Page 4 of Bound By You

"We'll have to keep an eye on Phoebe. I think she'll run. She may seem quiet and shy, but she's changed some since living in Greece. She hasn't managed to hide it as well as she thinks; we'll have to triple security."

I nod. Why argue if you can try to disappear? It makes sense as to why she didn't make a fuss.

But she’s not going anywhere. There is one ruleI willbe breaking, because there will be no divorce. I’m never letting her go.

I smirk.

one

Phoebe – 21 Years Old – Two Years Later

I sitin the precious café with my student books out in front of me, the biochemistry course kicking my ass today.

This paper is worth 70% of my grade.

I don't have classes today, but I had to get here at 6 AM, much to my disappointment. I like my sleep.

I huff, feeling grouchy.

"What are you huffing about,malen'kaya ptitsa?"

And I cannot stop the grin from forming on my face. Alexandr stands over me, his bright blue eyes looking at me like I'm all he sees. He's in a suit this morning, a black shirt underneath his suit jacket with a couple of buttons undone, showing some of his muscled chest and his ink, making him look amazing as always. I breathe in and smell his musky cologne and something that is just him, then smile wider.

"You’re late,agapi mou," I say, smiling, and he chuckles. He bends down and kisses my forehead, making my heart flutter. Then he places a peck on my lips, and he grins back at me. We're meeting much earlier than our usual 3 PM date, becauseof his niece's birthday party and a meeting he couldn't get out of. Alexandr’s sister-in-law did invite me, but I have too much coursework to complete before tomorrow. I made sure to buy little Mila the biggest princess treehouse I could find, which Damian found hilarious when she screamed at me.

"I love you, Phe Phe; you're my favorite."

Sergi and Damian scowled hard at me, while I was in a fit of giggles with Sofia, trying to hold each other up. We'd become very close when she came home, getting along right away, like long-lost friends, much to Sergi's disappointment. Apparently, I'm his, which brought Alex into the argument, stating that I'm engaged to him, so technically, I'mhis. They argued for an hour over it.

Alex's mom, Maria, and dad, Dimitri, tried to hold in their laughter when Mila stated I was the favorite, which didn't last long when Mila turned to her uncles, saying,"You have some catching up to do."

She said it so seriously that Sofia and I fell to the floor with tears running down our cheeks. His parents lost it then, too, while Damian was biting his lip, eyes full of amusement, and Sergi chased after her. She giggled like crazy while Alex came to us and helped us up.

"That's it, the wedding is off. I can't have my fiancée take my niece from me, too. It's bad enough, fighting with Sergi for the top spot,” Alex stated, dramatically. We were back on the floor, dying of laughter. After that, he just shook his head at me.

I smile at the memory. I love his family. After I finally decided to give the idiot a chance, we became close. Maria is like a mother to me, and Dimitri, well, he's more of a father than my own, and Damian says I'm the little sister he never wanted, which makes me smile every time. Family—that's what we are.

I finally feel like I belong.

"Are you ever going to tell me what that means, sweetheart?" Alex questions, bringing me back to now, and I chuckle.

"I told you, learn Greek."

He shakes his head. This is our weekly argument. Once he finally learns Greek, he'll know that I'm in love with him. It's something I didn't think could happen. The first meeting we had, I sat here with my books, like I am now, but ignored him while he tried to talk to me. I’d done that for two months, when he finally had enough and placed a very delicious aero mint muffin in front of my nose.

I looked at it, then at him, then back at the muffin, and stated,"Okay, we can be friends.” Then I proceeded to eat said muffin while he chuckled. Since then, we have become extremely close; he was my first kiss, and I don't regret it. He's my everything.

He speaks, pulling me out of my thoughts again. "And how many times have I told you I haven't got the patience to try and learn it, even when I remember to take my meds?" He tears off a part of one of my muffins and shoves it in his mouth, and I shake my head at him. He's lucky I love him; otherwise, he'd lose a finger for taking my muffins.

"Then you'll never know. Stop using your ADHD as an excuse to not have to learn something. We both know you can concentrate better than anyone actually knows." I smirk, and he scowls at me, hating when I give it to him straight. "Did you finally win, favorite Uncle? You know, it seems as though I'm her favorite aunt and all," I tease.

His brother's wife left him on their wedding night after she found out he was cheating on her with other women, and that their whole relationship was a lie. She wasn't aware it was an arrangement like mine and Alex's, so she was hurt and betrayed, and decided to run. Something I contemplated several times in the first few months, but suddenly, there were extra guards, soI had no hope. I tried twice, but Alex and my father just shook their heads at me and continued with their days, like the guards didn't drag me back to the house.

Alex sighs, and I put my pen down, join my hands over the books, and tilt my head at him, giving him my full attention. He mirrors my body, doing the same.

"No, I swear, when this boy is born, Sergi isn't getting within an inch toward of him, and neither are you." He looks down, sulking, and I place my hands over his on the table, squeezing them to placate him, letting out a little chuckle.

"I'll tell you what I told Sergi yesterday; she loves you both the same, just not as much as me, so stop sulking." He looks back at me and smiles, chuckling, and I grin.

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