Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

APOLLO

A pollo stared at River, chisel in her hand and a Twizzler hanging out of her mouth, working meticulously on her carving. She stepped back and wiped at the piece, chewed the licorice into her mouth, and finished it.

In the hours that they'd been in the barn, she'd finished off two packs of Twizzlers, a bag of chocolate, a bag of circus peanuts, a container of cotton candy, two large oatmeal cookies, and a six-pack of cola. He had no idea how she wasn't bouncing off the walls. Or throwing up. Just one more of the mysteries that made up River.

She walked to the wall and put the chisel back. Then, she grabbed a small Dremel tool and went toward the wood but stopped and walked to him instead.

"Aren't you bored?"

Apollo picked several flecks of wood shavings out of her hair. "Nope."

"I would be going crazy just sitting here the way you have."

"Especially if you'd eaten all that sugar."

She looked at the table. "I overdid it, didn't I?"

He shrugged. "Just wait until you see me at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet."

"Were you able to get any work done with the noisy chainsaw and tools?"

Apollo nodded. "I put off the calls I could until later and did a lot through text. I've never been a fan of texting before, but I feel it will be quite helpful moving forward."

She snorted, "Well, I hope we don't become one of those couples who go out together, but sit on our phones and text other people."

Apollo chuckled. "Kitten, when we are out together, you will have my undivided attention every second. So much that you will get sick of me. If you want to go out now, I can prove it."

"Sure, I-" Her eyes widened. "What time is it?"

Apollo looked at his phone. "Five thirty."

"Shit!"

Just then, the door to the barn cracked open, and Ares stormed in, eyes icy and body rigid.

"Ares-" River headed toward him.

"I should have known you'd do this." He strode toward Apollo. "All day. I gave you all day with her, and even that wasn't enough. You had to ruin the evening for me as well."

He stopped feet from Apollo, and River stepped between them.

"Ares. It's not like that. It's not-"

"His fault? Of course not. It's never Apollo's fault."

Apollo ground his teeth together, biting back the words that popped into his head.

"Ares. I'm serious. It's not about fault. I lost track of time. That's all."

Ares snorted, but his eyes stayed on Apollo. "Stop making excuses for him."

"Stop being an ass and listen to me," River demanded.

Ares' gaze moved to River, and the shift in Ares' posture surprised Apollo.

River reached for Ares's hand. "Look what I did, and you'll understand."

Ares' body relaxed further. He looked at Apollo and then at River again.

"Show me."

River smiled and pulled him over to her sculpture.

Apollo swallowed hard, and his wolf snarled. The barn was a gift he'd given River. He didn't like that she showed it to Ares. For the hours she'd sculpted, it felt like the barn might turn into their place.

She showed Ares the wolf sculpture. He put his arm around her waist, and Apollo's wolf leapt to his feet, ears flat and hackles raised.

Apollo's chest squeezed, and he turned to the door. His time was up. He'd had her all day. He had to honor her wishes to spend the rest of the evening with Ares. He just hoped that the evening didn't turn into her spending the whole night with him.

* * *

ARES

Ares knew the moment Apollo left. Though his entire body was in tune with River's, the presence of his twin always had him on edge.

Sadness and rage swirled inside him. His. She was his. She was everything to him. His heart pounded in his chest. He'd initially begun to panic when he'd not found her inside the house, but Theo told him he'd seen them heading to the old barn. He couldn't have imagined why they'd gone out there, but the moment he'd opened the door, his heart sunk.

Apollo made her a space to create. The realization almost brought Ares to his knees. He should have thought of it. Hell, he'd had days without her. He should have spent every moment making the estate how she would like it, but Apollo had again outdone him. The notion that Apollo might take her from him made him want to die. And if he did take her… Ares knew he'd wish he was dead. He hadn't been kidding when he'd told Apollo that if he didn't get River, he would do more than disappear.

The idea made his wolf growl.

River pulled him around the sculpture, showing him different techniques she'd used, and with every smile, every glance his way, his anger abated, and his wolf backed down.

"I didn't know you worked with wood. I thought you just did metal."

"When I was with Apollo, we went to town, and a chainsaw carver was there. I started this piece there. I didn't know Apollo brought it back."

"So Apollo made this for you. This workshop."

River glared at him for a moment and then put her hands deep in his suit pant pockets, making him harden.

"He did. But you can have your own side."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a whole other side over there I could use for metal working. I brought my favorite tools, but I'll need others. You can put those things over there, and that will be our side."

Ares wolf growled. "You mean there will be a side for him and then a side for me?"

"Yup."

Ares blew out a harsh breath. "River-"

She pressed her fingers to his mouth. "Don't. Don't tell me I have to choose. Don't ruin our time together. Let's just be together. You and me."

He brushed flakes off her shirt. "You and me." The way it should be.

For the first time, he wished that they'd stayed in New York. That they'd waited to come back. If he'd just been more patient and less paranoid, she would have bonded to him exclusively, and they'd be mated already, and there would be nothing Apollo could do about it.

So many things he wished he could change. But it was too late.

Ares noticed her breasts bounce a bit more than usual. "Why aren't you wearing a bra today?"

"I told you about my nipples, but… that wasn't the whole truth."

"Tell me."

"I've been feeling weird. I woke up hot and sensitive, so I chose not to wear one. Oh, and I ate my weight in sugar as well."

She did feel slightly warmer than usual, and worry rooted in his gut. "Are you all right? You aren't getting sick, are you?"

She shook her head. "Guess PMS is just hitting hard today."

He sniffed her. Even her scent was more aromatic. "Are you sure you're okay? If you aren't feeling well, we can just stay in so you can rest. I know you've been through a lot."

She touched his face. "I'm fine. Trust me, if I felt sick, I would tell you."

He searched her face, but she didn't appear to be lying.

She kissed his cheek. "I promise. I'm okay."

Ares nodded but could not get rid of the feeling that something was different.

She stepped forward and pressed against him. "How about a shower, and then we get food?"

His blood heated. "I like that idea. We can use my shower. It's bigger."

She laughed. "I meant I would shower."

"I don't mind helping you get clean. As I remember, we are pretty good at helping each other."

He remembered the feel of her in the shower. Her curvy body, hard and soft at the same time and perfectly molded to his.

She smiled, and he caught the slight flush on her cheeks. "As much as I enjoyed that, I am pretty hungry, and I get the feeling that if we start something now, there will be no stopping until morning."

Ares groaned. Damn, having her in his shower, his bed, on the floor, and in front of his fireplace all sounded terrific.

"I'm okay with that."

She reached up on her toes and kissed him lightly. "Shower."

He bent down and nuzzled her neck. "I like how you smell."

"You like the smell of motor oil and wood?"

"No. I like how you smell. You smell like cherries and vanilla only stronger, sexier. It usually drives me crazy, but right now… Right now, it is taking everything inside me not to devour you on the spot."

He nipped her neck.

She giggled.

"Makes me want to lick every inch of you. To suck your fingers into my mouth, one by one, and move my way down to taste every delicious inch of you."

Her body quivered, and his wolf howled in delight.

More. Mate. Now.

Ares swirled his tongue over her collarbone, and her fingers dug deep into his shirt.

"Ares," she breathed.

"Beloved."

He kissed her skin, making her pant and pull him closer.

Ares wolf howled. Claim. Mate. My Omega.

He claimed her mouth with his, and she attacked him. Her lips and tongue were hot and needy on his as her breasts smashed against him, making him want to strip off his clothes and be skin-to-skin with her.

She mewled into his mouth, and her hands found his rear. Ares' fangs dropped into his mouth.

Bite her. Take her.

His wolf strained against his tether, and Ares stepped away before his restraints broke.

No!

She looked at him, confused. "What's wrong."

Ares sucked in several sharp breaths. "My wolf… wants you."

His nails lengthened, and she stepped toward him, but he held up his hand, and she stopped.

Back down, you idiot, or we'll lose her.

His wolf paced and snapped, but Ares forced him to submit, and his wolf laid down.

"Are you okay?"

He swallowed hard and then straightened. "Yeah. It's just… getting more difficult to hold him back."

Concern etched her features.

"I won't hurt you, River. And I won't take you without you choosing me."

She moved forward and cupped his cheek. "I know you won't, my Alpha. I trust you. I'm worried about you."

His chest squeezed at her words. "Don't worry, I'm tough."

She stepped to him and laced her fingers in his. "I don't want you to be tough. I want you to be happy. And I know all of this, on top of all you deal with, has to be pushing you and your wolf to the brink."

He stared down into her beautiful face. "No matter what happens, as long as you are by my side, I know I can get through anything."

"And I with you."

He'd never been good with words. Action was his domain. Even so, he wanted to tell her. To help her understand just what she meant to him. What he was prepared to do to have her as his mate.

"You tell me, Beloved. Tell me right now to mark you, and I'll forget all the plans I've made for the next six months just to stay in bed with you. You tell me to give up the throne and move back to New York, and I won't even pack. You say you want to live on a deserted island with no cell service, and I'll drop my phone in the fountain outside, and we'll be on a plane in twenty minutes. Anything you want, you say the word, and I'll give it to you. Nothing in my life has ever meant to me what you do." He held his breath, waiting, praying for her to say the words.

Instead, she shook her head. "I would never ask that of you."

"But you could, and I'd do it."

"And knowing that makes me feel terrible. Terrible because I want to say those things. I want to tell you to mark me and make me yours because I am yours already. Every fiber of who I am is yours. But I'm also his. Can you do that for me? Can you share me?"

Ares growled, but even as he did, he thought about it. Could he? Could he share her if I meant he'd lose her? Was part of her better than none of her? As much as he hated to admit it, he already knew he would be willing to take whatever she wanted to give him. Every moment. Every touch. Every everything. If he had to decide between sharing and keeping her, he'd do what he had to.

River kissed him and walked toward the door. "Are you coming?"

"You gonna let me watch?"

She snorted. "No. But I'll let you pick out what I wear."

It was not even close to what Ares wanted, but he'd take it. "Good, because I already bought you a dress."

Her eyes lit up. "You did? Does that mean we're going somewhere nice?"

He smiled. "It's a surprise."

She rolled her eyes. "You Alphas and your surprises. One of these days, I'm going to do something for you and call it a surprise, and then I'm going to make you wait a whole week before I tell you what it is."

He chuckled. "Believe me, Sweetheart, you wouldn't last a week."

Her eyes sparkled. "Challenge accepted."

She walked out the door, and Ares looked at the wood carving again. As beautiful as it was, it made him frown. The wolf looked identical to Apollo's.