Bloodbound: The Alliance
Chapter 83 - 85

Chapter 83: Chapter 85

Avara POV

"After dinner," he says firmly, "I’m telling Haru I’m stepping back. I’ll still be there for him, but in legal ventures—things I can oversee without..." He gestures vaguely, his meaning clear. "Akio can handle the other side. Not me. Not anymore."

"What if Haru doesn’t accept that? He seems like the all or nothing type."

"He doesn’t have a choice. I’ve always followed my path. It led me to him but it will end with you."

He leaves his words to sparkle the air around me as he moves away to get ready. I leave to change into a white summer dress with a tie back. When I return back into the main bedroom, I perch on the vanity stool, and I put on my makeup, the whole process before carefully brushing the highlighter onto my cheeks, watching the golden sheen catch the light. My eyes snap to the mirror, catching a shift in the room—Botan.

He’s seated on the edge of the bed, dressed entirely in black. His sleeves are rolled to his elbows, revealing the map of veins running along his forearms, the subtle flex of muscle as he pulls on his shoes. His hair, slicked back with a few rebellious wisps falling over his forehead, oh the darkness he wears so well.

My chest tightens, my body drawn to him before my mind can even protest. Rising from the stool, I step toward him. He senses my approach and looks up, his expression softening as his hands fall naturally to rest on my thighs. His touch is grounding, pulling me into the gravity of him as I half-climb onto the bed, one knee planted beside his hip.

His gaze burns into mine, laced with more than just longing. There’s something deeper there, something raw and primal.

I lift my hand to his face, my palm cradling his cheek. He leans into the contact instantly, his eyes fluttering closed like a man starved for touch. The rough edge of his jaw presses into my hand, and I trace my thumb idly over his cheekbone.

"I’ll sign it," I say softly, a smile curving my lips. "Once you’re done talking to Haru, I’ll sign the papers. And we can... we can stay here."

His hands tighten slightly on my hips, his astonishment reflected in the flicker of emotion that crosses his face.

I slip back, evading his grasp with a playful twirl, feeling lighter than I have in days.

"Let’s just do it," I muse aloud, spinning away from him. "Leave it all—the alliance and—"

"Your family?" His voice cuts through the moment, grounding me once more.

I pause mid-turn, my movements faltering. "Maybe it’s time for me to make a new one," I murmur, turning to face him. "My father and brothers will always be a part of my life, but maybe it’s time for me to live my own dream instead of supporting everyone else’s. I finally have something I really, really want, something I don’t want to let go of this time."

Silence stretches between us, taut and fragile, before Botan moves.

In one swift motion, he surges forward and lifts me into the air, spinning me effortlessly as if I weigh nothing, laughing as he twirls me, his triumphant grin transforming his face into something radiant. Then a thought dims the light and my own elation deflates.

"What... what are you thinking about?"

"If Haru reacts... differently. And he may sever ties, and that will mean a more quiet life for us. With a new home perhaps one not so extravagant as a palace."

I almost laugh. "Then sell the palace," I say with a carefree smile. "I never needed extravagance, besides... I’ve always been a cottagecore girl at heart."

The light returns and when finally sets me down, his forehead rests against mine.

"Let’s go so we can hurry back."

"Why?"

"Because if we’re gonna start that new family. I want seven kids."

"Seven!" I shriek.

"Seven girls, that way I have a little version of you everyday of the week."

When we regroup, Haru’s silent command draws Botan to his side, a wordless summoning that leaves no room for thought. Without hesitation, Botan follows, the distance between us widening with every step. I’m left with Akio, whose lethal glare tells me he’s not too happy about it either. He doesn’t voice it—he doesn’t need to. The tension between us is palpable, amplified by the low hum of the convoy as we fall into formation. Haru and Botan take the lead, their vehicle up front while Akio and I are alone together with security tailing from the rear.

"Akio, I never meant to... cause a rift or any trouble," I begin, my voice tentative like an olive branch extended with trembling hands. It’s a meager offering, I know, to a man whose opinion of me has long been cemented. "I know there’s nothing I can say to make you like me—"

"Let’s not," he cuts in, his tone cutting yet harsh in its indifference as he grips the wheel with one hand, the other relaxed. "I’ve had enough heart-to-heart for one lifetime. And clearly you’ve misread me. I don’t dislike you—I don’t know you, and frankly, I don’t care to. You are what you’ve always been: a hindrance. That’s tolerable for most people. For us? Hindrances get people killed. And it’s never us."

His words land like stones, each one heavier than the last, and I’m left staring at the blur of the world outside the window, unsure how to respond.

When Haru mentioned a restaurant, I imagined a picturesque escape—rolling vineyards, star-drenched terraces nestled in the French countryside. What greets us instead is starkly modern: a towering building that resembles an office complex. The convoy pulls up in a disciplined line, engines quieting as Haru steps out first, Botan seamlessly at his side. We follow their lead into a vast, echoing atrium that feels more like a polished fortress than a dining establishment.

The elevator looms ahead, its metallic sheen reflecting our figures. We crowd inside, a subdued hush enveloping us. Akio steps forward, his fingers inputting a sequence on the control panel with deliberate precision. The elevator doesn’t ascend or descend as expected. Instead, it pivots, the sensation of rotation is surprisingly disorienting. A subtle shudder, and the doors slide open to reveal a concealed paradise.