Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“In a cage,” I answer.
Athena laughs. “If only.” She laughs again, clearly not taking my answer seriously. “Although a cage is exactly where she belongs. It’s a shame, really. Daphne had a lot of potential. I appreciated her ability to be a scrapper, but she also could act like a chameleon and fit into any situation with grace and elegance. She really could have been an asset to our family.”
A black sedan pulls up to the drive, and a man in a suit steps out and rushes to the other side to open the back door for Athena.
She looks at me, pats her hand on my arm, and says, “I’ll let you handle Daphne. But if it’s too hard, or you feel you can’t do it…let me know. I understand that she’s your wife, and though you may be a Godwin, your heart may not be made of stone.”
“I just need some time. I’ll handle this my way and make sure Daphne can’t hurt this family ever again.” I look at Olympus and then back at her. “But I appreciate the offer. If you really want to help me, keep Father away. I’ll try to work from home, but I need a few days off. I need time to just remember my brother, get a grip on what this new life looks like without him.”
I see a flicker of pain in her eyes, and only I’d be able to see it as I know my sister so well. She quickly recovers but says, “I miss him.”
“I do too.”
“He was the heartbeat to this family.” Her eyes cast to the tree of forgiveness. “Do you think it’s our family’s penance for all the wrong we do? Do you think Ares was taken from us as a punishment?”
“I don’t know. I ask myself every day why it was him and not me.”
Her eyes remain on the tree for several more moments, but then Athena seems to shake off the trance she was in and says, “I’ll cover for you,” she says as she walks to the car. “But don’t take long. Medusa is a shitshow with all the scandal. At least the press is concentrating on the death more than the murder and trial. So I guess that’s good. But our stocks are plummeting, and I sure as fuck don’t know how to do numbers. That’s your department.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” I ask as she climbs into the car. I know Athena can handle herself with anyone, but I still want to offer.
“You just worry about the numbers and that Jezebel inside. I’ll worry about operations.”
Chapter
Twenty
Daphne
Apollo’s been away for hours. My emotions have gone from claustrophobia, fear, rage, sorrow, impatience, and a million others during the isolated period. Time seems to trickle by as I sit in my prison behind the bars. This teaching me a lesson of his is successfully driving me mad. I can barely focus, definitely can’t come up with a plan, and because of my good nights’ rest, I can’t sleep the time in this cage away. When he left, I had no choice but to follow his orders. I have to think of how I will behave and not act out again. I can’t risk Apollo getting my sister involved in this mess because of my outbursts.
Oddly enough, I’m happy when Apollo returns. Anything but this agonizing wait in the cage with nothing but my thoughts of what has happened and what is still to come.
“Have you had some time to cool down?” Apollo asks as he walks straight toward the cage. He has a large box with a red ribbon tied nicely in a bow on top of it. “I’ve brought you a present.”
He unlocks the cage and then walks over to the bed and places the package on the bed. I remain still, unsure of what he wants me to say or do.
“You can come out,” he says over his shoulder.
Wanting Apollo to see how serious I am on “behaving”, I climb out of the cage as quickly as I can and stand with my arms at my side, awaiting his next command.
“Come open the present,” he says.
I walk over toward the bed, unsure why he feels the need to buy me a present. I’m his captive. Nothing but a woman in a cage. A gift doesn’t fit this picture at all.
With shaky hands, I take hold of the ribbon and untie it. I feel Apollo’s eyes on me watching my every move. Once the ribbon is undone, I lift the lid of the box and look inside, confused.
Really confused.
I’m not exactly sure what I’m staring at, though I have a pretty good idea that this gift of his is anything but.
“It’s time we get ready for a party we’re attending this evening.” He takes me by the arm and leads me to the door. “I’m going to allow you to go to the restroom one last time before we get you dressed.” He pauses and turns me so I can stare directly into his eyes filled with intense warning. “If you even so much as flinch against my touch or act out, you won’t be happy with the consequences. Are we clear?”