The Tie That Binds (Serendipity, #1)

by Catharina Maura

I finally found out what the rumours about him are based on. The man is insatiable. But then again, I’m just as bad. Thinking about being alone with him has me clenching my thighs.

“Hmm. Now that we’re alone, I guess I can finally touch you,” he snaps. “Or can’t I sit too close to you while we’re at the office? Can I smile at you? Is that okay, or is that also not allowed?”

“I’m yours, honey. Tell the whole world if you must, but that won’t change the fact that I’m already yours. Heart and soul, Daniel.”

He relaxes into me and gently brushes my hair out of my face. “I forgot about the cameras, baby. I never should’ve exposed you like that. I never should’ve let anyone see your body like that.”

I glance at Daniel and smile. I might not have my dad here, but once again he’s proven himself right. Daniel is indeed the best partner I could ever ask for, both in life and at work.

Thank you for standing by my side and for always being there to catch me when I fall. I could never have done this without you. It’s not just the last year either. Even before that you’ve always had my back, and I want you to know I’ve always appreciated it. You’ve always been my role model, you know.”

Daniel bites down on his lips and I know he’s close. “Alyssa, my love,” he whispers. He thrusts into me slow and hard, driving me crazy. I’m done for. I’ll never get enough of this man.

“It’s been fun playing house with you, but enough is enough. I guess the sex wasn’t bad and I’ll definitely miss your sweet pussy, but there are plenty of fish in the sea. You’re too young to be married. Hell, you were a fucking virgin. I definitely didn’t think I’d be married now either.” I clench the papers in

He took her out for dinner to the same restaurant he took me to on our first date. The restaurant I’ve come to think of as ours. I guess to him it wasn’t even a date. He was just rescuing his little brother’s best friend from a night filled with awkwardness. He probably enjoyed the restaurant a lot more with Olivia there.

I tremble as I pick up the document. He’s destroying every tie I’ve got to him. Why did he marry me only to abandon the company as soon as he signed the divorce papers? Was it just his shares he was interested in, rather than the company? What is he thinking? I grab my phone to call him, only to remember that he’s blocked my number. I bite down on my lip and throw the document in my bag.

WHY THE FUCK IS HE DOING THIS????? She begged him to sray

I must look devastated because Daniel suddenly looks panicked and pained, the way he used to when I’d burst into tears whenever I’d miss my dad in the first few months after the funeral.

Has he shared the bed I thought of as ours with someone else? I burst into tears all over again and Dominic puts me to bed carefully. He holds me as tears stream down my face. “Oh man, Lyss. I have no idea what’s going on. Daniel is putting up a good front, but he’s just as miserable as you. What the fuck are you two playing at?”

“I — I love him, you know. I’m so in love with him, and he’s going around dating someone else. He didn’t even care about me enough to mourn our relationship for more than a week. I’m unable to eat or sleep, but he’s going on dinner dates with someone else. I thought he was the one for me. I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with him. How could I have been so foolish? So blind?”

“We’ll have to greet the hosts,” Liam murmurs. I look up at him with my heart in my eyes and he cups my cheeks gently. “It hurts that bad, huh?” he whispers. “Would you like to leave?”

I don’t want to cry. I don’t want to be that girl that can’t let go of her ex. I don’t know how long I sit there trying to swallow down my tears, but it feels like hours.

“I’m sorry for intruding,” I say. “Would you like me to leave?” Daniel chuckles darkly. He turns towards me and within seconds he’s got me flat on my back, his body on top of mine. He pins me down with his weight, rage flashing through his eyes. He buries his hands in my hair and tilts my face up towards his.

push him away and sit up. I wipe at my tears furiously, hating that he’s seen me cry over him. I try to inhale deeply but keep choking on my sobs, making me seem even more pathetic. I yank my dress up to cover myself and try to stand up,

Liam nods and looks down at his hands. “I know,” he murmurs. “That’s what makes it even worse. If he’d stayed away tonight, I might’ve actually had a chance with you, eventually.”

but Liam grabs it and brings it to his lips. He kisses the back of my hand gently while he raises his own.

“Don’t,” I whisper. Liam looks at me and tugs his hand loose. He cups my cheek gently and looks into my eyes with a lost expression. His forehead drops to mine and he sighs.

“He won’t let me buy it for you. That man… I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but he’s head over heels for you, Lyss.”

“You told me this wasn’t a date and that you weren’t in a good place. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to come. Am I happy that you disappeared with your ex and showed up looking rosy and far happier than when you left? No, not particularly. But I don’t blame you either.”

“I know this is going to be the only night that I’m sort of your date, so I want to make the most of it. Of course I want to dance.”

“No. You’re the only person outside of the family to have one. You’ll always be the only one, Alyssa.”

a sweet smile on his face. He looks in love and happy just thinking of her. I wrap my arms around myself subconsciously, trying my best to shield myself from the damage he’s inflicting on me. “So you’re dating her, then?”

Ok now im just getting angry and annoyed

“I’m sorry I stood in the way of your happiness for so long, Daniel. I know firsthand how good of a partner and husband you will be. Whoever she is, she’s a lucky girl. I genuinely wish you happiness and love, because you really do deserve it. But I don’t think I can be part of your life going forward. I don’t think we should be friends, and I don’t think we should stay in touch either. Maybe in a few years… but not now. I hope things work out for you, Daniel. I hope she gives you what I couldn’t. I hope she makes you happy… but I don’t want to be around to see it. I can’t.”

“Well, he’s handsome, that’s for sure. I doubt he’d ever tell me the sex wasn’t good if I slept with him. I have a feeling he’ll never make me doubt my own sensuality. Besides, even if I do suck at sex, the only way I’ll improve is by practising.”

“Never,” he whispers against my lips. “I will never let you go again, Alyssa.”

“Alyssa, baby… you better hear me when I say this,” he groans, thrusting into me harder. “I won’t ever let you go. I made that mistake once, and I’ll never do it again. I’m going to pursue you until you give in and agree to be mine again.”

After each date came a request for another, and before I knew it months passed by. Months filled with us dating like any other couple. Months filled with amazing sex, weekends away and countless dinner dates. We haven’t spoken about a future together at all though, and I’m scared I want more than he is willing to give me.

“I don’t know, Dan. You divorced me. You left me. Things were going well between us and I genuinely thought we were happy, but then you just up and left. You signed the divorce papers and asked me to move out of the place I’d started to consider my own. You blocked my phone number and avoided me for weeks. You even went so far as to sign over your shares to me so you could be free of the contractual obligation of fidelity you had towards me.”

“I might be the only person in your life right now, but how long will that last? How long until you walk out again? How long until you go back to ignoring me? You ask me to trust you, but you keep breaking that trust. You might not have cheated on me, but you have taken away the security I used to have with you. You were all I had, Dan. And you left me. You left me saying you were in love with someone else. I spent our entire marriage falling deeply and irrevocably in love with you. But while I was falling for you, you were busy falling for someone else. How long will it be until you break my heart again?”

“I’m ten years older than you, so I knew I’d probably never stand a chance, and I was fine with that. I never intended to act on my feelings, and I kept telling myself that one day I’d get over it. But then something happened… The way you looked at Dominic started to change.

He knew how I felt about you, and I guess this was his way of pushing us together.

I never should’ve forcefully tied you to me the way I did. But I just wanted to be selfish. Just once, I wanted to call you mine. I knew it was a mistake when you walked down the aisle with Dominic. The way you two looked at each other… I felt fucking awful for breaking your heart. For taking away your chance at happiness. I knew right there and then that I couldn’t keep you tied to me.”

I was so convinced that all you felt for me was lust. I mean… I was your first, Lyss. You hadn’t had a chance to date and you didn’t even get to be with the person we both thought you loved. I figured you’d get over me quickly and things would return to how they were meant to be.”

I kind of figured that if you and I were meant to be, we’d come together naturally all over again. I wanted a chance to pursue you honestly, the right way. I wanted you to have a choice, and I wanted you to choose me.”

“I’ve loved you for years, Alyssa. I know I’ve made mistakes and I know I’m a fool sometimes. I don’t communicate my feelings very well and I’ve hurt you so many times needlessly, but I never meant to. I’ve always loved you and I’ve always wanted what’s best for you. Please, Alyssa. Let me make my wrongs right. I’ll spend each day of the rest of my life trying to make you happier than you were the day before. Please, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?” I burst into tears and nod. “Yes, Daniel. Yes. A thousand times yes.”

It’s been almost three years since Daniel and I initially said I do, and it’s surreal how much has changed.

“Your father instructed me to give this to you if Daniel and you chose to stay married. I thought now would be a good time to hand this to you. He rewrote his will and every single one of these letters every year, you know. He was so scared he’d one day have to leave you without being able to say his goodbyes. He always made sure you’d have a few handwritten letters as consolation. He loved you so much, Alyssa.”

It always used to make me smile whenever he’d gaze at you as though you’d hung the stars and the moon, when all you did was create a slideshow for a meeting. The man beamed whenever you’d offer him a cup of coffee.

shares were always yours. I merely instructed Vincent to show you an earlier draft of my will that I created. He didn’t want to, and he told me it’s unlawful and unethical, but I’ll be forever grateful that he chose to honour my wishes in the end. Had you said no to marrying Daniel, then I still would’ve left you my shares. There’s no one in the world I trust more than you, my beloved Alyssa. Never, ever fear that I did what I did because I trust Daniel more than I trust you. I merely wanted to make sure you’d be happy, and I knew Daniel would ensure your happiness if you gave him a chance.

You deserve the world, Alyssa, and I know Daniel will try his best to give it to you. I hope the two of you will be happy together. I’m relieved you aren’t by yourself now that I’ve had to leave you and I know you’re in good hands. I wish I could be there to finally see you two together. I hope Daniel will always love you the way he did when I wrote this letter, and I hope you’ll always love him the same.

“Finally,” he whispers. “Finally, you’re truly mine. I love you to the moon and back, Alyssa Devereaux.” I giggle against his lips and rise to my tiptoes to kiss him again. “I love you too, husband dearest.”