I will love you forever.
Love,
Mom
My vision blurs, black dots swimming in front of my eyes.Even more tears are falling, sliding down my cheeks as the page slips from my fingers.The sobs that escape my chest suck the air from my lungs, and I can’t breathe.
It’s too hot.
Too much.
Ares catches me in his muscular arms before my head hits the couch.He yanks me backward and onto his chest as tears flow out of me and onto his bare chest.
Just promise not to leave me ever again.
His words rattle around in my head as he holds me, his long finger trailing up and down my arm.There’s no place I would rather be than with Ares, and I hate myself for it.I hate that the only person who makes me feel better has also hurt me beyond repair.
“It’s going to be okay, baby.”Ares presses a kiss on my forehead.“Your mom wanted this, you’ll see.We’ll watch the video together, and then you’ll understand.”
“Okay,” I mutter, clutching his jeans with my fingers as I cry on his rock-hard chest.
Apollo hops up from the couch with his laptop and kneels beside me as he sets it on the table.He inserts the flash drive into the slot and waits for the computer to load.
I lean into Ares and let him console me.I brush up against him as he whispers cute things to me.He promises to take care of me, and I believe him.
Iwantto believe him.
My mother’s face pops up on the screen.
Apollo’s finger hovers over the trackpad, and he looks at me.“Are you ready, Mistress?”
I nod.
But before he can hit Play, someone bangs on the door.Then the bell rings.Through the thin curtains, I see blue and red police lights flashing in the driveway.
Fuck.
I’m sure they’re wondering about the situation out front.My uncle’s car is still running, the fender smashed into the bumper of the Audi.If Apollo is mad about that, he hasn’t said anything.
“I will handle this.”Athena rises from the couch, smoothing a hand down the front of her dress.She looks at me.“Ophelia, no one knows you’ve been living with your uncle for the past two weeks or that your father changed the will.”
“My uncle knows,” I tell her.“That’s why I stopped talking to your sons.Uncle Alexander came home with signed and stamped papers from the courthouse.He will tell the police you had something to do with Dad’s murder.”
She presses her lips together, smearing the pale shade of pink.“Your uncle is another problem we’ll address.”
Ares and Atlas nod.
“I’ll go with you, Mother,” Apollo offers and comes to stand at her side.“Let me take the lead.”
ChapterForty-Four
APOLLO
When I was a boy,my father saw my talent for numbers and raised me in his likeness.Even though I’m younger than Ares, our dad always treated me like I was the oldest.
The more responsible one.
While Ares was out getting high and fighting, I learned how to be the man of the house.Dad said my job was to protect the family when he wasn’t around.
