fresh but still seething internally. She wasn’t there, and it looked like everyone had finished their dinner. My stomach growled in protest; I was famished.

I sat down quietly beside my squadmates.

“Look who’s finally up,” Kabir teased with a chuckle.

I shot him a glare as I loaded my plate with baked potatoes and chicken, topping it off with a generous helping of salad. I devoured my meal like I hadn’t eaten in days—which wasn’t far from the truth—and shoveled food into my mouth without pause.

Zarek watched me for a moment, a hint of amusement on his face. “When did you get up?” he asked.

“Just half an hour ago,” I mumbled through a mouthful.

“Kaylan’s back, you know,” Leora said, giving me a knowing smile.

I nodded, not missing a beat. “Yeah, I saw her when I woke up.”

That caught everyone’s attention. Eyebrows lifted in unison around the table.

“Did you apologize?” Sebastian asked, his face stern.

I choked my food down in a hard gulp. “Not yet.”

My response was curt, uninviting. I did, however, see Zane’s expression shift from concern to agitation. He shook his head and focused on his plate.

Changing the topic, Leora continued, “I talked to Dr. Mendoza. She’s great, Lo. You’ll like her.”

I forced a smile, not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm, “Thanks, Leo. I’ll start my sessions soon.”

Zarek cleared his throat, “Actually, that starts tomorrow. I insisted on it.”

I bristled slightly. “Recovery from torture doesn’t follow a schedule.”

The room fell quiet.

I sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. It’s just…I won’t be myself for a while. Please, just give me some time.”

“We are giving you time, Lo.Bothof you,” Leora reassured me, gently reminding me that I wasn’t alone in my recovery.

The mention of ‘both’ nudged my thoughts toward Kaylan. She was increasingly occupying my mind, becoming a constant presence in my thoughts.

“Now,” Leora brightened considerably, “have you seen my ring?”

She playfully waved her hand in front of my face, flaunting the ring Zarek had given her. I smiled genuinely, feeling a momentary lift in spirits.

“I have,” I forced a grin, “I helped Zarek pick it out and kept it hidden for weeks.”

“Weeks?” Leora turned to Zarek, feigning outrage, and I chuckled, watching them bask in their happiness.

As they chatted, a part of me envied their lightness. Would anyone ever look past my scars and see me—not just the broken parts?

Maybe Kaylan could.

The thought jolted me, stirring a mix of hope and confusion. Was I developing feelings for her? I was certainly jealous of Garret. Disturbed by these revelations, I lost my appetite and excused myself from the table.

Walking back to my room, Leora joined me but stayed silent. Her presence was steady, unobtrusive, like she knew I needed time to wrestle with my thoughts.

At my door, she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, her grip warm and grounding. “You know you can talk to us too, right? If therapy isn’t enough, I’m here. You don’t have to carry this alone, Logan.”

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