ter

as married. And worse, my new husband had somehow tra

I insisted he sleep there, and surprisingly, he agreed without much argument. Not that it made me feel a

inds as I tiptoed out of my bedroom, half-ho

he cushions. His dark hair was mussed from sleep, and his shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show a hint of toned

mal. And this wasn't

instantly, sharp and alert. "Morning," he said,

plied, my voice

way

Jayden or Gerald had-their presence had always felt suffocating, like a trap I couldn't escape. Nico, on the other hand, exuded a differ

t terri

nded him a mug and sat across f

I said, cutting str

aking a slow

us. "You can't just show up at my door and expect me

ly. "I'm not expecting you to do anything, Av

am I supposed to

said simply. "A partn

eyebrow. "A

part of my wife, and in return, you get

t a chill down my spine

be surprised how many enemies you can make just by existing in my world. And now

don't belong in your world, Nico. I

g moment, his green eye

pond, there was a

Nico, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered. He stood and moved toward the door

he said over

on the other side. His body tensed, blocking my view, and I

g a tall, broad-shouldered man to enter. The newcomer had dark hai

ico said, hi

ugh me. Even without knowing who he was, I cou

ined. His eyes flicked to me, and I felt a shi

rced myself to stand. "Ava,

shifting back to Nico.

ever you have to say, you c

on darkening further. "Fine. Word's o

dropped. "T

ickly, turning back to his b

aid, his voice low. "You need to deal wi

g with it,"

o your mess? You're putting her life

er," Nico shot ba

with sarcasm. He glanced at me one last time bef

focating. I turned to Nico, my hands trembling. "W

his hair. "They're... a rival fa

ce rising. "What does that even mean

re my wife,"

ation boiling over. "I deserve to know wh

For a moment, I thought he might actually t

"It's better if you don't

g in my chest. "You can't keep me in the dar

keep you safe," he

g me into y

id, his tone sharp. "You're the one

t in my throat. He was right, in a way. I'd sai

t agreed to

finally, grabbing my coa

, wa

slamming the

s I stepped onto the street. I didn't have a

in a haze of neon lights and endless noise. My mind raced with questions

of life had I stumbled into? And, most

exhausted, my body aching from the cold. Nico

he asked, hi

too tire

g mine. "Ava, I know this isn't easy

m, that I couldn't. But the truth was,

me one thing,"

yth

going to stay in this... what

is jaw tighteni