“What... are you doing here, Apollo?” I almost hissed.
He hadn’t changed—his ear-length blonde hair remained the same messy shag it had always been, looking like he’d had someone tug and pull it to their liking just so that he appeared freshly fucked. Those usually innocent blue eyes were just as dark and hateful as they always were when he looked at me. Theperfect specimen, as he’d been described over the years with his sculpted body and chiseled face, always shaved, clean, and effortlessly pure.
He leaned his shoulders back against the wall, his leg bent, brown boot pressed flat against the brick. Tiny streaks of what seemed like gold shimmer paint glimmered beneath his eyes in a sunray pattern.
“In town on tour,” he replied with a shrug. “Just stopped by the box to see my brother when I spotted him in the regular seats with who other than his little protege. I thought… why shouldn’t I, too, see my old friend? Perhaps see what he’s been sinking his dick into lately since he’s had such a fondness for stalking my own endeavors.”
“You’re easily riled up,” I said. “Makes fucking with your love life all the more exciting. Tell me, have you had any more nymphs turn themselves into trees just to get away from you?”
A twinge of annoyance ticked in Apollo’s jaw, nearly making me smile.
“One day, you’ll realize what a mistake that was,” Apollo said as he pushed off the wall.
I set my drinks down on the counter again, a soft chuckle escaping me as I sized him up, facing him again, our torsos aligning.
“Yeah? What are you going to do about it?” I asked. “Millenia’s later, and I still haven’t felt this so-called wrath and regret you once promised me.”
The left corner of Apollo’s mouth flinched as he huffed amusedly and stepped back. “It was nice seeing you, nephew,” he said, the smug smile on his lips making the blood in my body stop circulating. “Be sure to tell your adorable little girlfriend I said ‘hello.’”
The devious glint in his eyes made my stomach hollow. I stared after him as he left down the hall. A vicious urge reared its ugly head from deep within me. I wanted to follow and make him regret ever mentioning her, everlookingat her.
Because if he ever touched her…
The end-of-the-period buzzer went off, and I ambled back toward our seats, but not before pausing at the stairs to text Ares.
You didn’t mention your brother was here, I texted him.
He only dropped by to say hello. Has a show to get to, Ares replied.Why? Did you bump into him?
Something like that, I replied.Is he leaving for good? I don’t want him anywhere near Chloe if I bring her to the box for the last period.
He won’t be back. His gig is across the complex, a half-mile away. He’s onstage in twenty minutes.
People began making their way up the stairs. I stuffed my phone in my pocket and descended to our seats. Chloe was stretching when I reached her, the oversized team jersey rising just enough that I could see where she’d tucked a small section of material into the black high-waisted shorts and stockings she wore beneath them.
“You missed the best goal of the night,” she said as I reached her. “Fucking amazing five-hole. Goalie never had a chance.”
I smiled at her enthusiasm. “How do you like these seats?” I asked.
“I’ve never been this close to the ice before,” she said. “It’s insane. A little overwhelming at times, but amazing. My ears are a little numb. Am I talking too loud?”
“Do you want to go somewhere quieter for the last period?” I asked.
“Like where?”
I gave an upward nod to the box, and she frowned. “How the fuck are we getting in there?”
“I know a guy,” I said. “But it’s up to you. And if you get up there and prefer to be down here, we can always come back.”
“Who’s the guy?”
“Ah… possibly my father, though there’s been some debate about it,” I answered truthfully.
The light in her face waned, along with her smile. “Wait, you mean… like another….” She glanced around us for any onlookers. “Another god?” she mouthed.
“Does that scare you?” I asked.
“A little, yeah. That is if you’re not full of shit,” she answered, arms crossing. “You still haven’t proven it.”
