Pushing myself up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stretched before catching sight of the mirror. The image drew me towards it and I stood in front of my reflection, taking it in.
No new bruises from our night together. No visible marks, courtesy of Gray. But my stretch marks remained forked like lightning across my skin. White tracks against brown skin that made them impossible to hide. My fingers brushed against my thighs, hips, and ass trailing along the marks, pissed that they still existed. The least my divinity could have done was gift me the same exquisiteness the Gods exuded along with the shit storm.
“You are still a highly flawed individual.”
I whirled around to be greeted by Gray. He lounged against the doorframe, shirtless and in sweatpants. In his hands, he held a pile of clothes and his eyes were trained on me, flickering between blue and black.
He pushed away from the door and dropped the clothes on the bed before joining me at the mirror. I turned away from him and stared at our reflections. Absolute perfection and a highly flawed individual. It seemed stupid to be fixated on something so small, and yet my brain latched on to the thought until I wanted to reach inside my skull and claw it out.
Strong arms snaked around my waist, pulling my back flush against a warm, chiselled chest. When Gray spoke, his breath tickled my ear. “I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
Ignoring him, I replied, “I see you took the restraints off me.”
“I have no intention of keeping you tied up, Quen.”
“Could have fooled me,” I grumbled.
When I tried to break free of his hold, Gray swept me up in his arms and strode into his bathroom.
“What are you doing?” I asked, clinging to him.
Mind melting sex hadn’t erased the fact that there were things that needed to be discussed.
“I ran you a bath,” he answered. “I thought it might help while we talk.”
The freestanding tub, black like everything else in the house, was filled with a ridiculous number of bubbles topping the water.
“I didn’t have you down as someone who enjoyed bubble baths,” I muttered, not wanting to feel grateful for the gesture.
“I don’t,” he said, kissing my temple.
Gray placed my naked body into the tub, and I sank into the water, allowing the warmth to cocoon me. I leaned back and slid down a little further until only my head was visible above the bubbles.
He leaned against the counter, crossing his legs at the ankle and folding his arms across his bare chest. “I’m sure you have plenty to say. Where would you like to start?”
Straight to the point. There was no reason to beat around the bush. He got what he wanted—whatwewanted—last night. This morning was solely for me.
“You knew,” I said. It wasn’t a question. There was no doubt in my mind.
In the council chambers, Grayson had expertly taken control of the situation. I know he had a stroke of brilliance in him being a God, but it was suspiciously smooth how he’d been able to stand in front of the rest of the Gods and plead my case with no preparation.
He took in a deep breath through his nose. “I did.”
“Erik? Sloan? Ignacio?” With each name, my temper rose.
“If you want to pick a fight, then you pick it with me, Quentin. Erik wanted to tell you, but I refused.”
“You refused?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
I pushed myself up, water sloshing over the edge of the bath.
“You’re pissed, but you’re showing considerable control right now,” Gray commented, pushing himself away from the counter and stalking towards me. “I keep expecting your aura to appear.”
“This isn’t a zoo or a circus. I’m not on show. Why should I trust you, Grayson?”
“I’m sorry, but did you expect me to sit and have a conversation with you about how you’re a demigoddess?” He made it sound like an unreasonable request.
