“He’s also a God and unequivocally selfish. He’ll protect himself before anyone else.”
“Even his brothers?” I asked. “Larkin?”
There was a bark of laughter. It was a laugh that was harsh, and he used it when he found something stupid, causing me to blush.
“Hunter will look out for himself before anyone else,” he said.
“Why is he being like that?”
I couldn’t help myself. As I watched Gray, my fingers reached out towards his lip where it was split. The cut was already starting to heal, but there was a thin trail of gold smeared across it. When they brushed his lips, he caught my wrist and kissed the inside.
My heart fluttered wildly. Gray had woken it from the frosty cage I’d locked it inside, and it thrived under his touch. Worryingly, it answered his call and nothing I tried could restrain it again.
When he spoke, his voice was gentle. “I assure you I’m fine. Stop worrying.”
He pulled me gently, so I sat on his lap and any of the residual anger I felt disappeared.
“Hunter is losing favour with the council. He's not entirely popular with the minor Gods either, so I think he’s worried about being replaced. And with no heir…” He trailed off.
“Wait,” I said as the penny dropped. “You?”
He laughed. “You seem surprised.”
I shrugged. “A little. You like to break the rules. Not enforce them.”
Tucking a lock of his dark hair back in place, I saw his lip had fully healed.
“I only break the rules under special circumstances,” Gray whispered.
His gaze was intense and if I were to read between the lines, I’d say Gray was trying to tell me something. But I didn’t want to read between the lines. Everything was meant to be uncomplicated between us.
But they had complicated a long time ago, and Gray made it worse when he came to Malaysia. Spending time alone with him, fully clothed and away from everyone else, I realised just how supportive he could be and how sweet he was. And whatever part of me shut down when Ethan left had woken up again. And that was disastrous.
“Quentin.”His voice was a whisper, and his eyes scanned over my face before settling on my mouth.“I think you need to unpack before I do something we both regret.”
He ran a thumb gently across my bottom lip, and I let out a shaky breath. I prided myself on my determination, but the willpower that carried me through life dwindled the moment I was faced with Gray.
Quietly, I unfolded myself up from his lap, instantly missing the heat of his body.
“Stay away from Hunter,” I said.
“Stay away from Archer.” He gestured around the room, and I bit my lip. Gray cleared the mess in an instant.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Gray cautioned.
“I won’t.” Then I corrected myself. “I don’t.”
Gray smirked. “You think you don’t.”
I blushed and left the room, picking up the suitcase and dragging it upstairs. I unpacked and put my clothes in the laundry.
When Gray said we’d both regret it, would he regret it because I was mortal? Did he regret every time we’d tumbled into bed together? Was he regretting spending time with me over the last week? My thoughts looped in on themselves and tied me in knots.
It was only after I came out of the shower that I noticed there was a vase on my desk with a single Odessa calla lily.
All my worries disappeared, and my heart skipped a beat.
