Page 206 of BounBound By Scars

Seb coughed, rubbing his jaw, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

Zarek’s jaw was locked so tight I thought he’d break a molar. Amelia was stiff beside me, radiating barely-contained fury. And for once, I was the one trying to keep things level.

“Right,” I forced out. “Okay, so… you’re saying we were never safe. And you were our protection?”

Gray just stared at me, waiting for my brain to catch the fuck up.

“The opposite. We were commissioned by Romlinson to eliminate the Alpha Squads, five and a half years ago after their previous asset, Siwáng, was deceased,” he said, voice cool and unaffected. “We haven’t always been against Romlinson, so yes, we did kill some of your precious squad members… early on.”

“Who?” Zarek growled.

“Squad Seven. Squad Three. And… Psyche.”

My eyes widened—snapping to Zarek, who was seething.

“You killed Maxton?”

It wasn’t a question. It seemed more like a prelude to a gunfight. His hand was already on his gun.

Gray glanced at his trigger-ready hand and smirked. “Safety is on.”

Lia stepped forward slightly. “Wait—what asset did you just say? Si—what?”

Sevy, who barely spoke, finally muttered, “Siwáng. Death.” Then she quickly snatched the cup from Bee and sipped the damn coffee.

Was there cocaine in it? Because Bee immediately snatched it back.

Lia’s eyes narrowed. “That asset isn’t deceased. It was marked… inactive.”

Gray shrugged. “We were told he’s dead. We never questioned it. Maybe Romlinson killed the asset.”

Sebastian finally muttered, “Why didn’t you kill Romlinson yourselves?”

Gray tilted his head. “You’vealready killed them. Are you any closer todefeatingthem?” He let the question hang before adding, “And… we didn’t have the technological resources to do it. That’s mainly the reason we let you live.”

Zane scoffed. “Letus live? Listen, you walking pile of war crimes, you needed us to succeed. That’s why you’re here, aren’t you? Admit your failings like an adult.”

Gray smirked, unbothered. “We don’t consider geeking our way out of global cyber warfare asuccess, pretty boy. We’re not nerds.”

Zane’s lips curled into a snarl. Ronan quickly put a hand on his waist.

Gray kept going. “Besides, we mean it. Wedidlet you live. You’ve been on Deathmark’s list for months. Squad Six and Two? Foryears.”

The room was already suffocating under the weight of everything Deathmark had just dropped, but Gray wasn’t done. Not even close.

He turned to Leora, his dark eyes assessing, cold and indifferent. “By the way, that was a brave stunt, Dr. Mateez, surviving an explosion.” A beat. Then, he tilted his head, like he was debating whether to keep talking. “But where do you think Casteel Romano and Mason Keller went after Stratford?”

Silence.

“Two words.” Flat. Final. “Lake. Huron.”

Leora’s entire body went rigid. Her fists clenched, her jaw locked so tight it could cut glass. My stomach twisted.

Zarek inhaled sharply, and quickly grabbed her shoulder.

Lake Huron.

Stratford.

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