The Tie That Binds (Serendipity, #1)

by Catharina Maura

I’ll let it slide this time, but I’ll be reporting you to HR if you pull this shit again.” I roll my eyes. “Are you an idiot? Did you get into uni the same way you got into DM? Didn’t you hear the way the CEO introduced you to me? I’m your senior, so yes, you are my little bitch. Now get to work or get the fuck out.”

Ok i lokve her

“Don’t worry,” he says. “She’s been here longer than any of us. She’s everyone’s senior, not just yours. And yes, she’s just as tough on us. Don’t take it personally.”

Everyone knows everyone in the same social and business circles. That doesn’t mean shit, but whatever. Let him find out the hard way.

“Alyssa Moriani in the flesh. Isn’t it sad that the only time I get to have dinner with you is when it’s for work?” I chuckle as he kisses the back of my hand. I pull it from his grip, wiping it on my skirt.

I look at him in genuine surprise and think back to the last time I saw him. It must’ve been over a year ago.

“I miss your scandalous stories about all the terrible things you got up to at uni.”

Hell must’ve frozen over. He’s changed out of his suit, so he must’ve been home for some time at least. It’s unfair that he looks even hotter in jeans and a tee than he does in a suit.

lean into him subconsciously and he raises his arm to wrap it around me, side-hugging me. The two of us have gotten more comfortable with each other over the last couple of weeks. He’ll usually throw his arm around me if we’re sitting next to each other and he’s taken to brushing my hair out of my face randomly too.

Daniel glanced at me once and has been ignoring me since then. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but he seems a bit off. Usually he’d smile or make some small talk, but it’s like I’m not even there.

“It’s even better than I imagined. I haven’t been out in forever. Now that my divorce has finally come through, I’m so ready to just celebrate and let loose,” she says. I glance at Daniel, whose eyes are firmly pasted on Kate. He’s smiling at her and it irks me.

I freeze, my eyes zeroing in on where she’s holding Daniel. My heart feels funny and I’m filled with irrational anger that turns into fury when he smiles at her instead of brushing her off. He lets her drag him away and I’m left to follow them, feeling like a third wheel.

Nd to thi nk i was all up to him

Daniel glances at me, his expression blank. It’s almost like he forgot I’m even here, or like he’s surprised I’m still here. If it wasn’t clear that I’m intruding, then it is now.

inspect Kate and laugh to myself. Tall, skinny and long hair. What a surprise. My stomach clenches with jealousy and my heart aches. My marriage to Daniel isn’t real and I shouldn’t be feeling the way I do, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stand here and watch my husband flirt with someone else.

in need of a drink.

Ooooh shes so getting drunk

They must have, since Daniel didn’t come home until well into the night and then disappeared for the rest of the weekend, coming home only to go straight to bed.

He never used to show any emotions at all, making it impossible to guess what he’s thinking. He’s got no problem showing his emotions today though. He’s snapping at me one minute and smiling at Kate the next.

“What are you doing?” I whisper. “Tell me why you’ve been so mean to me all morning,” he replies. I place my hands against his chest to push him away but end up sliding my palms up to his shoulders. “I’m not being mean.”

“The same way you seem to be getting away with it. Asking Kate to the bonfire. Letting her put her arm around yours and sharing cotton candy? All the while making it obvious that your own wife is the third wheel. If you can do that, then why can’t I? Seems like your definition of not cheating is just not having sex with someone else. I’m pretty sure I can manage that.”

Being at my mum’s is overwhelming at times. I needed a bit of rest and some time to clear my mind. I came back to sleep at my mum’s so we don’t breach the terms of the will. We can only stay away from each other a total of fifteen nights a year, so it’s best if we keep those for emergencies.”

“You can keep this. It’s the access card for the building. The entrance to the apartment itself is through biometrics. Security is the same firm as your house and the Devereaux mansion, so I asked them to transfer your existing biometrics to my apartment as well.”

“Yep. You can check the guest log if you don’t believe me. There are cameras by the entrance as well. I registered your name to my residence so you’re formally a co-habitant of my apartment. You have access to all the same security feeds that I have access to.”

lean into his hand and Daniel moves closer to me, his hand sliding over my skin until he’s holding the back of my neck.

“So just date me, wife.”

“I — I guess we can think about our options when the time comes,” I stammer. “Hmm, yeah. Think about that, Alyssa,” Daniel says.

“This is my wife, Alyssa. She’ll be moving in with me. Please treat her the same way you treat me.” My heart skips a beat. This is the first time he’s ever introduced me as his wife, and I’m surprised by how much I like it. It gives me an odd sense of security and makes me feel all giddy. The

It’s nothing like the bachelor pad I was expecting to find. It does indeed look like a home.

One is of Daniel, Dominic, Mary and me last Christmas. I remember my dad taking this photo, but I didn’t realise he even sent it to Daniel. The other photo is of my dad, me and Daniel on the last birthday we got to celebrate with my dad. It was his 58th birthday. I barely remember taking the photo. I think we went out for dinner to celebrate and afterwards we got some dessert. All I remember is that my dad and Daniel spoke about buying Daniel’s new car most of the night.

My dad and I always cooked for each other a few times a week. It was kind of our thing; our way of showing appreciation for each other.

Our little tradition meant that Daniel often ended up eating with us and spending the evening in my dad’s office. My heart aches at the memory. Knowing I’ll never taste my dad’s food again breaks my heart.

He walks up to me and cups my cheek gently. “Of course. I’d be happy to do that. Though you’ll have to promise you’ll make it home for dinner every day like you did with your dad. I’ll do the same. If we have to work overtime, then I have a big enough home office to facilitate us both. I’ll get you a desk chair so we can share my desk.”

His entire face transforms when he smiles like that. It’s oddly intimate, especially because he rarely smiles.

He shuffles closer to me and throws his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his side. I glance at him in surprise, but he keeps his eyes on his documents. I lean into him and get comfortable, putting my feet up next to his.

Who knows, you might even want to be the sole CEO.” I frown. Me becoming Daniel’s co-CEO means our marriage would come to an end. If the idea of that happening is already unappealing now, then how will I feel in two years?

Daniel pretends to think it over and nods. He’s so different in his own home. So much more relaxed. I didn’t even realise he was uncomfortable at his mother’s, but the difference is obvious now.

“No, you don’t. You hate pink, thoroughly dislike purple, and you love maroon.”

move closer and Daniel hooks his arm around my waist to pull me to him.

He’s been touching me without even realising it. Last night, he spooned me on the sofa after falling asleep while we watched a movie. I find myself wanting more of his little touches.

He smiles at me without a single trace of lust, and I force myself to swallow down my disappointment.

“How about Star Wars?” he asks. I frown. “That’s a trick question. Which episode? Original trilogy or the prequel? Or any of the newer ones?” Daniel grins at me. “How about The Empire Strikes Back?” I stare at him in surprise. I didn’t think he could get any more perfect, but it looks like he can. Did he know that one’s my favourite?

starts. I jump onto the sofa like an excited child and Daniel chuckles. He hooks his arm around my neck and pulls me into him. He shifts so that he’s spooning me the way he did when he fell asleep on the sofa last night.

I’m tempted to squirm so I can push my body flush against his and move his fingers to where I want them, but I’m scared he’ll pull away. It drives me crazy that I can feel his body right behind me, so close but not touching me.

I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. I’ll let someone down whether I go or not.

look down at my outfit. I threw on jeans with a black tee and my trusty old converse. I probably look like a teenager trying to sneak in.

“I apologise, Mrs. Devereaux,” he says, bowing his head. I blink in surprise. Mrs. Devereaux? I bite back my smile. The sound of that gives me butterflies. I guess the system shows that I’m Daniel’s wife.

“She’s really insecure and keeps accusing me of cheating when I’ve been nothing but loyal. But then she’ll ogle Daniel all the time. She’s been to our house every day that he was there, always hanging around him and trying to talk to him. I’ve seen the way she looks at him. The way you both look at him. I mean yeah, he’s so much more muscular than me, but then she’s my girlfriend, you know? She hasn’t come over the last few weekends, and it just so happens to coincide with me telling her Daniel moved out. I thought maybe she was just insecure about you being there, but I didn’t actually tell her you moved out too.”

The way he treated me after my father died changed the way I feel about him. It made me realise how young and selfish Dominic still is. I doubt I was even in love with him. I guess it was more infatuation than anything else.

If you end up sleeping with him, he’ll end up breaking your heart when he moves on to the next girl.”

“You know, you never laugh at work. You rarely even smile. It’s a good thing, too. The girls would be all over you even more.”

He puts his hands on my thighs and spreads my legs as he pulls me flush against him. I squirm as his abs push against my inner thighs. His skin against mine feels amazing. I place my palms behind me and lean back on the counter, inadvertently pushing my barely covered breasts out. Daniel grabs me. His large hands cover my tiny waist almost entirely. His eyes fall to my breasts and he bites down on his lip. His gaze slowly trails up until he’s looking into my eyes.

He was opening up to me and I’m not sure what to do with what he told me. He seemed serious when he said there was nothing going on between him and Kate, and he seemed genuinely hurt when he mentioned Dominic. I want to make him feel better, but I don’t know what to do or say.