My legs stretched against the smooth sheets as I considered the god in a new light.
Was he an ally? The only one I had? My tongue rolled across my lips, and they tingled as I remembered how it felt to have his mouth against mine.
Alex could be the key I needed to change my fate.
To change all of our fates.
“It’s after ten. So, either get dressed or I’ll shove those miseries in that box, myself.” He pushed off from his spot near the window, his steps storming as he strode across the room with more anger than I’d ever seen in him.
Strike everything I just said about our budding and beautiful friendship.
I was on my own again.
A knock reverberated against the door and through the room. I barely managed to sit up before Alex swung open the door.
My hands gripped at the puffy blankets, holding them loosely against my chest.
Zavier stepped shyly into the room, his steps hesitant as he eyed my shirtlessfriend. His gaze became even more narrowed when his attention landed on me. It skimmed across my bare shoulders before peeking back at Alex.
“Hey, sorry if I wasinterruptinganything.” Zavier’s words were carefully spoken but expertly aimed.
Sometimes, I wondered if Alex just wanted to see how much I could talk my way out of things.
Why would he have opened the door knowing damn well I was naked?
You’re the one who insists on being naked at all hours.
His sharp tone echoed through my thoughts and my eyes narrowed on his mocking smile.
“There’s nothing to interrupt.Absolutely, nothing.”
“What he said,” I added, smiling sweetly at Zavier and hoping he believed us.
And that my guilt over what could have happened the night before wasn’t too obvious. I’d been ready to use Alex to scratch the itch Ashton had started in me. I’d been ready to manipulate him into helping me find a way around my agreement with the gods.
But there was no loophole. Not where the gods were concerned.
“He’s like a brother to me,” I said, to break the awkward silence which was starting between us all. I really wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of this situation. I liked Ashton. I liked Zavier, too. And I was feeling a little like I was cheating on the two of them by spending time naked in front of Alex.
“Right, a brother.” Zavier didn’t seem impressed.
“Yes.” I stood, trying to convey confidence as I held a sheet awkwardly around myself.
“Are you naked in front of your brothers often?” He arched an eyebrow, but I didn’t miss the roving of his eyes over me. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. And Ashton. Hades, I’d take Brock too. It’d been too long since I’d been with a man. And even longer since I’d had affection from one. I was ready for an overload.
It’d been a long time since anyone was kind to me, really.
“I don’t have any brothers,” I replied. I didn’t have any sisters either, but that hardly seemed relevant.
“Explaining why you seem to think it’s okay to be naked in the same room as your friend.”
“And Brock being naked in front of you is any different?” I threw back, already fixating on the image of Brock’s body in my mind.
“Yes.”
“It shouldn’t be,” I pointed out.
He gave me a look I wasn’t sure how to interpret.
