Bonds

Chapter 10

My world narrowed to the unwelcome sight of Alex’s cold state and Miranda’s glittering eyes, their silhouettes framed by the warm glow of the restaurant. “Fancy seeing you here,” Miranda purred, sashaying towards our table with an air of malicious triumph. I blinked, the blood in my veins. suddenly icy. Of all the restaurants in the city, they had to choose this onb7

Ivan felt the shift in the atmosphere, his gaze following mine. His frown mirrored my own, a deep furrow creasing his forehead, “Miranda,” he acknowledged curtly, his voice clipped. I wasn’t sure who he disliked, his sister or Alex.

Miranda, oblivious to the tension she’d created, breezed closer, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Amaya, how lovely to finally meet you! The wedding chaos and pre–dinner frenzy kept us from properly connecting” She extended a manicured hand towards me, eyes glinting with a veiled challenge. “Miranda McCall, Ivan’s charming little sister, And this,” she announced with a theatrical flourish, “is Alex, my fiancé but I am sure you need no introduction.” The way she drew out “fiance” felt like a deliberate barb which was weird because she couldn’t possibly know about my marriage to him.

My father had made sure to bury every connection we ever had, so I was but a shadow in Alex’s life.

A once before.

I forced a smile, plastering it onto my face like a poorly–fitting mask. Straightening my spine, I met her gaze with a chin held high. “It’s lovely to meet you both,” I said, my voice calm despite the storm raging within. “Why don’t you join us?”

My invitation hung in the air, heavy with unspoken tension. Alex remained silent, his unreadable eyes fixed on me. Ivan frowned, a furrow creasing his brow, but stayed quiet.

Miranda’s smile widened, a predatory gleam flashing in her eyes. “Oh, wouldn’t want to intrude on your cozy little date night,” she drawled, dragging out the last word with exaggerated emphasis. “Besides, Alex and I would have made reservations elsewhere if we had known.”

The lie was transparent but none of us said anything

“Nonsense,” Ivan countered finally speaking, his voice low and firm. “There’s plenty of space. Pull up a chair.”

Alex stepped forward, his face unreadable, an impassive mask, “We will go somewhere else,” he said, his voice a rough scrape.

I met his gaze, a silent challenge sparking between us. The past, with its tangled threads of love and betrayal, hung heavy in the air. But this wasn’t then. This was now, and I was no longer the fragile girl he’d left behind.

“It’s fine,” I said, my voice steady despite the tremor in my heart. “The more the merrier, right?”

flicker, replaced by a flash of annoyance. She shot me a glare, venom masked by a tight smile.

voice dripping with feigned sweetness after they settled in. “Tell me all about what you think of married life. Must be quite different from your past, wouldn’t you say?”

to give her

replied, keeping my voice neutral. “But Ivan and I

silent reassurance that he stood by

didn’t quite

me with thinly veiled insults, each one met with a calm, measured response. Alex remained mostly silent,

before this but I knew everything she was doing was to bait me, it wouldn’t work.

Chapter 10

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that brought a smile to my

in a silent gesture of support. The touch was electric, sending a jolt of nervous energy through me

wasn’t he

a tasteless chore. Finally, I couldn’t bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer. “Excuse me,” I announced, pushing back my chai.

his worried gaze locked on mine. “I’ll

sure Amaya can handle a little stroll

his gaze. “I’ll be back in a moment,” I said, forcing a smile. “I promise I won’t take long.”

last defiant glance at the table, I stepped out into the cool night air. The

Miranda’s venom from my tongue.

I closed my eyes, letting

This was just the beginning of something I

stared back at me like a mocking eye, but my feet refused to budge. Whatever Ivan’s silent game with Miranda was, i didn’t want to be part of it. The suffocating tension inside, coupled with the unexpected encounter with Alex, had left me raw. I needed air, any air, so instead of

beneath me like a glittering jewel box, momentarily distracting me from

sense of humor. Because silhouetted

chest, but I held it down, refusing to let him dictate my rhythm. His back was to me, but the tension radiating from him

my

“The same thing

a winter wind. It was the same tone he’d used four years ago, the day he walked away, leaving me a shattered shell of the woman I once was. Now, it filled me with a familiar rage, a primal growl trapped in

the surface, her fangs bared at the mating mark burning on my shoulder, a constant reminder of our broken bond. At that moment, i