Page 82 of Tangled Fates

Everything was quiet when I looked up. We had taken out all of the men leaving Tay alone staring at Oria.

“Ria, please,” he pleaded with her. “We don’t have much time.”

He took a step towards her, making me angry. We all growled, alerting him that we were not happy.

“Look, asshole, they are my mates,” she snapped at him. “You just made me waste that potion on you and I was trying to use that so I could escape.”

We circled them like sharks in the waters, waiting for the kill.

“Ria,” he whispered, looking at her like she had ripped his heart out. “I know you want to escape, but not with these guys.”

“They are my mates,” she said to him.

“They are manipulating you,” he countered. “They’ve made you believe this lie so they can take you from me.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” she said, her eyes blazing with fury but I saw the small flicker of uncertainty.

“Ria, come on,” he pleaded.

“No, you and Mother manipulated me,” she snapped.

“What are you talking about, I’ve been trying to help, bringing you things from the outside world,” he said looking hurt.

“That’s not what Demitri said. He had a lot to say, and he said Mother and you orchestrated everyone one of our interactions. He also said "Mother sent him for me.”

“Son of bitch,” he snarled. “Where is he?”

“Why would she send one of your men for me?” She stepped towards him, the fury on her face and the glow of the sun on her reminded me of the power of the sun.

“Can I talk to him, Ria?” he pleaded with her.

“Answer the question!” she yelled, her heartache and anger enveloped me.

It was enough to make me want to rip him limb from limb just for causing her stress, but most of all, for stealing her innocence.

“No, Ria, I did not send him,” he said defeated. “He must have sided with your mother, maybe acting as her eyes and ears on my ship and within my crew.”

“Why would she send him to take me?”

“I don’t know. She always has an agenda, but I’m privy to only what she wants me to know,” he replied. “I came back for you, Ria. I saw an opportunity and I wanted to take you away.”

Her face softened, but morphed into anger quickly.

“Liar! Don’t lie to me,” she snarled.

Tay stayed quiet. He looked at each of us like he was accessing the situation.

“You brought us here, gave us ‘sanctuary’, but was it all a game to you?” Her hard, tough exterior was cracking. “Did you laugh with her after I gave you my virginity? Did she pay you to do it? Did you decide to fuck with me while you were inside of Mother?”

Her lip trembled as her sadness bled to me.

Tay sighed. “Ria, can we please sit down and talk?”

She sat down on the floor looking at him like she was waiting for him to talk.

“Not here,” he grumbled.

“I won't be alone with you.”

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