Prologue

Cronos

"I'm done!" I'm seething and vibrating with uncontrolled anger, my twin is refusing to listen to a single fucking thing I am saying! It's getting harder and harder to keep calm and not smash his fucking face in, I've never been good with controlling my temper.

"You can't just turn your fucking back on us, Cronos! This is our life now. We are in this together, I need you?—"

I cut Artemis off before he can continue his fucking pity me spiel. "And what about what I need?" His face drops, I know that was a low blow but for years now I have put him, Apollo, Ares and Adonis first. I have never placed my own wants or needs above them but this time, I can't do that. Everything I have done is for them, I need to do this for me. "You are made for this shit, you even suit it. You got a crazy ass fucking girl that will stand by your side through all of this bloodshed. I can't keep reliving my past, Art. I need to get the fuck away and clear my head." He looks at me with sympathy, forcing me to grind my teeth or risk shouting at him again. I don't need his pity, I never asked for it or wanted it. He feels guilty for what happened and he shouldn't. I know he thinks I hate him because he's with London and found his other half but I'm not bitter. I want him to be happy, one of us should be.

"I only wanted to lead so you and the triplets would be safe. I would give it all up for you if that's what you wanted." Some of the anger drains from me as I stare at my mirror image. We are identical twins and to everyone else aside from the triplets and London, we are carbon copies but not to ourselves. Ever since Artemis took over the Godfathers Of The Night he's changed, he's grown into himself and became the man I always knew he could be. I don't envy his position being the top dog, the stress and pressure he is constantly under would get to me.

"I'm not asking you to change or give anything up for me. The triplets have their freedom, thanks to you. You freed all of us from Costa and I will always be grateful to you for that but this…" I take a deep breath and look into his eyes so he can see the truth in my own. "This isn't for me right now."

"What does that mean?" he asks quietly as he rests back in his chair behind his desk.

"It means I need to get away. I need time and space and I just need…" I clamp my mouth closed, unable to finish. I feel like a fool even saying this shit out loud. The door to his office opens and London walks in with a hard look on her beautiful face. She makes her way toward my brother and immediately his whole demeanor changes at just the sight of her. She drops into his lap and he wraps his arms around her waist, securing her to him.

They are a perfect fit.

"You need to get out of this life," she says. I narrow my eyes at her. She smirks and shrugs her shoulders. "You seriously didn't think I wasn't eavesdropping, did you?"

I roll my eyes at my best friend and shake my head. "Why didn't you just come in?" I hedge.

"You said you wanted to talk to Artemis, so I thought I would give you the illusion of privacy until I couldn't be bothered standing out there anymore," she answers without an ounce of remorse in her tone.

"Baby, you can't listen to private meetings," Artemis gently scolds. I blow out a loud exhale, he will never fucking learn!

"The fuck I can't! When these assholes want meetings held in my house, I will be involved in every single fucking one!" Artemis knows he's lost this battle and is smart enough to clamp his mouth closed and place a kiss to her temple that has her softening in his hold. Since London moved to Greece to help Artemis, they've both fallen more in love and it's been a sight to see. Longing hits me square in the chest, I've had that twice and both times it has been ripped away from me.

"I'm leaving tonight," I announce, drawing both their attention back to me.

"Tonight?" Artemis barks.

I open my mouth to answer him but London beats me to it. "Whatever you need, we're here." Her support means a lot to me, she knows why I need to do this and I know she will never betray me by telling my brother my reason for needing to leave this life. "You better call me twice a week and send pictures."

"Lon, I'm turning my location off." She huffs out her annoyance at my answer.

"Fine. Don't tell me where you are but I need two selfies a week and you can't reuse the same picture."

"I won't," I promise.

"Will you come back?" my brother asks.

I sigh and scrub a hand down my face. "One day… maybe."