Page 81 of Bound By Flames

“I’m a big girl now. You can tell me anything, you know?” she says, her voice much calmer and serious.

I wait a second before opening the gates of my heart, “What if he doesn’t love me back? He likes me, he cares for me, but… Can a man like him….love someone like me?” Ares has been showing me how much he wants to care for me, but could we ever become more? Like a real married couple with rings and vows actually meaning something?

“What do you mean?” she asks.

“ I like it here,” I admit, hoping she’ll get my point.

“That’s amazing.” She smiles, and I hear it in her voice.

“What if I ruin everything because I never felt good in our home? What if I can’t handle it without destroying it?” Panic rises in my voice and under my rib cage.

“You won’t,” she deadpans.

“How can you be so sure?”

“‘Cause I know you, duh, and just because Mom and Dad have never been…well, whatever, just because you never really felt good in our home doesn’t mean you won’t create a happy one for yourself,” she states simply, and I wish I could hug her right now.

“So I leave a few months, and you become wiser than Gandalf?” I chuckle, bringing back lightness to our conversation.

“I’m not! Don’t compare me to a two-thousand-year-old dude. That’s gross !” She bursts into laughter.

God, I miss her.

-

“Sugar, milk?” Erin asks me as we sit in her warm wood and sleek kitchen, plants falling for the shelves and tree-like plants displayed all around the room.

“No thanks, I’m good.” I take the cup of green tea in my hand, appreciating the bowl of nuts and fresh fruits in front of me. Shadow must have told her from the many days spent with me.

“I’m so thrilled you came, I wanted to make sure you were good since the fight.” She smiles gently, sitting on the stool next to me.

“Oh, yeah, that was—”

“Intense, to say the least.” Her brows raise.

“Yeah, definitely.” I chuckle.

“It’s different usually, less, um, bloody. Was he okay afterward?”

“Yes, he said it was barely a few cuts.” I shake my head, remembering the amount of blood he lost fromjust a few cuts.

“Men.” She laughs. “Shadow told me Carter’s been replacing him a bit. How's that going on?”

“With Carter? Well, he’s definitely less talkative than Ash and Shadow, but I like that he doesn’t always ask questions, feels like I don’t have bodyguards, and sometimes it’s a great feeling. No offense to Shadow. I really like having him around.” But it’s true; Carter is so discreet it’s like he’s not even there, and that’s actually nice when you’re trying to focus on something other than the two Vikings following you around.

“Don’t worry, he likes you too, Mia, but he’s stoked about going back to the club more. That’s where he belongs.” She pushes a strain of black hair behind her ear.

“You guys been together for a long time?” I ask.

“God,” she looks far away, “ten years? We met when I was twenty, and he was already in his thirties. The whole bad boy vibe didn’t really pass the test with my parents. It was quite a journey to get to where we are today.”

“Really, how come?” The warm cup heats my palms. I should have worn a sweater today; it’s chilly, and my little peach dress isn’t keeping me warm enough.

“My father didn’t approve of him, said I was wasting my life away, things got…ugly. I had to pick a side, and I chose him. And I’d choose him a thousand times again if I had to.” I smile at her, admiring her strength.

“Kind of like you guys. I’ve never seen Ares so obsessed over a woman before.” She shoves her elbow lightly into my ribs.

“What? No, we’re, it’s different,” I argue, shaking my head.