Bonds

Chapter 145

-Maya’s POV-

Alex had dropped me back at the safe house after his mysterious phone call. I kneew we still had a lot to talk about and there was still the matter of my father’s situation, something I had to passively mention to Alex for my mother’s sake. But I knew deep down he wouldn’t be interested in helping, not after everything that had happened. The girls and Christian were constantly coming and going and when I entered, the girls were all in the living room Riley, Natalia, and Sarah. Christian was nowhere to be seen, probably busy helping Alex with whatever crisis had unfolded and since I couldn‘ heat the twins, I knew they were asleep.

Sarah spotted the ring the moment I walked in. “Well, well, well,” she drawled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Someone’s been busy. Nice rock.”

Her comment instantly grabbed Natalia and Riley’s attention. I groaned, shooting Sarah a playful glare. Natalia grabbed me immediately and planted me firmly on a chair. “I leave you for a minute and you come back with a ring. Start talking.”

“Hold on,” Riley added, already on her way to the kitchen. “Bottles and glasses first.”

I gave her a look, but she just rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m a mafia princess who ran away from an arranged marriage to become a bartender, and I still have baggage with my father even though we’ve put that aside for now. We’re drinking.”

“Hear, hear!” Sarah chimed in, raising an invisible glass. Natalia’s laughter echoed through the room.

It took only a moment for Riley to return, a tray laden with glasses and three different bottles. Looking ahead, I knew it was going to be a long night. But as I settled into the chair with their expectant faces staring at me, a sense of belonging washed over me. These were my people, the ones who understood, the ones who had my back.

“Alright,” Natalia prompted, “we’re getting old, and those bundles of chaos can wake up any minute.”

I chuckled. “Okay, so… Alex proposed again, and I said yes again. Yes, I know I’m technically still married to Ivan,” saying his name sent a shiver down my spine, “and yes, I know Alex has made a lot of mistakes. But even after everything…” I trailed off, my voice catching slightly. “Even after everything, I still want him. So yeah, I said yes.”

really happy for you, Amaya, we

other hummed in agreement and then she raised her glass. “To the crazy

fucked–up love,” Riley added with a

glasses, then everyone turned their attention back to Riley. She shot us all a questioning look. “Why are you all

that?”

know the surface of what happened with you running away

going to need a whole lot

the world I grew up in arranged marriages were as common as the blood spilled on the streets. I didn’t like it, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I knew it would be my fate someday, a fate both me and my sister dreaded. We used to count down the days until adulthood, each one

life she’d left behind. Natalia reached out, squeezing Riley’s hand in a silent gesture of understanding. Riley offered a grateful

it finally happened. Dad announced he’d arranged my marriage, and even though I knew it was coming, it still hit me like a ton of

leaned forward, her earlier teasing

the devil walked this earth, he’d be the closest thing to it,” Riley continued, her voice dropping to a barely audible whisper. “There was no

filled the room, broken only by the clinking of ice against glass. Even

before the wedding,” Riley continued, a hint of defiance creeping back into her voice, “I met Christian. One thing led to another, and… well, let’s just say it was exhilarating. We only saw each other for two weeks, but he felt like everything my body had ever

meeting each of ours in turn. “Time was running out,” she explained. “I knew I had to run. There was another thing,

I disappeared.” she finished a touch

pursed in a

flicker of warmth replacing the earlier darkness. “Then I met you, Amaya. And

genuine smile broke across her face, a stark contrast to the turmoil she’d just described. She raised her

sound echoing in the