Chapter Six

The moment Aarav pulls away, the applause swells around us. Smiling faces blur together—business partners, distant relatives, powerful men and their wives, all offering congratulations like this is something to celebrate.

Cassian claps Aarav on the back, murmuring something to him. Aarav nods, but his dark eyes never leave mine.

I can’t breathe.

I need to get out of here.

A polite smile is all I can force as hands reach for mine, shaking, squeezing, offering empty words—You look stunning, Mrs. Rune. You’re so lucky. Such a perfect match.

I murmur a quiet thank you each time, but my body is stiff, my skin crawling with every touch.

Aarav’s arm snakes around my waist, his grip firm. Controlling. A silent warning.

I force myself to stay still. To smile.

Then I look up at him. “I need to use the bathroom.”

His dark brows lift slightly, as if he can see right through me. For a moment, I think he’ll refuse, but then he gives a slow nod. “Don’t take too long.”

I don’t wait for more. I slip away, weaving through the crowd, past laughter and music, past the weight of expectations.

I don’t stop until I reach the hall.

The moment I push into the bathroom, I brace my hands against the sink, sucking in a sharp breath.

I can’t do this.

I won’t.

My reflection stares back at me—eyes wide, frantic. My heart pounds as I glance at the window. It’s small but open. Just enough.

If I climb fast enough, I can make it out before anyone notices—

A strong hand clamps down on my wrist.

I spin around, gasping.

Malakai.

His blue eyes blaze with fury. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Panic flares through me. I yank my arm, but his grip tightens.

“I—” My throat closes. The truth rises to my lips, but I swallow it back.

He leans in, his voice a low growl. “Tell me you weren’t about to run.”

I stare at him, my chest rising and falling fast. My silence is answer enough.

His jaw clenches, his fingers digging into my skin. “Riva.”

I snap.

“I’m married!” My voice shakes with rage. With despair. “I am fucking married to a monster, Malakai!”

Malakai doesn’t say anything. He just stares at me, his grip still firm on my wrist. His jaw is tight, his breathing heavy.

Then, suddenly, he moves.

Before I can react, he pulls me into his arms, crushing me against his chest. His hold is tight, almost desperate. Like he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.

I freeze for a second. Then my body gives in.

My hands clutch the fabric of his suit, my forehead pressing against his shoulder. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears burning behind my lids.

His hand slides up my back, his fingers curling into the fabric of my dress. He holds me like I’m something fragile, something he wants to protect but doesn’t know how.

“I know,” he mutters against my hair. “I know, Riva.”

His voice is rough, pained.

And I break.

A quiet sob escapes my lips.

I don’t cry. Not in front of anyone. Not even in private. But here, in his arms, I feel like I can.

Malakai doesn’t let go. If anything, his grip tightens, his arms wrapped around me like he’s trying to hold me together.

My breath comes out shaky, my fingers curling into his jacket. “It’s not fair,” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

“I know,” he says again, his lips brushing against the top of my head. “But you can’t run, Riva.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. “Then what am I supposed to do?” My voice cracks, raw and broken. “Be his obedient little wife? Pretend this is what I wanted?”

Malakai pulls back just enough to look at me, his hands cupping my face. His blue eyes burn with something unreadable. Anger. Helplessness. Maybe even something more.

“You survive,” he says, voice rough. “You keep breathing, keep fighting. No matter what.”

I shake my head, my hands gripping his wrists. “I can’t.”

Malakai’s grip on my face tightens, his thumbs brushing over my cheekbones. His blue eyes darken, fierce and unwavering.

“If there’s one thing I know Riva Walsh for,” he murmurs, his voice low and intense, “it’s that she’s a fighter. A survivor.” His jaw clenches. “And that’s one thing I’ve always liked about her.”

His words slam into me like a punch to the chest.

I swallow hard, my heart hammering. “Malakai—”

“No.” His voice is firm, cutting through the air like a blade. “You don’t get to say you can’t, because that’s not you, Riva. You don’t break. You don’t back down.”

I want to argue. I want to tell him he’s wrong. That I’m not strong enough for this. That I’m already breaking.

But the way he’s looking at me—like he believes in me, like he always has—makes the words stick in my throat.

I force a shaky breath. “I don’t know how to survive this.”

Malakai doesn’t hesitate. His grip on my wrists tightens, grounding me. His voice is steady, certain.

“You will find a way, Riva,” he says. “You always do.”

I shake my head, my throat tight. “This is different.”

His blue eyes burn into mine. “No, it’s not. It’s just another fight. And you don’t lose fights.”

A bitter laugh escapes me. “This isn’t some street brawl, Malakai. This is my life.”

He exhales sharply, his fingers flexing against my skin. “Exactly. And that’s why you won’t let him break you.”

The conviction in his voice makes my chest ache.

I wish I believed it as much as he does.

Malakai doesn’t say anything more, but his grip on me remains firm, his body so close to mine I can feel the heat radiating off him. The tension between us is palpable, like there’s something unsaid hanging in the air. For a moment, it feels like I can’t breathe, like the whole world has narrowed down to just the two of us standing in this small bathroom.

His eyes linger on mine, and for the first time, I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing I am—that maybe there’s something more than just friendship between us. That maybe all these years, this unspoken connection, is something deeper.

But then, the sound of the door creaking open shatters the moment.

Both of us freeze.

The door swings wide, and the figure in the doorway stops short, eyes wide in shock. The world seems to hold its breath, and I’m left wondering... who caught us?

Malakai steps back quickly, his jaw tightening as his eyes flick toward the intruder, his hand still lingering in the air as if he’s unsure whether to pull me back in or push me away.

The air is thick with tension as the door closes behind whoever it was. My heart pounds, unsure of what’s coming next.

Who saw us?