1

"This is beyond ridiculous," I groaned as I stared at the crazy.

"Glad I did my job well," Jamie chuckled, strutting towards the kitchen like a man proud of himself. He burst out laughing from the other room, and I could only imagine what he'd found there.

I had spent the first night in my new house now that it was closed on, and of course, Jamie had as well. We made it something cute and fun that we'd never had before. Mostly because his family was controlling and… I hadn't really grown up since I was about as old as time itself.

So we had just packed the essentials and eaten takeout on the floor before sleeping on an air mattress. Sure, Jamie gobbled me up too, but I'd finally touched his dick in his shorts—at least for a little bit—and made him orgasm as well.

It had been huge progress for me—us even, and I'd been so thrilled.

Thrilled enough to fill my huge front room with the St. Patrick's Day sprinkle blend that we were already sold out of on Amazon. I had just finalized it before the full moon crazy with Colton's elders and shutting them all down and Amazon had picked up more than normal.

And it was sold out the first day.

I sighed and headed to where Jamie was still laughing… And I couldn't blame him when I saw my entire great room was full of the same. Floor to ceiling basically. It was a very large living room, dining room, and kitchen almost completely full.

Besides where the fridge was so we could access the food and coffee we'd brought with.

"If it's the rest of the house, I can't put furniture in here!" I reminded him when he kept chuckling. I sighed when he simply shrugged and pulled out his phone to take pictures.

He realized I was truly upset when he finished and came over to me. "Hey, it's focused, Arabella. That's progress and—just laugh at the crazy, love."

"So cheeky with me," I grumbled.

"You want to see cheeky?" he pushed. I yelped as he lifted me up and sat me on the counter. "I'm hungry. Famished, and you were supposed to be smiling all morning." He gave me a hesitant look as he touched my bed shorts, clearly asking for permission even if he was—it was pushy for Jamie.

I nodded, completely turned on and floored I was into the idea.

It was Jamie. Something about him made me feel… Not as broken?

He whipped off my shorts and buried his face between my legs, moaning when I fisted his hair. He brought me twice, and I was definitely smiling after that.

"That's how my girlfriend should feel in her new house," he said when he was done. "There's something I want to try soon. I was thinking tonight, but you made progress last night and—too much pushing is too much."

"Thank you for understanding that," I whispered, tears burning in my eyes. "Really. You're so understanding and gentle with me. I don't know why you want to put up with this—me—my crazy."

He pulled me to sit up and put back on my shorts before kissing my eyes. "Don't talk about my girlfriend like that. She's awesome, and I will spank you if you don't treat her right."

I chuckled and nodded. Only he could get away with talking like that. "What's the idea?"

"I was reading in the books, and they went over steps and ideas that work for some—like the bath in our swimsuits."

That had worked really well, and we'd done it a few times since. I was excited to do it in this house because not only did I have a huge tub in the master bathroom but a hot tub outside… And inside.

Yes, this house was that ridiculous and I was completely spoiled.

Honestly, the large guest house and five acres of forest surrounding me were what sold me on it. That was perfect for the twins when they needed some quiet and time away from school and their apartment.

"You can tell me," I said when I realized he was waiting for me. "I feel I can tell you no when I need to."

Relief was in his eyes before he gave me a quick peck. "The book said we should try masturbating together. You would see my dick, but it wouldn't… I wouldn't touch you or—it sounds really kinky, but the only ones you've been around—"

"Brutalized me," I mumbled, not making Jamie say it. He was such a good person it hurt him to even think about what had happened to me. I thought about what he said though. "I will think about it. I'm not against it, but I would like time to settle with it. See if—"

"Good." He kissed me again. "Good. You take that time. I'm proud of you for saying that. I just wanted to let you know where I saw things heading next."

"Where are you at today?"

"New Jersey. Cole's team finished all the updates and renovations you wanted. Today they're starting the installation of the massive ingredients system. No more offloading pallets of the big ingredients. Sugars will come by truck with the whole thing going into the right bin. Shortening—all of it. The place is so big you have room to store a month's worth of ingredients."

I snorted. "Sorry, but given everyone wants more and more and more that sounds too big of a timeline."

He bobbed his head back and forth. "Fair, but with what is currently being asked—not what you're actually putting out—it will store up to a 1000% of that. So lots of room to grow and do more."

I bit back a smile when he gave me that grin and puppy dog eyes like he was ready to accept his "good boy" and be patted on the head. "Hmm, sounds like I should make you something special for dinner tonight. I have to make sure you're spoiled too."

"The way to a wolf's heart is not through his stomach, but I will gladly accept it."

We both got ready, and I brought us to my apartment above the bakery. I had already told everyone to start texting me if they needed something because I was shutting off the intercom at times.

My employees were probably still smirking since they thought it was about being naughty. They weren't wrong, but I wouldn't always take the time to drive to from my new house.

I helped Si-woo get everything finished for the restaurants and made sure everyone at the bakery was handled before deciding that I was done with being blown off. I had had an idea about how to do better with our holiday orders, but the person I would need to meet with to make it happen refused to return my calls.

Or emails.

Or the damn letter I'd sent to his office.

I knew I probably wasn't a big enough fish to get in front of him, but I talked with the major higher-ups of Costco, so like… Don't be rude and not respond at all. At least send me to the right person or have your assistant give me a message instead of telling me she would give him my information.

So yeah, I was done and just going to make the meeting happen. I used my power to change and get cleaned up before cloaking myself and appearing in front of Dion Lopez… And found out why he was avoiding me.

"Well, hello, Nephew," I purred as I uncloaked myself.

Dionysus, Zeus's son with another goddess not Hera, was sitting in the huge office. His eyes went bug wide and he jumped to his feet, but then I felt his power and froze him.

"Oh no, you're not running, love," I chuckled darkly. "I have questions and you will answer them. Understand?" I gave him back the ability to speak but kept him frozen.

"I won't run, Aunt Kismet," he whispered. "Please unfreeze me. This—it gives me nightmares."

Instantly, I let him go, my heart hurting when I saw he was shaken. "I apologize. I had no idea—this surprised me. Are you okay?"

His eyes flashed shock and he slowly nodded. "I thought you knew who I was and wanted to punish me for being in your realm."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "And you thought blowing off my requests for a meeting would make me forget or ignore you?"

"No, I was trying to buy enough time to reinvent myself or…"

"Get help?" It was all over his face, but I left it alone for now. "No, I wanted an actual meeting with Dion Lopez, and now I'm going to insist and not just for the business I want to discuss." I gestured for him to take his seat again so we could be civil as I sat across from his desk.

He did after I sat, swallowing loudly. "I apologize for being in your domain and—"

"Dionysus, I am not upset at that unless you've been hurting humans or going crazy like your father," I told him evenly, his fear echoing in me. "Truly. I just need to know what's going on, how this came about… Even who else is here." I held up my hand when he opened his mouth to argue. "I do not care as long as none of you are causing trouble.

"I wasn't able to give you permission, and clearly you wanted a life of your own that isn't Olympus." I gestured around to the large CEO-style office. "I'm a bit miffed that you didn't check in with me when I was discovered and give me a heads-up, but I was on Zeus's radar which I figure you don't want to get back on."

He snorted. "You are always on Hera's radar, Aunt, and that is who I am desperate to avoid after she tried to kill me. A few times." He nodded when my eyes flashed shock. "After you left, no one was there to rein her back in. She tried to kill a lot of us."

"Did she succeed?" I worried.

"No, we sort of banded together and ran. She bragged that she did kill us, and we worried if she's coming here to harass you that she'll sense us."

"Hera is in the underworld being punished by Hades for approaching me when I've banned her and Zeus from my domain," I told him bluntly, nodding when his mouth fell open. "So for now, we're all safe. You may tell the others, but I do want them to check in with me. This is my domain."

"That's fair. Thank you, Aunt."

"Arabella," I corrected.

"Dion," he mumbled. "I like Dion better."

I smiled, reminded of the young boy who used to love the rare times I cooked and who always wanted to visit my temple. "I'm glad you're safe."

"You too," he whispered. "We thought you were lost."

"Not yet," I chuckled darkly.

Dion gave me the quick version of running from Olympus and how he had survived. How he'd adjusted over time and now was the head of AMC and mostly enjoyed it.

"Good." I folded my hands on my lap. "Now, I want a partnership with AMC." I nodded when his eyes flashed shock. "We can get into my plans to fix this world and take back my domain, but for now, I was being annoying because I need the help quickly."

I told him the mess from the Valentine's Day orders and how people were paid to mess with us. How it gave out a lot of karma, but I couldn't put my people through that again.

"I heard all about it. We—I have been keeping track and tabs on the news since it raced all around Olympus and more that you were found. I would love to help, but I don't know how I can, how movie theaters could help."

"I would like to use your parking lots as pickup locations, maybe even offer your workers some extra hours to help with the chaos. In return, I was willing to discuss some Karma Bakery food that can be sold at your concessions. Maybe something AMC exclusive like that snackable cookie dough that doesn't need to be baked and is all the rage."

"Our downtown locations don't have their own parking," he hedged.

"I understand that," I assured him. "We had people coming all the way from New Hampshire to pick up their Valentine's Day orders and not just a handful. Some not downtown but in Boston might pick a different location to pick up their orders just to avoid the crazy and maybe after catching a movie."

He shot me a look that he didn't think that would happen.

I shrugged. "The stores around us had extra business because people were already there. You don't know. I promise that you will have more people at your theaters when they have my food." I smirked at him. "My food has more than karma in it, and it makes people want them."

He swallowed loudly. "Well, since I don't have much of a choice, then—"

"Don't treat me like your father or Hera when I've always been good to you, child," I said coldly. "I don't deserve that. So I don't know if what was said about me was inaccurate, but if you want the full story to set the record straight, that is a conversation we can have."

"I apologize, Au—Arabella." He cleared his throat and focused on his desk. "I wasn't ready for any of this, and the idea of being discovered leaves me out of sorts. May I have a bit to gather myself and properly consider this?"

"Yes, and it can be just a test run if you like. I'm in a bit of a bind, and while St. Patrick's Day won't be the same crazy of Valentine's Day, Easter will be worse, and it's right around the corner." I swallowed a sigh when he nodded but still seemed scared. "How about you come to my house for lunch tomorrow and meet your cousins?"

His head snapped up so fast I heard it make a noise, his eyes wide. "Really?"

"Yes, love," I said gently. "I won't just brush you aside now that I've found you." I studied him a moment. "Unless you are angry at me or—"

"I was, but now after hearing what happened…" He shook his head. "I don't know what to believe some days. I'm sure what we learned wasn't the truth."

I was fairly sure it wasn't. "Come for lunch tomorrow and any of this we can be welcome as well. I'll invite your uncles and we can catch up. Nothing more. The business we can leave for the moment."

"I'll be there. I don't know about the others, but maybe they will later once we've spent some time together."

"I understand. I had to hide too." I stood so he didn't feel any more pressure. "I'm glad you've been safe, Dion. Truly."

That seemed to make him settle a bit, and I left after he gave me his cell number so I could reach him directly.

I texted both of my brothers that there had been a development and I needed to speak to them. Sighing as I looked around my house and what I'd done to it, I realized I needed to ask their help for this as well.

Because I had filled my whole damn house.

Well, at least twenty thousand of the twenty-five thousand square feet.

Hades arrived first with too much worry in his eyes.

I swore under my breath. "I am fine, Brother. I apologize for worrying you. I—my mind was spinning in shock."

Poseidon came next, and I hurried to repeat my apology, smiling as I felt their love for me.

"First, I need a favor or help, and I hope you will not tease me about this," I said quietly before they turned around and saw the mess.

"Of course, Sister," Poseidon agreed, Hades simply nodding.

I twisted my hands together and stared at them. "This topic is uncomfortable, but apparently, as Jamie is helping me overcome my past and treat me like a woman, there have been a few side effects with my power."

"Your power is doing odd things from being intimate and experiencing bliss?" Poseidon checked.

My head snapped up. "Yes. You know about this?"

Hades cleared his throat and shared a look with Poseidon. "We know. What is—how can we help?"

I sighed in relief even as my cheeks heated. "Turn around to see what's happening. I don't know what to do about it."

They both turned, and Hades simply stared with a cold, distant look… But Poseidon was struggling not to laugh.

"This is a big part of why I suddenly bought a house, but then I woke to find my whole huge mansion filled with my St. Patrick's Day sprinkle blend," I grumbled.

That was it. Poseidon lost it. He laughed so hard he collapsed onto the counter. Seeing him so amused made me chuckle before laughing as well. Even Hades chuckled a bit.

"Oh, Sister, you are truly filled with everything good," Poseidon said as he wiped his eyes. "I was making storms on the oceans or agitating my old sea monsters and you make pretty toppings for cakes."

"It's been a bit all over," I admitted. "That was all the extra fudge for Valentine's Day. The marshmallow treats as well. Last night, Jamie was talking about the sprinkles—I think he was trying to focus me."

"That the boy did," Hades mumbled and moved his hand over his mouth as if trying to hide he was amused.

And failing.

"How can we help you with this?" Poseidon finally asked.

That was a really good question, and I had no answer for it.