Page 62

Chief Styles Sawyer

Zorion

He and Valor were in their locker room packing a duffel bag of clothes their wardrobe team had put together, preparing to leave for their proffered hiatus.

“You sure you don’t wanna go back to the cabin?” Valor asked for the third time.

“I’m sure.” Zorion nodded. “I’d prefer to go back to the Order. We should stay up on our training.”

“The meaning of downtime is to relax.” Valor sighed. “I don’t know what kinda training you and Omega did, but Lion kicked my ass on a daily basis.”

Zorion laughed. “And look who you are.”

“Well, I admit, I can’t complain.”

Zorion wrapped his arms around Valor’s neck and kissed his cheek, working his way to his mouth.

“How about we go to the Order for a few days? Then we can ask Jo if we can stay at that cabin and make it our home?”

The excitement in his cherished’s eyes was everything.

“Fuck yeah.” Valor smiled. “You think she’ll say yes?”

“I’m pretty sure she will.” Zorion shrugged. “Since I already asked her, and she agreed.”

Valor picked him up and kissed the hell out of him.

When he was put down Zorion was gasping for breath.

“Damn, I fuckin’ love you.” Valor beamed.

As Zorion started, Valor’s smile began to fade.

“What?”

“That’s the first time you’ve said you love me.”

Valor’s eyes blazed a brilliant hazel before he gripped the back of Zorion’s neck. He pulled him in until his lips met his. It was a tentative taste before it grew bolder, their tongues tangling with desperate tenderness.

Valor traced the scars along his cheek, his touch aching with emotion.

“I love you too,” Zorion whispered against Valor’s mouth.

They were almost to the garage, where a car waited to take them to the cabin…to their home. The next day, they’d fly back to the Order.

“Masters, wait.” Lion’s lead disciple—now dressed in dark linen karategi pants and a black silk jacket with a lion embroidered in gold buttoned up to his neck—rushed toward them with a bulging folder case.

He gave a slight bow before he began to speak.

“I was able to recover this from the records room at the facility before we got the scientists out.”

Valor accepted the clasped holder. “What is it?”

“It’s your past, Masters. Before you were taken by the Ravens. I thought maybe you’d want it.” The disciple lowered his eyes. “Forgive me if I’ve overstepped.”

A lump lodged in Zorion’s throat.

“What do you mean our past?” Valor frowned.

“They must’ve researched you while you underwent the experiments. There’s documents, photos, and a thumb drive.”

The disciple didn’t wait for them to respond before he gave another respectful bow and then hurried away.

Zorion gulped down the pained knot. “Do we open it?”

Valor shook his head. “Not here, not right now. Come on. Let’s go home.”