Forever Bonded: Back with my Ex mate

Chapter 3

The divorce papers arrived a week later.

I sat in my father's office, Marcus on one side, our family lawyer on the other, staring at Adrian's settlement offer.

"This is insulting," the lawyer said, his finger jabbing at a particular clause. "He's claiming you brought nothing to the marriage, so you're entitled to nothing in the divorce."

"That's bullshit," Marcus snarled. "She gave him everything,her connections, her family's support, five years of her life,"

"It doesn't matter," I said quietly. "Just sign it."

"Sera,"

"I don't want anything from him." I looked at each of them. "Not his money, not his house, nothing. I just want it over."

The lawyer exchanged a glance with my father. "Are you sure? You could fight this. With your family's resources,"

"I'm sure."

Dad sighed but nodded. "Let her sign. The sooner she's free of him, the better."

As I put pen to paper, I felt something shift inside me. Not relief exactly, but something close to it. Like cutting off a diseased limb to save the rest of the body.

"There is one other matter," the lawyer said, pulling out another document. "Adrian's company is in serious financial trouble. He owes significant debts to several of your father's business associates."

"And?" I didn't see what that had to do with me anymore.

"And he's asking your family for help. A loan to keep him afloat."

I laughed,a harsh, bitter sound. "You're joking."

"I wish I was." The lawyer slid the request across the desk. "He seems to think that despite the divorce, your family should support him for 'old times' sake.'"

The audacity made my blood boil. "Tell him no. Tell him to go f**k himself. Tell him,"

"Already done," Dad said with grim satisfaction. "I wouldn't give that bastard a glass of water if he was on fire."

Good. That was good.

But it also meant Adrian was desperate. And desperate people did stupid things.

*******

I was right.

Three days later, I was in town with Caroline, trying to pretend I was a normal person doing normal things like shopping for groceries, when I saw them.

Adrian and Victoria, walking out of the same café where he used to take me on our first dates.

Caroline saw them too and immediately tried to steer me in the opposite direction. "Come on, let's just,"

"Sera!" Adrian's voice cut across the street. "Sera, wait!"

I kept walking.

"I said wait!" He caught up to us, grabbing my arm. The same arm he'd bruised the last time he touched me.

I yanked free, and something must have shown on my face because he actually stepped back.

"I just want to talk," he said, holding up his hands. "Five minutes. Please."

"No."

"It's about the divorce. The settlement. I think we should revisit,"

"There's nothing to revisit. I signed your papers. We're done."

Victoria appeared at his side, her pregnant belly much more visible now. She looked between us with that same cruel smile.

"Are you bothering my fiancé?" she asked me.

I almost laughed. "Your fiancé was my husband until last week. But sure, let's pretend I'm the problem here."

"You are the problem," Adrian snapped. "You and your vindictive family. Do you know what you've done to me? What refusing that loan has done?"

"I don't care."

"My company is failing! I'm losing everything!"

"Good." The word came out cold and hard. "You deserve to lose everything. Just like you made me lose everything."

His face flushed red. "You self-righteous b***h. You think you're better than me now that you've run home to daddy? You're nothing, Sera. You've always been nothing."

"And yet you're here, begging me for money."

I saw his hand start to rise and tensed, but Caroline moved faster. She stepped between us, her eyes flashing gold,her wolf rising to the surface.

"Touch her again," Caroline growled, "and I'll rip your arm off. Are we clear?"

Adrian backed down, but his expression turned ugly. "This isn't over. You owe me, Sera. I made you into someone. Without me, you'd still be daddy's little disappointment."

"No," I said quietly. "Without you, I'd be whole."

I turned and walked away, Caroline at my side. My hands were shaking, but my head was clear.

*******

That night, the nightmares started.

I dreamed of Adrian's fists. Of Victoria's laughter. Of blood spreading across hardwood floors.

I woke up screaming, tangled in sheets, my mother rushing into the room.

"It's okay, baby. You're safe. You're home."

But I didn't feel safe. I felt like I was drowning.

This happened three nights in a row. By the fourth night, Dad had had enough.

"You need protection," he said at breakfast. "A bodyguard. Someone who can be with you when we can't."

"I don't need,"

"Yes, you do." Marcus cut me off. "Adrian showed up at your friend Caroline's house yesterday, asking about you. He's not letting this go."

A chill ran down my spine. "What did Caroline do?"

"Told him to f**k off, obviously. But Sera, he's getting desperate. And desperate men are dangerous."

"Your brother's right," Mom said gently. "Just until things settle down. Please."

I wanted to argue, but the memory of Adrian's rage in that café was too fresh.

"Fine. But I pick the person."

"Actually," Dad said, "we already have someone in mind. Someone we trust completely."

There was a knock at the dining room door. A figure stepped inside, and my stomach dropped.

Dante.

"No," I said immediately. "Absolutely not."

"Hear us out," Dad said. "Dante's pack has been providing security for our business interests for months now. He's the best,"

"I don't care. Find someone else."

"There is no one else we trust like we trust him," Marcus said. "And before you argue, this was his idea."

I looked at Dante, who had remained silent through all of this. His expression was unreadable.

"Why?" I asked him directly. "Why would you want to do this?"

He met my eyes. "Because despite everything, despite the past, you're still pack. And the pack protects the pack."

"I'm not your pack."

"No," he agreed. "But you're theirs. And that's enough."

I wanted to refuse. Every instinct screamed at me to refuse. Having Dante around constantly, a walking reminder of my mistakes, sounded like torture.

But Adrian's face in that café flashed through my mind. They barely contained violence. The desperation.

"Fine," I said. "But we have rules. You don't ask me about the past. You don't try to fix me. And we keep this professional."

"Agreed." He didn't even hesitate.

"When do you start?"

"Now." He moved to stand behind my chair. "I'll shadow you wherever you go. Your father already had a room prepared for me here at the pack house."

"Of course he has," I muttered.

This was going to be a disaster. I could feel it.

But what choice did I have?