“How could I say no?”
Gray’s arms circled around my waist as mine looped around his neck. In moments like this, it was easy to block out everything else that was happening in my life. Death was not imminent. I had no responsibilities weighing on my shoulders. There was nothing except me and the God I loved.
“You know,” I said as he pressed his forehead against mine. “If you keep being this sweet, you’ll lose your well-earned reputation.”
“I highly doubt it. This is just for you.” One of Gray’s hands left my waist and his fingers splayed around my throat. “And I know you won’t tell anyone about this newly acquired facet of my personality.”
I had no intention of sharing this version of Gray with anyone. This strange God who made people tremble in his presence, who destroyed anything that displeased him, softened only for me. He tried things and pushed himself out of his comfort zone for me.
A thought bubbled in my head and I tried to push it away, but it took root and forced me to tear my gaze away from Gray’s face.
“What’s going on in that brilliant mind?” he asked, removing his hand from my throat and brushing his fingers against my temple.
“It’s stupid,” I admitted.
“Almost certainly, but I still want to hear it.”
I swatted his chest, but his silence made me continue. “We bumped into Archer on the way home.”
Gray tensed under my touch, and I looked up at him. His jaw was set, a vein throbbing along his neck. Reaching up, I placed a hand on his cheek, and he relaxed a fraction.
“He said something—"
“What?” Gray asked, eyes boring down on me.
This was a mistake. I regretted the fact I’d let my insecurities take hold, but I couldn’t back out of it now. “He said that you wouldn’t have cared about me if I was still mortal. Implied that you were only taking an interest because of my divinity.”
“Is that what you think?”
My chest caved as I traced the embroidery on his suit. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to remind myself that Archer was trying to cause trouble.
“I love you, Quentin.” Gray said it with such force that it caused me to look up at him again. “I have loved you long before I knew any part of you was divine. I’m not telling you this so I can hear it back. I’m telling you so you might realise what a ridiculous being you are.”
The words continuously echoed in my mind and made my chest feel like it could burst open, unable to contain the pure joy.
“Don’t be mistaken. I do not see you as my equal,” he said, staring down at me.
Emotional whiplash.
Anger replaced the joy so quickly that wisps of gold surrounded us. Dread and disappointment accompanied it. A crack of thunder from above mirrored my mood as rain fell. Gray drew me closer to his body, towering over me in an effort to keep me dry.
His knuckles brushed against my cheek, brows pulling together. “I see you as so much better than I am.”
Shock forced away all other emotions and stilled my thundering heart. “What?”
“Do you know I asked Elva to bring you back to me? I got on my knees and I begged for you. I am a God and you were nothing more than a mortal at that point, but I begged for your life.”
The enormity of the words hit me and I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my heart down.
“Archer speaks of what he sees. I have never been the most affectionate God.” Gray sniffed indignantly. “I do not feel the need to justify my love for you to someone that means nothing to me. But those who matter understand the lengths I would go to for you.”
Gray rarely explained himself to anyone. Of course, he wouldn’t lay everything on the line with Archer. There was palpable tension between them both, and Gray would rather sever an arm off than try to gain Archer’s favour.
“I know you are better than me and I also know that in no way do I deserve you. So no, Quentin, I do not see us as equal.”
“Grayson—"
“Would you like me to prove it to you?” Gray sank down to his knees before me, gripping my hips.
