Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101264 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
But that was before she became Ares. Now I can’t take anything for granted when it comes to her. We aren’t on the same level—two women from legacy families, even if mine is disgraced and hers rules Olympus.
She’s one of them now, and I’m still me.
“Helen. Or, rather, Ares.” I strive to keep my tone even, but her name still comes out too sharply. “What are you doing here?”
“Meeting with my lovely brother.” She shrugs. She’s built slim the way her mother was, though there’s clear muscle definition in the arms left bare by her black sheath dress. She looks cool and professional and untouchable, her light-brown hair perfectly done.
I feel grimy standing next to her. I haven’t wanted a thin body in over a decade—I love my curves out of sheer defiance of everyone who acts like they should be part of a before picture—but it’s hard not to compare us when we stand like this.
I ruthlessly squash the urge to shift, to conceal. There’s no fixing how messy I look, and trying to do it will just telegraph how uncomfortable I am right now. I raise my chin and focus on smoothing out my expression instead. “I see.”
She gives me a long look. “Apollo’s in with him now. I don’t think he knew you were coming, or he would have waited for you.”
There’s no getting out of this. I’m here. I might as well see it through. I hold up the file between us like a shield. “He forgot this.”
“Ah.” She glances back down the hallway. “Well, I’ll walk you down there.”
“That’s really not necessary.”
“It really is.” She spins on a heel and faces the same direction as me. “With things in a bit of upheaval right now, the security is ramped up. Honestly, I’m not sure how you got up here at all. My people are supposed to have the upper floors locked down.”
That explains the elevator “malfunction” and why the guy downstairs was such an asshole. I shrug a single shoulder. “I’m persuasive.”
“More like you’re terrifying.” She laughs, a sound so happy it makes my chest ping in envy. I don’t want what Ares has—the title, the power, the responsibility—but it must be nice to be so comfortable in how she moves through the world, sure that it will bend to her impressive will.
I’m not naive enough to think that everything comes as easily to her as it appears, but I’ve had to fight and claw my way through the last decade of life. People look at me and don’t automatically assume innocence. I’m painted with the same shame my parents were, even if I don’t deserve it.
Not that it matters. I don’t give a fuck what these peacocks think of me.
Not even Ares.
“Your people are specially trained,” I snap. “If they can’t take me, that sounds like a you problem.”
“Absolutely.” She agrees so damn easily. “By the way, is Orpheus still bothering you?”
Mention of Apollo’s brother makes me frown. What does Orpheus have to do with anything? It takes several steps for understanding to settle over me. She’s talking about that party where he was being an arrogant little prick, but that was months ago. I’m honestly surprised she remembered at all. “I can handle Orpheus.” He might be bigger than me, but he’s brittle. I could break him without lifting a finger.
“If you’re sure… I know it’s a touchy subject because he’s Apollo’s little brother.”
I snort. I can’t help it. “Apollo has more or less washed his hands of Orpheus.” As much as Apollo can wash his hands of anyone in his family. What it really translates to is that he’s stopped smoothing over Orpheus’s messes and cut off his money. With how their mother babies the spoiled brat, it never would have worked if Apollo wasn’t, well, Apollo. “When he shapes up, he can play prodigal son and get all the attention he’s deprived of right now. He has bigger things to worry about than chasing some woman who doesn’t want him.”
“If that ever changes, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Sure,” I lie. I know better than to trust anyone in this godsforsaken city. When push comes to shove, Ares will look out for herself and her interests before helping someone else. Expecting anything else is like expecting a fish to sprout wings and fly. “I’ll do that.”
“No, you won’t.” Ares smiles. “But the offer still stands. Here we are.” She stops in front of a large dark door with Zeus’s golden nameplate on it. The current Zeus is Ares’s brother. The last one was her father. I’d rather chew off my own arm than deal with either of the men who’ve held the title during my lifetime, but I’m here. It’s too late to go back now.
I do my best not to hold my breath—not with Ares watching—and knock.