Chapter 31 Ava
Ava
Ifeel it before I see him.
That shift.
That pull in my chest like something just locked into place.
Then—
Ethan.
Standing in the doorway through smoke and debris like he stepped straight out of memory—
Out of everything I thought I lost.
For a second—
I forget how to breathe.
He looks the same.
No—
not the same.
Harder.
Sharper.
Edges where there used to be ease.
But his eyes—
God.
They haven’t changed.
They find me like they always did.
Like I’m the only thing in this room that matters.
“Hey,” I say softly.
Like we’re not surrounded by bodies.
Like we’re not standing in the middle of a war zone.
His jaw tightens.
Something raw flashes across his face—
fast—
uncontrolled—
real—
Then he’s moving.
Straight toward me.
Fast.
I don’t step back.
Don’t even think about it.
He reaches me and pulls me into him—
hard—
not careful—
not gentle—
desperate.
Like he needs proof.
Like he’s making sure I’m solid—
real—
still here.
My hands grip his shirt without thinking.
“I’m here,” I whisper.
His forehead presses against mine.
Breath rough.
Uneven.
“You don’t get to disappear on me again.”
His voice is low.
Not steady.
I swallow.
“I didn’t want to.”
His hand comes up, cupping my face, thumb brushing over the blood on my cheek like he’s trying to erase it.
His gaze drops.
Finds the wound at my side.
Everything in him sharpens.
“How bad?” he asks, fingers ghosting near it.
“It’s not new,” I say. “I’ve had worse.”
His eyes flick back up.
Not convinced.
Never is.
Then—
gunfire explodes somewhere deeper in the compound.
Reality crashes back in.
Hard.
His entire posture shifts in an instant.
Shoulders tighten.
Eyes sharpen.
Soldier.
Lethal.
Focused.
But his hand stays on me.
“Stay behind me,” he says.
I let out a quiet breath that almost turns into a laugh.
“Not happening.”
His eyes flash.
Yeah.
He expected that.
Ronan’s voice cuts through over comms.
“Ethan—movement—north side—heavy.”
Ethan nods once, already adjusting.
Then looks back at me.
“You ready?”
I glance down at my weapon.
Blood still slick across my fingers.
Grip steady.
Heart even.
“Always.”
Aaron’s voice cuts in next, amusement threading through it.
“Reunion later, lovebirds. We’ve got a war to finish.”
Ethan’s mouth curves just slightly.
Then he looks back at me.
“Stick with me.”
I step closer.
Close enough to feel the heat of him.
To know he’s real.
“Try and keep up.”
That grin he gives me?
Sharp.
Dangerous.
“Not a chance.”
Then we move.
Side by side.
Like we were always meant to.