Page 19 of Owned

* * *

Our car ride is almost relaxing. My body warms up and loosens in his presence. Just being near Riku, basking in his scent, his intensity. I feel… at home. And turned on, of course. If I thought not seeing him for a couple of hours, and being irritated by his caveman ways would dampen my attraction, I was very wrong.

The second we step inside, I brace myself. For chaos. Interrogation. Suspicion. Instead, my mother takes one look at Riku and beams. Oh no.

Before I can even introduce him, she’s already fussing, reaching up to smooth his jacket like he’s one of her own.

“Well, aren’t you handsome,” she says approvingly.

Riku bows his head slightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs.Williams.”

I squint. He sounds so damn polite. Like he’s not the same man who held me against his car and told me I wasn’t leaving.

“This one’s a charmer,” my mom says, giving me a huge smile before turning back to him. “Come in. Make yourself comfortable.”

I grit my teeth. This is gonna be a long-ass dinner.

* * *

RIKU

Maryam’s mother immediately adopts me, her siblings barely blink at my presence, and their kids? They’re all over me.

I’m barely in the living room for five minutes before a tiny girl with pigtails is climbing into my lap, shoving a toy into my hand.

“Fix it, please,” she requests, her adorable face set with resolve.

I lift a brow, inspecting the broken doll in my hand. I glance at Maryam. She’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smirking. Enjoying this. I smirk back. Fine.

I shift the toy, study it, then pop the dislocated arm back into place with a small click.

The little princess gasps. “You did it!”

A tiny pair of arms wrap around my neck before she scrambles off my lap. “Uncle Riku fixed it!” she yells, running off to show her repaired toy.

Maryam chokes. “Uncle?” She groans. “This is a nightmare.”

I laugh. This is going even better than I planned.

* * *

MARYAM

Riku is ruining my life. It’s been twenty minutes, and he’s already one of us.

Mom sits him at the head of the table. Dad asks him about his favorite NBA team, and Riku answers like they’ve been watching games together for years.

My nieces and nephews are obsessed with the man. And he looks completely at ease. Like he belongs here. In my childhood home.

I glare at my glass. Traitors. All of them.

Mom notices my sour mood. She smiles as she refills my glass. “He’s a good one, baby.”

I take a sip. “He’s something, all right.”

Chapter 12

MARYAM

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