Tethered Souls | Books 1, 2, and 3

{Book Three} 171 | Desolation

ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ Tethered ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Chapter 45

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• Amir •

Amir couldn't remember if he slept with his eyes opened or closed. He believed he had napped. He only remembered Luna sleeping.

Her cheek felt tingling from lying on his arm while she snuggled. Before bed, she put on an old robe. It fell down her shoulder, revealing her gorgeous figure.

He liked her complexion while caressing her shoulder and circling her collarbone. Doing that took half the night. She sometimes rested her leg on his.

Amir cared about how well she was doing.

Really worried about her.

After learning what happened to her mother yesterday, his wife remained calm as she listened to Tahir Malik's rant about what he had done to the world and watched their allies come. Luna ran away because she was scared she would explode and create more destruction.

But she was in control as Enzo's crew went through a neighborhood a few miles from her home, causing minimal damage before proceeding to Los Angeles to face more enemies.

Liberty, Vikram, Faisal, and Greer cheered late at night after Enzo and his team killed most of BARDA and their people. Luna smiled. Yet there wasn't enough time for Amir to comfort her or discuss it.

She didn't feel like sleeping in the bed she shared with Chase for many years, so both of them slept in the spare bedroom. Amir's hold wasn't enough.

Never enough.

He was upset because they had lost Elizabeth and knew her untimely and cruel death would affect Luna and her family for a long time. Luna lost her mother. Her dad's wife was gone. Amir killed his wife's mother because she tried to kill them.

He was astonished and couldn't believe Luna still forgave him.

She had said, "I don't blame you," before falling asleep. After all that, Luna still felt that way.

Like many other things Amir wished he could change, they had to endure this tragedy together. She was racked by a feeling of utter desolation.

Luna brushed up against him, curling in a way that reminded him of the nickname he'd given her. Crescent moon. She grinned when her lashes opened.

Sleepy eyes met his. "Husband."

"Wife."

Her hand flattened against his heart when she stared at him. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long."

"So, you've been watching me sleep?"

His lips twisted. "Something along those lines."

"See who's creeping now."

"Call me anything—I don't hate." Amir's thumb stroked her lower lip. "I spent hours protecting my world."

Luna blushed. "I'm staying put."

"You better."

"We're going to make it, A." She patted his shoulder like a good guardian angel, and he ignored the parts of himself that promised a satisfying outcome. She looked around before returning to him. "Did we really . . . win?"