Atlas laughs, his voice barely a whisper.“God, she has balls.I fucking love it.”
“What did you say, sweetie?”Athena asks her son.
“Nothing, Ma.”He shakes his head, eyes on me.“Just saying that Ophelia is a badass.”
“I wouldn’t let my daughter run Olympus alone if she weren’t up to the task,” Dad says with a smile.“However, I wish I had taught her better manners.”
“You taught me all the ones that count,” I say in my defense.“Don’t shit where you eat.Never forget to turn off the safety before you point the gun at a man’s head.And my favorite… Always give a man the courtesy of choosing his death if he’s earned it.”
Dad curses in Greek under his breath.“Maybe reserve your true self for another day, Ophelia.You’ll scare them away before we even walk down the aisle.”
Duh, silly.
That’s the point.
“Don’t worry about us, Belen,” Ares says as if speaking for the entire family.“We canhandleOphelia.”
I’m sure you can, you arrogant dick.
I snort at his comment.“I’d like to see you try, Greek god.”
He doesn’t respond, but I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s accepted my challenge.
Game on.
ChapterFive
APOLLO
I liketo watch and take in everything around me.That’s my gift.I’m the calm and logical Demetriou brother.
Ares is a hothead, the muscle of our family, and rarely passes up a good fight.He will go toe-to-toe with anyone, but unlike Ophelia, he’s not fearless.My older brother is reckless.
Atlas is softer around the edges, like our mom.He’s introverted and prefers to huddle in the corner with his sketchbook.My twin is pretending to join the conversation with our parents while sketching in the book on his lap.
And I observe.
I’m collecting bits of information from everyone at the table and listening to every word, noticing the subtle shift in their tones and how they move their bodies.
Body language is everything.
I know Ophelia is angry about more than her mother’s death.And I wonder if she feels like she always has to prove herself as the daughter of Belen Drakos.That can’t be easy.Not when he’s one of the most notorious men in the city and has a constant target on his back.
Belen thinks he’s getting a sweet deal marrying a beauty like our mother.But she’s the one conning him.When we’re done with Belen, we will have everything owed to us.
His money.
His empire.
This city.
I can tell by the looks Ares shoots at Ophelia that he wants her.But she won’t come easily.That girl has fire in her veins and a mouth like a sailor.She would have shot the ball sack clean off Ares’s body if her dad hadn’t come home.
I like her energy.
She’s unpredictable and flies off the handle too quickly, but she could be an asset to us.A woman like Ophelia commands respect and doesn’t let men walk over her.I bet she’s always the first person people notice when she enters a room.
I can also see she’s insecure about her weight.She tugs at her tank top, and Ares’s mouth widens as her shirt lowers.At first, I thought she was teasing him until I realized what she was doing.
