ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ Tethered ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Chapter 49

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• Luna •

Luna winced as she lay in bed late Sunday afternoon, remembering telling Liberty she was too exhausted to explain what happened once she and Amir returned. She didn't want to talk because her sister would ask many questions.

She wasn't furious at Liberty but wasn't ready to talk.

Luna didn't remember coming home the night before. Amir brought her back into the house, where she saw guests and actual officers who cared about the research facility Chase had brought her to. Her husband healed Chase's damage before vacating. Vikram sat behind Liberty. When she looked at Titus, Luna thought she saw Faisal with a quiet, pale Cami, but she couldn't be sure. Medication was pumping through her veins.

She recounted Amir was next to her when she woke up in the middle of the night, holding her hand. Or maybe she held his hand. No idea.

After he told Greer about the incident, she thought Sarah had come home with everyone else, but she wasn't certain.

Luna received experimental sedatives from Chase in Houma, Louisiana. That upset her.

Her small home prevented her from knowing where everyone slept. When she woke five minutes ago, Amir wasn't in the bedroom.

After his fight with Chase and Sam, Luna worried about his health. Her husband was strong—perhaps the strongest she had seen—but being around deadly superhumans must have affected him.

They could've killed him.

They nearly murdered her.

And he defeated their enemies. They were no match for him.

Luna's exhaustion from waking up was fading, but she still had aching spots from turning too quickly. But she felt okay. She didn't understand after recovering. Amir said most superhumans felt well after getting better.

It made her question Chase's serum. If the liquid enhanced her mood and saved her from the poison in her body after being severely injured during the night.

Because of this, Luna had so many questions.

She looked at her locked bedroom door and wondered what everyone was doing. Except for Cami and Liberty's morning check-in, they gave her space. She saw her house's windows boarded up and assumed someone was repairing them. Every room needed work. She didn't care, but this was everyone's temporary shelter.

A light tap came from the door. She immediately recognized who was checking on her.

Amir knocked—why wouldn't he enter?

Standing, Luna walked to the door. She felt excitement and something deeper. She opened the door to find him smiling.

He carried a bottle of sweet tea.

She opened the door wider for him and resisted laughing at his odd behavior. "Why are you knocking at the door instead of just walking in?"

Amir shrugged. "I wanted to respect your home."

"Uh-huh." Luna ignored the knots in her stomach after closing the door. "It's also your home."

He walked to the corner chair, took off his jacket, and brought her the tea.

"Thanks. I'm parched."

"I know."

Holding it, Luna grinned. The drink was chilled. She sipped it before placing it on the dresser. When she stared at him, her words seemed to have vanished.

Amir's subtle expression was stern. He looked like he could almost see right through her.

He stepped closer and halted. In a raspy voice, Amir pleaded, "Could I . . . Can we just hold each other?"

She gaped before nodding.

Slowly, he stroked her face. Amir flattened hands sliding along her jaw tingled her spine. When he came closer, his calf brushed against hers and his palms slid to her shoulders. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Her husband drew her to with his other arm around her waist. His warm breath brushed across her forehead as they stood chest to chest. She felt him trembling. For several minutes, neither of them moved or spoke.

Taking Luna's hands, Amir asked, "How do you feel now?"

"Better." Despite feeling unbalanced, she smiled. "What about you?"

He looked away, and she was drawn to his profile and the way his jaw flexed. "A hundred percent."

He was standing there like nothing had occurred and wanted to heal her. She pressed her lips into a thin line, wondering what Amir was doing when he left the bed quietly. After everything, he seemed to want to stay.

He looked at her. "Just ask me, Moon."

She frowned. "Did I say you could hear my thoughts?"

"I can't help myself. You're always loud."

Luna muttered, "You're messing with me now." She chuckled. "Are you . . . okay?"

"Don't I look like it, baby?"

She started to joke but then stopped. "Yes."

"Don't worry about me." He sat next to her. "I left earlier to say my morning prayers and give you space. You needed it."

Her stomach churned. That was understandable. They hadn't talked much last night, considering how things were going.

"Is that not what you want?" he asked. "Space?"

She didn't always know what she wanted, but she knew space and not being with her partner was torture.

Luna's gaze met his. "I don't need space," she whispered, her cheeks flaming. "Not from you."

Amir stared at her and raised one lip. "That's good."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He looked into her eyes and adjusted his hold on her palm. "Thank you, Luna," he murmured.

"You're saying thank you . . ." Her eyes bulged. "Why thank me?"

Amir's head slanted to one side. "I wasn't sure what to expect outside your studio. I knew something . . . I confronted one of Chase's men after having a strange feeling something was wrong. I beat him to find you because his memories were jumbled. You put your trust in me to know that I wouldn't leave you again, and I didn't." He paused. "That is why I am thanking you."

She fumbled for words. "I should trust you more often."

He smiled. "I'm glad you did."

"Don't mention it." They stared at each other. She shuddered. "Sam and Chase. They were working together all of these years. Sorry that you were caught up in it. I can't imagine how you're—"

"Feeling?" Amir cut in. "I couldn't care less what they were doing. They can't . . . hurt anyone. I killed them. That's wrong, isn't it? To not regret taking a life?"

Shaking her head, Luna slouched. "I disagree."

"You sure?" He sounded shocked.

"Yeah. Chase would've killed us."

Amir sighed heavily. "I can't . . . I don't know what to say about him. He seemed too eager to break your neck, so I urged him to give up and cooperate with me. I thought of Mr. Malik holding your throat. I didn't know what Chase gave you, Luna, but your eyes told me it was powerful. I hoped the syringe wasn't toxic."

"Thankfully, it wasn't," she whispered. "I'm confused. Chase kept rambling yesterday. Why would he challenge you? Taunt you? Get you to focus on him? Does any of those make sense?"

"Maybe. Yeah." Amir stretched. He revealed silky flesh when his shirt hem lifted. "I don't even think Chase knew what he was doing. Just like a sociopath. Do they understand their behavior? He had—"

"Problems? Psychotic tendencies?"

Amir's smile faded. "I wasn't going to let him get away with it. Sam neither. I wanted to put them out of their misery. Making me kneel before him? I wanted to hurt Chase right then. Kill him. I followed his instructions until I gained the upper hand." Amir swallowed. "Deception was Chase's forte. He has influenced so many people in the past."

Luna contemplated both of her exes' actions. "Chase and Sam seemed confident like they'd always had."

Amir closed his eyes slowly. "Did you hear Chase at the end? Additional work for the organization? It was as if . . ." He wiped his face. "Wow."

Chase's teasing made Luna think. That BARDA won't stop, and that they will continue their plans for the future. Before Amir came, she thought about what Chase said. And Sam's attitude toward her. Even their behavior didn't match. In some ways, it didn't make sense. Sam would have never tried to sexually assault her, but he did.

Luna understood Amir was upset by yesterday's events just by looking at him. Her heart broke as she softly touched his arm. Static electricity rushed from his skin to hers. He turned and looked at her. "Amir, it wasn't your fault."

"Maybe not," he whispered.

"I'm serious. You have every reason to—"

"But did I?" Amir laughed poorly. "I should have killed Chase at Crescent Motel when I met him last year."

"But—"

"I wouldn't have lost everything if I had. You wouldn't—"

"If it wasn't Chase, it would probably be Sam or someone else," Luna continued.

Amir's brow raised. "Do you believe that's true?"

"Why not? Sam was always Chase's right-hand man." Luna's memories kept coming back. She began to move away.

Amir grabbed her elbow. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Moon, and that I left you in the studio," he pleaded passionately. "I was infuriated when I saw you on the floor and Sam abusing you. I wanted to—Well, in the end, I did what I wanted to do. I'll never let that happen to you again."

Luna flinched and closed her eyes again. Her grief was almost overwhelming. Since dawn, the situation has loomed. Even with Amir there, she wasn't ready to talk about this.

Amir held her hand gently and said, "I know it's not something you want to talk about. But I'll be here when you're ready."

She took a shaky breath and then opened her eyes. He reached out and touched her palm. She planned to think about those memories when she was alone, so she put them away for now. "Did Chase talk to you privately?"

After a short pause, Amir looked back at their hands again. "Nothing much, Moon."

Nothing much? Luna didn't believe that. She had seen how Chase acted when her husband gave him the shot. Chase appeared to have said something. She took her hand away.

Amir straightened his back and wrapped his arm around her waist. "What is it?"

Her arms were around her legs in a tight circle. "What are we going to do now, Amir?"

His gaze was drawn to hers. "I think we should go downstairs with everyone else and watch cartoons. I'm sure they'd love to see you. Even our daughter."

"I wasn't talking about that."

"I know." He moved closer to her. "But all people can do is hope for tomorrow, even though we know it might never come. You can't do anything else. It's the only thing we can do."

She looked right at him. "Sometimes you sound . . . well educated."

"Well, what did I say? I'm a know-it-all."

"And then you ruin it."

Amir burst out laughing. "We keep doing what we always do. This stuff that happened? It can't keep us from doing what you want every second of the day. What's the point of doing anything then?"

Luna kept looking at him. Amir had a point. Again. Grr.

That now-familiar half-grin was there. "Life won't be easy, but I'm used to balancing the dangerous, the crazy, and the boring."

Luna replied, "Me, too," and then nodded. Many things were still in the air, and each one would have to be decided on its own.

"I've been thinking about everything," Amir said after a short pause.

She froze. "That's a rational statement."

"It is." There was a pause. "How about you?"

Luna knew what he was talking about. She had so many ideas going through her head. Their future was a big mystery, but she knew that as long as he was by her side, she and Sarah would be okay. Things weren't going the way she had planned, but they were still alive and she was paired with the best companion. Amir was the best part of her.

She did, however, know that things were not going to be great. "Yes," Luna whispered.

A shudder ran down her spine when she scooted closer to his side.

Elizabeth didn't die for anything, and the people who changed her are no longer around. Luna knew that things would change over time, but everyone would have to cope with it together.

Different organizations around the world worked to continue experiments that had been going on for centuries because finding out what was out there was more important than anyone's physical and mental health. There was a lot more going on that neither Luna nor Amir knew or expected . . .

There was a rustle of movement in the hallway, and then Luna felt Amir's arms wrap circle her from behind.

On the other hand, the good people were anything but average. They weren't heroes at all, but if she learned anything, it was that there was no such thing as black and white. There was a lot of gray in the middle.

Amir asked, "Are you okay?"

Luna sighed and brought her head back. "Yeah. I'm sorry for going quiet on you."

"It's okay." He pressed his cheek against hers. His breath made the corner of her mouth feel funny. "Don't hesitate to talk about whatever you were thinking."

Taking everything into account, Amir's suggestion was pretty wide. Their lives would never be the same because of what happened to the world.

If Luna wanted to, she could go back to being a photographer, and her husband could go back to working in a laboratory. Maybe tomorrow, more superhumans will come up from the underworld. Today, though? She wanted to be here and now.

He kissed the top of her head. Luna shifted in his arms, enjoying how quickly they wrapped around her and held her close to his chest. She tipped her head back and smiled. "I was just thinking about what will happen next."

As Amir looked at her, the look in his eyes became stronger. "I can tell."

"Then, why did you ask?"

"Thought it was the right thing to do," he replied.

She smiled. "You tap into my mind and catch me off guard when I least expect it."

Amir laughed deeply. "What can I say, Moon? I like being unpredictable. It keeps me from getting distracted. And you like it when I do it."

Yeah, Luna did. He was just like an animal. Except for her, he would tear anyone apart if they got too close. When she looked into his eyes, she felt a lump in her throat. She looked at every part of Amir's face and became bewitched by it. She hugged him tighter and felt his arms tighten. He met her halfway and lightly kissed her lips. His kisses and hugs were warm, and all she could feel was love.

So now would be fine.

The future can wait because they have that to look forward to.

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Only one more chapter is left! Sarah and most of the crew will appear in that scene. Amir and Luna are two of my favorite characters. They are a powerful duo, a loving and soulful Tethered Pair. They also have a special surprise to share with you all in the final chapter of their story. Thank you for reading. There are also two author's notes at the end of this book. One detailed summary of the series to help fill in any gaps. :)