Chapter 1: "Two Years Too Long."
The airport buzzed with the energy of long-awaited reunions. Families pressed against security barriers, eyes scanning thebsea of uniforms for families faces. A digital board flickered with arrival times,but for Valeria Castillo, time itself had slowed.
Her heart pounded as the steady stream of Marines made their way through the terminal, duffel bags slung over their shoulders, exhaustion lining their faces. Then, she saw him.
Alejandro Castillo stood tall, his broad frame commanding attention even in a crowd of soldiers. His dark hair was cropped short, his sharp features hardened by time and experience. Tattoos snaked down his forearms, partially hidden beneath the sleeves of his uniform. His expression was unreadable—stoic, disciplined—but the second his eyes locked onto Valeria, something in him shifted.
She didn't think. Her heels clicked against the polished airport floor as she broke into a run. Within seconds, his arms were around her, lifting her off the ground in a crushing embrace. The scent of him—leather, salt, and something distinctly him—washed over her, bringing a sting to her eyes.
"Alex," she breathed against his neck.
His grip tightened, as if letting go wasn’t an option. "Mi vida," he murmured, voice rough from exhaustion but laced with something deeper. Something starved.
Valeria pulled back just enough to look at him. There were new scars, fine lines that hadn’t been there before. But his intensity, the way he looked at her like she was the only thing in the world, hadn’t changed.
“I missed you,” she whispered, brushing her fingers along his jaw.
His hand came up, cupping her face. "Two years is too damn long," he said, voice low and raw. Then his lips crashed against hers.
The world around them faded. Applause and laughter from other reunions filled the space, but Alex and Valeria were lost in their own moment. His kiss was desperate, possessive, a silent claim that she was still his.
When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers, breathing her in. "Let’s go home," he said, his thumb brushing her lower lip. "I need to remind my wife exactly who she belongs to." A shiver ran through her, but she smiled, fingers curling around his collar. "You better." With one last lingering look, Alex took her hand, his grip unyielding. Whatever had changed in the past two years, one thing was certain—he wasn’t letting her go.
