“You’d better.” I waggle my brows and grin. “I think I’ll get up and go to that DIY place. Might as well start putting our plan into action.” Last night, after we hobbled out of the secret training facility, we stopped by a local diner to discuss retaliation plans against Ares. Now, I’m itching to execute it.
Chad kneels on the bed, pressing an all too brief kiss on my lips. “Don’t do anything without me and be careful. I’ll pick up a sturdy padlock after training later today like we discussed.”
“Okay, babe.” I fling my arms around his neck, yanking his body down over mine. “Are you sure you can’t be late?” I bat my eyelashes as I grab hold of his muscular butt cheeks.
“You don’t play fair.” He pouts before nuzzling his head in my neck.
“I never pretended to be an angel.” I nip at his earlobe, and delicious tremors rip up and down my body as he growls sexily against the throbbing pulse point at my neck.
“Jase had the right idea calling you Temptress,” he says before letting a couple of expletives loose. He lifts his head, and his eyes find mine. “Sorry, babe. I wasn’t thinking.”
Pain spears me through the heart, like always, when I think of my ex-lover. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t say it intentionally.” Mention of Jase has effectively quashed my ardor, so I release him and swing my legs over my side of the bed.
“I love you.” Chad comes up behind me and kisses me on the shoulder.
“Love you too.” I angle my head back, and he drops a soft kiss on my lips.
A light goes off in his eyes. “I have something that’ll cheer you up. Stay put.” He races into our closet, emerging a minute later carrying a large, wrapped box.
“What’s that?”
He hands it to me. “A gift for you.”
My brows knit in confusion. “It’s not my birthday until next month.”
“Who said it’s a birthday gift?” He arches a brow, nudging the edge of the box. “Open it, sweetheart.”
I tear into the wrapping, gasping when I see what’s inside. “Chad!” My gaze flips from the expensive Nikon to my boyfriend. “This is too much.”
A muscle clenches in his jaw, and I swallow back bile. “You’re my woman. I love you, and I can afford to treat you again. Please don’t make this into something. Just accept the fucking camera, Ash. Photography makes you happy, and I want you to be happy.”
We are treading on eggshells when it comes to anything money related these days, and I’m sick of it. I want to tell him he shouldn’t be spending this much money on me when he’s carrying the entire financial burden for his family. I also want to tell him I don’t want something bought with ill-gotten gains, but I can’t. If I voice those sentiments, it’ll turn into World War Three, and I don’t want to fight with Chad anymore. I will just have to find a way to make peace with all of this. Which is easier said than done. But I’ll try.
“Thanks, babe. I love it.” I set it down on the bed before throwing my arms around my boyfriend. “And I love you.” I hold him tight, relieved when he hugs me back and I feel his tense muscles relaxing against me. “For the record,” I add, tipping my chin up so I’m peering directly into his eyes. “Youmake me happy. Don’t ever doubt that.”
* * *
“Morning, slutty little sis,” Ares says, sauntering into the kitchen as naked as the day he was born. I spray coffee all over the island unit as I quickly divert my eyes. If he intends to do this every morning at breakfast, Chad is going to lose his shit.
“Seriously, asshole?” I say when I have composed myself. I climb off my stool to grab some paper towels. “Have you suddenly developed an allergy to clothes?”
“Nothing sudden about it. I grew up in Europe with a hippy mother who liked to drag her kids to nudist beaches. I’m used to nudity in the home.” Grabbing his semi, he points it at me like it’s a weapon. “I suggest you and that pussy you call a boyfriend get an attitude adjustment and fast.”
I stop with my hand on the roll of paper towels. “You grew up in Europe?” This is the first time I have heard this. I know Hera is of Greek descent, but I got the impression they have always lived in the US. Hera sure sounds fully American, but now I think of it, Ares does have a peculiar drawl to his accent.
Ares scowls, like he’s annoyed at himself for revealing something important.
Then it clicks with me. “Kids? You have other siblings?”
“No,” he snaps. “It’s just Mom and me.”
“Then why did you say—”
He’s in front of me in a flash, his large hand wrapped around my throat as he shoves me back against the cupboards. “Slip of the tongue, now drop it.” Barely concealed rage burns behind his eyes as he glares at me, and I have clearly struck a nerve.
Intriguing. I tuck that away in a mental drawer, deciding I’ll ask Hera about it the next time I see her.
“Get your hands off me, and I will.”
