Page 194 of BounBound By Scars

I leaned back against the pillows, letting the hum of the building fill the silence—until a knock on the door broke it.

I frowned. Lia wouldn’t knock.

Then the door opened, and in walked him.

Zarek.

Holding Lia’s keycard.

Huh.

I pushed myself up slowly, careful not to aggravate my ribs.

“Ghost?”

He walked in, not with his usual military stride—but something quieter. Hesitant.

“Zarek,” he said, then added, “Or Zar. Take your pick, Kabir.”

That threw me off.

“You, uh… wanna sit?”

He nodded once and walked over, sinking to the edge of the bed like it wasn’t his usual territory.

I watched him closely. Every move. Every breath. Assessing the shift. He looked… subdued.

Not stiff. Not commanding.

Just… small.

I nodded at the card still in his hand. “Guess Lia won’t be showing up for a while.”

He let out a quiet chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah… she knew I needed to talk to you.”

I let the silence settle.

Didn’t rush him.

He cleared his throat. Twice.

“Kabir, I—I know there’s this… distance between us. Always has been.” He glanced down at his hands. “And I never didn’t feel it. I just… got comfortable with it. And you—you’ve paid the price for that.”

He looked up then. Eyes sharp with something too raw to mask.

“I’m so sorry, brother.”

The word hit weird.

Then he let out a low, self-deprecating laugh. “Fuck. Even calling you brother feels new. I really screwed up.”

I swallowed hard. The truth was bitter in my throat, but I said it anyway.

“You started the distance.” I held his gaze. “I just kept it, Ghost.”

He flinched—like I’d slapped him across the face. The call sign landed heavy.

He shifted on the edge of the bed, glanced down at his hands.

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