Mia’s POV
Xavier’s lips pressed against mine again, his possessiveness radiating
through every movement. It was rough, demanding, and left no room for
me to breathe or think. My hands gripped his shirt tightly, but not out of
affection-I was trying to push him away.
But he wasn’t stopping. His teeth grazed my lips, biting them, pulling
me closer as if he couldn’t get enough. My frustration boiled over, and
without thinking, I bit him back, hard.
Xavier pulled back abruptly, his lips slightly swollen, a mix of surprise
and annoyance flashing in his eyes. “Did you just bite me?”
“Yes, I did,” I snapped, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Because you don’t seem to understand the word ‘stop.’ What the hell is
wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” He scoffed, running a hand through his hair.
“What’s wrong with me is you, Mia. You’re mine. Do you understand
that? Mine.”
I glared at him, my blood boiling. “Yours? Really? You only want to claim
me when it suits you, but the rest of the time, I’m just some
inconvenience you can’t stand to deal with.”
He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. “I’ve never once thought of
you as an inconvenience.”
“Oh, really? Because the way you treat me says otherwise,” I shot back,
my hands clenched into fists. “You don’t get to kiss me like that and
throw the ‘you’re mine’ card around when you don’t even want me.
You’ve made it perfectly clear how much of a burden I am to you and
your brothers.”
Xavier’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he grabbed my
arm, pulling me toward his car.
“We’re going home,” he stated firmly.
I yanked my arm free. “Fine. But when we get there, I have something to
say, and you’re not going to like it.”
The ride back to the house was tense. Neither of us spoke, the silence
stretching thickly between us. My mind raced as I stared out the window,
going over the words I was about to say.
When we arrived, the rest of the brothers were in the living room, their
conversations halting the moment we walked in. Sean raised an eyebrow,
Nathan leaned casually against the wall, and Xavier’s tension was
palpable as he stood beside me.
I stepped forward, facing all of them. “I’ve had enough,” I began. “I’m
tired of being treated like some pawn in whatever game you all are
playing. So here’s what I want-I want you to reject me.”
The room went completely silent.
Nathan’s smirk widened, and he crossed his arms. “Gladly,” he said,
stepping forward. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.”
Before he could utter the words, Diego’s voice thundered from the
hallway. “Stop!”
We all turned to see Diego storming in, his expression furious. His
commanding presence immediately filled the room, and Nathan froze
mid-step.
“You will not reject her,” Diego said, his tone leaving no room for
argument.
Nathan frowned. “Why not? She’s the one asking for it.”
Diego’s eyes bore into him. “Because if any of you reject her right now,
you’ll die. Is that what you want?”
My heart sank. “What?” I whispered, stepping closer to Diego. “What do
you mean they’ll die?”
Diego sighed, his expression softening slightly as he looked at me.
“There’s something you don’t know about your bond with my sons, Mia.
Something none of us wanted to tell you until the time was right.”
“Then tell me now,” I demanded.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking. “The Atwood brothers were
born under a curse. Each of them has a shortened life span, one that can
only be extended if they’re bound to their true mate. That mate… is you.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words hitting me like a freight train.
“You’re saying… I’m supposed to save their lives?”
I stared at Diego, the weight of his words hitting me like a freight train.
I’m supposed to save their lives? The thought echoed in my mind,
bouncing around with no place to settle. Everything felt surreal, like I
had stepped into someone else’s nightmare.
“Yes,” Diego replied. “The bond between you and my sons is more than
just fate. It’s a lifeline. If they reject you now, before the bond is fully
formed, it will sever their connection to life itself. They’ll die.”
I felt like the room was spinning, my chest tightening with the sheer
weight of the responsibility he was thrusting onto me. Save their lives?
Me? The same brothers who had humiliated me, hurt me, and treated me
like I was nothing more than an inconvenience?
Nathan rolled his eyes. “Great. So we’re just supposed to be stuck with
her forever?”
His words stung, sharper than I wanted to admit. Stuck with me? I
thought bitterly. As if this was some grand reward for me.
Diego shot him a warning glare. “This isn’t just about you, Nathan. This
is about all of you. The curse binds you together, and Mia is the only one
who can break it.”
I shook my head, trying to make sense of it all. My thoughts swirled in a
chaotic mess. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t be happening.
I shook my head, my mind reeling. “And what happens after I break it?
What happens to me?”
Diego’s expression turned grim. “Once the curse is broken, the bond can
be severed. But until then, you’re tied to them.”
I laughed bitterly, the sound hollow in my ears. “So let me get this
straight. I’m supposed to stay here, tied to a group of men who’ve done
nothing but treat me like I’m worthless, just to keep them alive? And
when the curse is gone, what? They’ll just toss me aside like trash?”
“Mia,” Xavier began, but I held up a hand to stop him.
“Don’t,” I said sharply. “I’m done being your punching bag, your
scapegoat, your whatever-it-is-you-think-I-am. If you all want to live
so badly, fine. But don’t expect me to play nice while you figure out how
to break this curse.”
Diego stepped forward, his gaze steady. “Mia, I know this is a lot to take
in, but you’re stronger than you think. This bond was chosen for a
reason. You were chosen for a reason.”
I shook my head, my chest tightening. “I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask
for any of it.”
Without another word, I turned and walked out of the room, my
thoughts a chaotic mess.