Chapter 119 Harper
Harper
The quiet after battle was almost worse than the fight itself. My ears still rang with echoes of gunfire, my body still braced for another round that didn’t come. The world around us looked scarred—bark shredded from the trees, the earth torn up by bullets and boots.
But we were still standing.
Carter stayed close, his hand firm around mine, his eyes sweeping the treeline one last time. River and the others moved like shadows through the brush, securing the perimeter, but my focus never left Carter.
When his gaze finally came back to me, I saw it there—the weight he carried, the fury still burning, and the fear he’d never say out loud.
I stepped closer, pressing my free hand to his chest. His heartbeat was a drum under my palm, strong and steady despite everything. “I meant what I said,” I whispered. “I’m not walking away. Not from you. Not from this fight.”
For a second, I thought he’d argue. His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing like he wanted to push back, to protect me even from myself. But then his shoulders eased, just a fraction, and he covered my hand with his own.
The warmth of his touch grounded me. And in that touch, I felt it—his trust. Fragile, hard-earned, but real.
Tears stung my eyes, but I didn’t look away. “You don’t have to carry this alone, Carter. You never did.”
His thumb brushed over my knuckles, slow and deliberate, as though he was memorizing the feel of me. And though his voice was low, roughened by battle and exhaustion, I heard every word clear as day.
“You’re stronger than you know, Harper. Stronger than I ever deserved.”
Emotion swelled in my chest, sharp and sweet, as I leaned into him, pressing my forehead to his. “Then stop thinking you don’t deserve me. Because I’m here. And I’m not letting go.”
The breath he let out shook against my skin. His arms came around me, holding me tight, like the battle wasn’t truly over until he felt me safe in his embrace.
And for the first time, I believed it wasn’t just him protecting me.
I was protecting him too.