Bonds

-Maya's POV-

My gaze locked on Ivan, a strange mix of emotions swirling within me. He sat sprawled on the floor, a giggling Ivy perched precariously on his lap. Her tiny fingers yanked at his hair, and a genuine smile stretched across his face. He left immediately he received the text promising he would be back. He hadn't even waited for a reply, his hurried departure leaving a knot of unease in my stomach.

He kept his promise and came back. But here he was, back and seemingly relaxed, his playful interaction with Ivy a stark contrast to his tense demeanor carlier. A part of me, the rational part, knew we still had serious issues to address. The elephant in the room, the one named 'Alex' and his sudden investment in Ivan's company, loomed large. Yet, watching Ivan with my daughter, a strange sense of peace settled over me.

Suddenly, a familiar tug pulled at my mind, a psychic nudge from Natalia. I sighed, the tension momentarily broken, and opened myself to our mental link.

"He's really good with her," Natalia's voice echoed in my head, laced with a hint of surprise.

My eyes flickered back to the playful scene before me. Ivy, now giggling uncontrollably, tugged on a strand of Ivan's hair with surprising strength. He flinched playfully, his smile widening. He looked...lighter, more carefree than I'd seen him since everything went down.

"He really is," I admitted, my voice a soft murmur in our bond. "She called him Daddy."

There was a beat of silence, then a sharp intake of breath from Natalia. "That's a big step for Ivy. Trusting him enough to want him to be her father.

I glanced back at them. Ivy, now nestled comfortably in Ivan's lap, was babbling away incoherently, a content smile plastered on her face. He, in turn, was completely absorbed in her, his earlier tension seemingly forgotten. Nathan and Nate sat in one corner fake wrestling.

"Nathan seems to like him too," Natalia added, her voice a low murmur. “And you know what they say someone's energy is bad. That's not what's happening over there."

about kids. They can always tell when

"You know I love you and I'll always tell you the truth," She continued, her voice firm. "I get that you're upset about how he used you to get back at Alex. But you know as well as I do that Alex can be an arrogant jerk sometimes. He needs to be put in his place. It just sucks that he used you as a pawn."

A wave of anger washed over me, a bitter reminder of Ivan's manipulative tactics. He'd used my feelings, our connection, as a weapon against Alex.

"And as for his company," She pressed on, her voice softer now, "I get it. Men like to feel powerful. That's probably why he didn't tell you about Alex. He doesn't want you to think less of him."

"I know I told you to be careful because he seemed too good to be true," She continued, her voice laced with a hint of regret. "But with everything you've seen, can't you see he has his flaws? Maybe you should give him another chance. Let your heart have another shot at love."

Tears welled up in my eyes, a surprising reaction to her words. Pushing them back, I forced a watery smile. "You know I missed it," I let out a whisper through the bond, my voice thick with emotion. "The Natalia Rant."

A surprised bark of laughter erupted from Natalia, the sound momentarily shattering the peaceful atmosphere in the room. Four heads snapped in our direction, but we both quickly feigned interest in other things, pretending the outburst hadn't happened.

Ivan's eyes met mine for a fleeting moment before Ivy snagged a strand of his hair with her tiny fingers, pulling his attention back to her. He Chapter 66

Sat, un offered a nervous smile, his gaze lingering on mine for a beat longer than necessary.

The knot in my stomach tightened. Seeing him interact with Ivy, so relaxed and happy, sent a wave of conflicting emotions through me. There was anger, of course, at his manipulation, but also a flicker of...something else.

Something I couldn't quite define.

"Maya," Natalia's voice broke through my thoughts, her tone gentle this time. "Look, I know Ivan messed up. But sometimes people do stupid things, especially when they're feeling insecure. Maybe he felt threatened by Alex. No he definitely does. I mean Alex is all powerful both in the corporate and supernatural world and he was married to you. And let's be honest, Alex has a way of making people feel small."

She had that right. Alex, with his alpha arrogance and undeniable charm, could be infuriating at times.

"But Natalia," 1 protested, frustration creeping into my tone, "how am I sure he won't do it again. Say something worse this time."

"Okay, okay," Natalia soothed, raising a placating hand. "He messed up, big time.

But maybe, just maybe, there's another way to look at this."

I narrowed my eyes, unsure of where she was going with this.

"Maybe," she continued, her voice dropping to a whisper, "he went to Alex because he knew it was the only way to save his company. Maybe his pride wouldn't let him ask you for help, for fear of seeming weak."

"Even if that's true," I argued, "it doesn't change the fact that he lied to me."

Natalia sighed, a frustrated sound. "Look, Maya, I know you're hurting. You're still dealing with everything that happened with Alex. But maybe, just maybe, it's time to let go of the past and move on. Like you should have done already."

Her words struck a chord within me. Moving on. It was something I desperately wanted, but it seemed so out of reach. Alex was everywhere- in my thoughts, in my dreams, even in the unexpected kiss he planted on me just before the accident.

I flinched, the memory sending a jolt through me. Natalia's sharp eyes narrowed.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"Nothing," I looked away.

"Maya," she pressed, her voice laced with concern, "You're hiding something."

I took a deep breath, the weight of the secret pressing down on me. "It's Alex," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Just before the accident... He kissed me."

Her head snapped in my direction, her eyes wide with surprise. "He kissed you?"

she gasped.

"Yes," I whispered, shame burning in my cheeks. "And the worst part is, I can't stop thinking about it. The more I try to forget, the more it replays in my head."

"When was this?" Natalia demanded, her voice a mixture of shock and anger.

"Right before the whole thing went down," I mumbled, avoiding Natalia's gaze. "He is one of our clients and Ms. Edwards took me to meet with ΕΠ him to talk about the interior design and then something came up so she had to leave and then things got intense, and then... he kissed me."

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"And you didn't tell me?"Her voice was laced with hurt.

"My psych

"...I didn't know what to think,"My psych wobbled, feeling a pang of guilt. "It was so sudden, and then everything happened so fast after that. The accident, everything.

"But Maya," She pressed, her voice softening slightly. "That kiss...did it mean anything to you?"

I hesitated, the memory replaying vividly in my mind. Alex's touch, the urgency in his kiss, it was all a confusing jumble of emotions.

"I don't know," I admitted honestly. "Part of me thinks it was just a spur-of-the- moment thing. But then the way he showed up at the hospital, acting all concerned...it messed with my head."

She let out a frustrated groan, burying her face in her hands. "Maya, honey, you're so hung up on Alex. He's bad news, you know that. He rejected you and let's not forget he is freaking engaged to your husband. You. Gotta. Let. Him. Go."

Suddenly, a loud thump shattered the tense silence. Nate had decided to launch himself off the chair. Before he could hit the ground with a painful E thud, Nathan shot out a hand, catching him mid-air with a laugh.

He ruffled Nate's hair playfully, the little boy giggling in delight.

Ivy, however, was not amused. She glared at Nate with a frown that mirrored Alex's own signature scowl, a pout forming on her tiny lips. The resemblance was uncanny, sending a shiver down my spine. For a fleeting moment, I saw a miniature Alex in my daughter, a reminder of the tangled web of emotions I was caught in.

Reaching out through our mental link, I sent a message to Natalia. "I've been thinking. Since I cannot let myself let him go. I will force myself out of it."

"How?"

I glanced back at Ivan smiling down at Ivy. A decision, a crazy one perhaps, began to solidify in my mind. It was a decision I'd considered before, but seeing Ivy's bond with Ivan, the way she so readily accepted him, pushed me over the edge.

"I'm going to ask Ivan to mark me," I declared, my voice firm despite the fluttering in my stomach. "To claim me as his mate."