“Princess, I could never hate you. I love you, Zara. I’ve loved you from the second I saw you. Fuck knows I’ve tried to resist this feeling, but I never stood a chance. I love you so much that it hurts, and I hope that yesterday I wasn’t too much of an asshole for you to ever forgive me. The things I said to you when I saw you with them… I have no justification other than that I was jealous. Even so, I should have never spoken to you like that. I hope you can forgive me?”
She surrounds my neck with her arms, her soft chest touching mine. “I love you too, Ares. And of course I forgive you. I know you didn’t mean it.”
All I want to do is kiss her, but I know she’s holding something back. “What? Whatever you need to say, princess, I want to hear it.”
Her expression is cautious. “If things between us are going to work,” her tone is cautious but firm. “I need you to understand that I’m not going to choose. I love you with all my heart, but I feel exactly the same way about Chance and Lev.”
I knew this was coming.
“I can share your heart with them.” I say honestly. “But I don’t know if I canshareyou with them.”
Zara understands exactly what I mean. “That’s all I can ask of you. But I need you to work on this for real. The fact that I love them doesn’t mean that I love you any less. I know it soundscrazy, but I love each of you completely. I need to know that you don’t feel betrayed by this.”
Her hand cups my jaw, and something in my chest loosens.
Since I lost Atlas, I have erected walls around me, and my heart has been coated by a thick layer of ice. I was aware that it was a way to protect myself when I was hurting so much that I had nothing to give. Zara has made those walls fall one by one, and I can almost feel that ice, that last layer of defense, melt when she stands on the tips of her toes to touch my lips with hers.
My entire body reacts to that kiss as I close my arms around her.
There is nothing I wouldn’t do for Zara. I would give anything to make her happy and to keep her safe.
“You’re so soft.” I whisper, pressing her tighter to me.
“And you’re so… hard.”
It’s true. I’m as hard as a rock. All I want is to carry my princess upstairs and show her just how much I love her.
I grab the back of one of her thighs, lifting it to my hip and grinding into her. The groan that echoes in the kitchen comes from both of us.
Breakfast is ready, and Chance and Lev are on their way home. I don’t think we have time to do anything about the mutual desire that’s charging the air around us with electricity.
“Ares.” She nips at my bottom lip, and I can’t even think straight anymore.
Fuck it. I’m going to take Zara upstairs, and if my brother and Lev get home before we’re back downstairs, they can help themselves to the food. I’m hungry for something totally different right now.
Before I can act on my decision, the noise of someone clearing their throat tells me that I should have acted a few seconds ago.
Chance
“Something smells good in here.” I say, entering Lev’s kitchen.
Practice was more grueling than usual, and I’m absolutely starving, but my need for food is momentarily forgotten when I see Ares and Zara kissing in the middle of the kitchen.
Does that mean that Ares didn’t yell at her about racing? Relief floods me at that thought. I don’t care if Ares yells at me and Lev. I don’t give a shit if he fucking arrests us. As long as he doesn’t cause trouble for Zara, I can deal with any other consequences.
More than kissing, they were full on making out; at least judging by the way he has her leg up against his hip.
“Get a room, you two.” I chuckle when I meet my brother’s glare.
“Fucking cockblock.” Ares bites out. “It was just what we were about to do if you had had the decency of being ten minutes later.”
I can’t resist the urge to give him shit about it.
“Ten minutes is all you can last?” I provoke him.
Ares lowers Zara’s leg, turning fully to glare at me. “Not that it’s any of your fucking business, but I can last all night. Unlike you though, I can make Zara come multiple times in ten minutes.”
Laugh rumbles out of me. “Are you challenging me?”
