Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107826 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107826 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Your parent and I only have so many years left. You won’t have us dying without knowing you’re happy, will you?”
I don’t roll my eyes, if only because my mother has a sixth sense when it comes to anything resembling disrespect. “You’re only in your fifties. You were just saying you’re still in your prime last week. You’ll be around for another forty years at least and you know it.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
There’s no reasoning with her when she gets like this. She means well, even if her idea of a reasonable timeline to get over a broken heart leaves something to be desired. “I’ll considering dating at some point. That’s all you’re going to get out of me right now.”
“I suppose that will have to do.” She sounds so pleased, I can’t help grinning. Mom laughs. “You’re a good boy, Adonis. Anyone who doesn’t see that isn’t worth your time. Come by for dinner Sunday.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you then.”
“If you decide to bring someone, I wouldn’t be sad about it.”
I chuckle. “Goodbye, Mom. Have a good rest of your day.” I make a quick stop at my apartment to fix my appearance. I had no thought of that when I rushed to Aphrodite’s side earlier, but now that I’m going to be circling Hephaestus, it’s important to keep up every barrier possible.
My fingers still in the middle of buttoning my shirt. I knew he was attractive, of course, but seeing him naked was something that never should have happened. My family and friends don’t think I have much in the way of canniness, but even I know better than to sleep with this man.
But I won’t lie and say the temptation isn’t there. For a multitude of reasons.
I find Hephaestus waiting for me outside his building, leaned up against the wall as if he doesn’t notice the paparazzi trailing him. They’re further away than I expect, but then I wouldn’t want to risk a known murderer’s wrath if I were them, either.
He sends me a searching look. “You’re still torn up over her.”
“No shit.” I know better than to let my emotions get the best of me, but there was no closure this morning. If anything, it tore open a brand-new wound I wasn’t even aware of until now. “She slept with you.”
“You keep saying that.” He narrows his eyes. “What does that mean?”
I open my mouth to reply, but my brain catches up before I have a chance to. He has enough ammunition against her without me giving him more. I don’t want to actually hurt Aphrodite—just her public image. It’s a bone in my throat to know she was able to sleep with him in her bed, that she was never going to come to me for that again, not now that she’s married.
She needs to sleep.
I just hate the source of her relief.
“Nothing.” I turn back to where my car idles at the curb. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” Even as he asks the question, he moves to follow. He really is a cocky bastard. I could have murdered him several times over.
Unlike the greater Olympian population, I know what’s required to trigger the assassination clause. If I killed Hephaestus and took his place, I could marry Eris. There would be no one standing between us…
Even as the thought crosses my mind, I discard it. I’m not a murderer. I’m capable enough, even years after training with Athena, but I’ve always lacked the coldness she requires in her people. It’s why I didn’t last more than two years with her before she sat me down and gently—for her—told me that I’d be better suited for another line of work.
The assassination attempts on the Thirteen won’t go away. If anything, they’re going to get worse as time goes on and people become bolder. Too many people saw the attack on Athena. It’s being actively televised right now, a spray of glass and her people pulling her down to the ground and covering her with their bodies.
There will be another attack, and soon.
Maybe it’s naive, but I don’t want to be part of the problem.
“Adonis?”
Gods, but I like the rough way he says my name. I open the car door for him. “We’re going to your building and seeing your people.”
“They aren’t my people.” He glares, but he slides into the seat all the same.
I shut the door and circle around to the driver’s seat. “Yes, they are, and the sooner both you and they make their peace with that, the better.”
14
HEPHAESTUS
I don’t want to go to my building. My building. The very label makes me want to curse. It’s not mine. Of all the titles I could have taken, Hephaestus is the one least suited to me. Everyone who works for the title is so damned smart, and the few times I’ve darkened the doorway of this building, I’ve felt like a lumbering oaf.