Page 98 of BounBound By Scars

“You’re joining the op? Why?”

He shrugged, casual as ever. “You need two people on lookout. Seb’s out. Delara and I will handle intel gathering and monitor extraction routes. Old-school.”

I nodded slowly, but something was off. Kabir was suddenly tense—his posture tight, his hands still. I didn’t know what exactly was bothering him, but I could feel it in the shift of his energy.

We were already breaking lockdown protocol with me and him on the mission. Dylan joining made no difference.

So why did it feel like Kabir was waiting for the other shoe to drop?

TWENTY-THREE

Kabir

I shouldn’t have said it.

Ireallyshouldn’t have fucking said it.

It just slipped out. I hadn’t even meant to say it out loud—definitely not in front of Dylan, of all people.

Thankfully, Amelia didn’t hear me.

But Dylan did.

Why the hell did I mutter“in-law”when he called mebrother?

God. Idiot. At least it didn’t piss him off. He even smiled. Guess I had the unofficial brotherly blessing now… yay?

But Amelia? No. Of course she didn’t let it go. She’d hounded me for days. Cornered me in hallways, whispered threats during nights, narrowed her eyes every time I even looked slightly smug.

“What did you say, Kabir?” she’d hiss. “What. Did. You. Say?”

And each time, I’d say nothing.

Because how the hell was I supposed to tell her I was already mentally assigning titles likewifeand fuckingforever?

That I was probably light-years ahead of her, weaving fantasies that might freak her the fuck out.

And fair enough—I’d freak the fuck out if the roles were reversed.

Now we were walking back to my—our—room, and she was at it again.

“You know I’ll just ask Dylan what you said,” she said from behind me. “He wouldn’t lie to me.”

I grunted. No way I was handing her that ammo.

“Seriously, Kabir, what did you say? Fucking tell me!”

I turned so fast she bumped straight into my chest. Her hands landed there for balance. Her scent flooded my brain.

Instead of answering, I snapped, “Why do you call the drone a bouquet?”

That shut her up.

Her eyes darted away, and her jaw clenched. She hesitated—just like every time I’d asked her before. And then came that hard swallow.

Gotcha.

“Right,” I nodded. “You give methat, I’ll give you mine.”

---