Unmatched Wife: Not His To Claim Anymore novel Chapter 53

Chapter 53

BIANCA

He took another step, close enough now that I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. Close enough that I could smell his cologne–something subtle and expensive that made my pulse quicken despite myself.

“Everyone hides something, Bianca,” he said quietly. “The question is whether those secrets matter. Whether they change anything important.”

“Louis told me you’re an Alpha.” I forced myself to hold his gaze, to not back down even though every instinct screamed at me to give him space. “An important one.”

“Louis talks too much.” But there was no real censure in his voice. “Yes, I’m an Alpha. Does that change anything?”

“I don’t know. Does it?” I gestured toward the locked door. “Is this why you could get my clearance papers so easily? Why you had resources to help me? Because you’re not just some investor, you’re–what? Someone with real political power?”

Rivera was quiet for a long moment, his eyes searching my face like he was trying to decide how much truth to give me.

“I have influence, yes,” he finally said. “Connections that let me help people who need it. That let me protect my son when he was cursed. That let me save you when you needed saving.” He paused. “Does knowing that make you trust me less?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted honestly. “I don’t know anything right now except that you’ve been keeping things from me, and I’m tired of people keeping secrets that affect my life.”

“Fair.” He nodded slowly, accepting my point. “But Bianca, some secrets aren’t about deception. They’re about protection. About keeping people safe from information that could put them at risk.”

“So this is for my protection?” I couldn’t keep the skepticism from my voice.

“Partially. Also for Louis’s protection. And mine.” He shifted slightly, and I realized how close we were standing–close enough that I could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes, close enough that I had to actively resist the urge to lean closer. “The less you know about certain aspects of my position, the safer you are. Trust me on that.”

“You’re asking me to trust you while actively keeping secrets from me?” I pointed out. “That’s a hard sell, Lucian.”

“Rivera,” he corrected, his voice dropping lower. “And I’m not asking for blind trust. I’m asking if you believe, based on everything I’ve done for you, that I have your best interests at heart. That I wouldn’t let anything happen to you or use my position to manipulate you.”

His hand came up, not quite touching my face but close enough that I felt the warmth of it near my cheek. “Do you trust me,

Bianca?”

The question hung between us, loaded with implications I wasn’t ready to examine. Because the truth was, I did trust him. Despite the secrets, despite the power he clearly wielded, despite not knowing exactly who or what he was in the grand scheme of BloodMoon City politics.

He’d saved my life. Protected me. Opened his home to me. Let his son get attached to me even knowing I might leave. Given me space to heal without demands or expectations.

That counted for something. Maybe everything.

“I’m trying to,” I whispered, and saw something flash in his eyes–relief, maybe, or hope.

He leaned closer, close enough that I felt his breath against my lips, and my heart hammered against my ribs with anticipation and something dangerously close to desire.

“Bianca-

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he started, his voice rough.

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Chapter 53

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“DADDY! MUMMY! EMERGENCY!”

Louis’s shriek shattered the moment like glass. We sprang apart as his small form came barreling down the hallway, his face red and tearstained.

“What’s wrong?” Rivera was immediately in full parent mode, crouching to catch Louis as he ran into his arms. “Are you hurt?”

“The tower!” Louis sobbed dramatically. “The LEGO tower I’ve been building for three days! It fell! It’s completely destroyed! All my hard work, GONE!”

I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. A LEGO emergency. Of course.

Rivera looked at me over Louis’s head, and I saw frustration warring with amusement in his expression. We’d been interrupted by architectural tragedy.

“Okay, buddy,” Rivera said, standing with Louis in his arms. “Let’s go assess the damage. Maybe it can be rebuilt.”

“It’s too devastating!” Louis declared with the gravity of someone announcing the fall of Rome. “I need Mummy’s help too. She understands proper LEGO engineering principles.”

“Does she now?” Rivera’s lips quirked with barely suppressed laughter.

“Obviously.” Louis turned his teary eyes to me. “Please, Mummy? It’s an emergency. A real one.”

How could I refuse that face? Even knowing he’d probably knocked the tower over himself and was now using it as emotional leverage to keep me from leaving.

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