Chapter 20

Zia walked the streets of Florence and stared in wonder at the beautiful white, green, and red facade of the Santa Maria del Fiore. After a month, it was a novelty to see it every single day as she explored the city she had always wanted to live in.

A part of her knew she should be looking for another job, but for the first time ever, she didn"t feel like working. She had enough money in the bank, and it wasn"t like she had to pay rent.

It was dark when Zia walked up the steps to her apartment on the Via Dei Medici. She marveled that such a magnificent place was hers. It was a beautiful apartment with two floors, stunning views, and elegant antique furniture. There was no minimalist silver and black to be seen. She had spent her time off feathering her nest with pretty things she bought on her walks and going through all the books that Corven had kept there.

It was during her second week in Florence that the large package had been delivered with a note from Corven himself.

Dear Lucrezia,

This was delivered to the Volso building for you, and I thought it would make a lovely addition to your new apartment. Above the fireplace, perhaps.

Kindest affections

Corven Volso.

Zia had opened the layers upon layers of protective wrapping and found the painting of the gothic mansion on the misty moor that she had liked at the auction. It came with a folio of authenticity papers and congratulations for winning the auction. Zia had put it above the fireplace with tears in her eyes.

Corven had nothing to do with the painting. It was Ares. He had won her the painting that she had liked. He had gotten Corven to send it with a note, not himself. Weeks later, it still hurt.

Zia knew she deserved it. She had thought it best to leave Inferno as quickly as possible. It had taken everything she had to be professional at that last meeting. The look on Ares"s face, like he had just had his insides ripped out of him, would haunt her forever.

‘I"m sorry' didn"t seem appropriate or enough at the time. He wouldn"t believe anything she said anyway. Ares would see it as a betrayal, and there was no way she could live with that.

Zia had let her personal feelings and desires get in the way of her job, and now she was paying the price for it. She had wondered more than once if she should go back to Inferno and face him. She didn"t do it. Ares was busy enough. He was freshly turned and anointed Blood Lord. He had what he wanted. She had what she wanted. So why didn"t it feel like winning?

Zia"s phone buzzed on the counter, and she managed to smile when she saw the number. "Hey, Asteria."

"I"m just calling to make sure that you"ve showered today. Gone out? Eaten something?" Asteria fired off.

"Yes, yes, and yes. Why? Do you think I"m incapable of looking after myself now?" Zia asked. She pulled out a bottle of wine from her kitchen cabinet and poured herself a glass.

"I know you"re capable, but I"m worried about you, Zia. You haven"t been the same since that last job," Asteria replied.

"I can say the same for you. You went and got turned when I was on that job. Now you"re like a vampire queen," Zia teased, knowing it would make Asteria cringe in horror.

"Shut up. This isn"t about me and Mercury. Though speaking of, I need you to come home to Inferno next weekend."

Zia screwed up her face. "Why? I like Florence."

"Because I"m meant to be hosting a party with Mercury as my official bride coming out party, and I"m not going to do it without you!" Asteria huffed angrily.

Zia laughed. "You"re having a coming out ceremony? That"s too fucking funny. Why are you nervous?"

"Because I was a servant, and Mercury made me his bride. He doesn"t care what anyone thinks about it, but you know how bitchy and elitist the vampires can be," Asteria replied. "I need you there as backup in case someone tries to kill me."

"Okay, okay, I"ll come, but I"m not staying," Zia gave in. She could never say no to Asteria. She took a deep breath. "Is he going to be there?"

"If by "he" you mean Ares Volso, then yes. You know, you never told me what happened there," Asteria said, her tone softening.

"Sorry, babes, it"s all in a non-disclosure agreement. I just needed to know he was coming so I could avoid him. Pretty sure if he sees me again, he"s going to try ripping my head off," Zia said and had a big mouthful of wine.

"And piss me and Mercury off? Not likely," Asteria replied. "He seems really?—"

There was a knock at Zia"s front door. "Sorry! I have to go. Send me details of the party, okay?"

"Zia, you better not be avoiding Inferno because of some guy," Asteria said, but Zia quickly hung up before she could hear any more. It wasn"t like she didn"t want to tell her best friend about Ares. It was that she couldn"t find the right words. She didn"t know where to even start. The knock got louder.

"I"m coming! Keep your shirt on!" Zia shouted and hurried to the door. She yanked it open and leaped backward in fright. Ares Volso was leaning against the brick wall in one of his impeccable black suits. Zia closed her eyes and then opened them again. He was still there. Shit.

Ares's green eyes were brighter now that he was a full vampire, but that was the only change that Zia could see. She didn"t know what to say, so she said nothing. Her heart was in her mouth, and she didn"t know what would spew out of her if she opened it.

"Tell me what happened between us wasn"t an angle you were playing," he demanded.

Zia tried not to let his voice work black magic on her. She had to be strong. She looked him in the eyes and tried to be brave. "No, it wasn"t an angle. Hooking up with you was the furthest thing from my mind when I took the job. What happened was just…us."

Ares nodded and straightened. "Invite me in, Lucrezia."

"So you can kill me? Yeah, no thanks," Zia said and crossed her arms. She wished she was better prepared for this meeting. At Asteria"s party, she would have been dressed to kill and would"ve felt like she had armor. Not that had ever worked with Ares. There was no armor Zia possessed that he hadn"t gotten through. Even after a month, seeing him made longing try and claw its way through her chest. She was such a damn fool to have ever kissed him back.

"I"m not here to kill you, Lucrezia. I would never cross your father in such a way," Ares said, and she felt an invisible stab in her ribs. So he knew about Claudius. Fucking great.

"If you"re not here to kill me, what do you want?" she demanded.

Ares"s pulled a thick envelope from his pocket. "I have a new offer for you, and it"s not something that can be discussed in a hallway."

"Oh." It was about another job. Gods, she was an idiot. "Please come in."

Ares stepped inside the apartment, and she tried not to breathe in his scent of rosewood and bergamot. Fuck. This was a bad idea.

"You know, I always liked this apartment," Ares commented, looking about. His eyes caught on the painting hanging above the fire, and the smallest smile darted across his lips before it was gone again.

"I"m not going to sell it back to you if that"s what you"re here for," Zia said and crossed her arms.

Ares shook his head and offered her the envelope. "I"m not here for the apartment."

"Good because I just got it the way I wanted," she replied and opened up the envelope. She unfolded the piece of paper inside, and her heart stopped as she read the three words written on it.

Become my bride.

Zia frowned at the paper and then at him. "What the fuck is this?"

"This is me making you an offer for a new position within the Volso family," Ares replied. He reached out and ran his fingers through her ponytail. "I miss everything about you, including this ridiculous ponytail. You"re the only one who has ever made me feel a damn thing, and I can"t handle not having you around to argue with me."

"I… I don"t understand. I thought you would be angry with me," Zia stammered.

Ares"s lips twitched. "Oh, I"m fucking livid with you. I have been since you walked out without saying a word to me. It doesn"t change how I feel. I"ve only ever wanted to be patriarch, and now I have it and everything is like it"s in black and white because you aren"t with me."

Zia still had no self-preservation. "Miss me bad, huh? Need someone to call you out on your shit and mess up your orderly life?"

"Yes. To all those things," Ares said, taking a step closer to her. "I love you. I want you around to annoy me as much as possible. Tell me you don"t love me back, and I"ll leave and never bother you again."

Truth. Zia swallowed the lump in her throat. "Don"t leave me. Don"t ever leave me again."

"I never did to begin with," Ares said, his fingers tangling in her hair. "And I never will."

Truth.

Zia looked up at his beautiful, stern face that only ever softened for her. "I love you, but I"m not sure about becoming a vampire for you straight away. What if, after a month, you regret doing it? I mean, I can be very irritating."

"I"m aware. I"m still sorting out what you did to my filing cabinet," Ares said, his smile starting. "You can go through the change and become my bride whenever you are ready to. I don"t care how long you make me wait. Just be with me."

Zia"s self-control snapped, and she launched herself at him. Ares caught her up in his arms, and she placed her hands on his face. "I love you. I"m so sorry I hurt you."

Ares"s smile turned wicked. "Oh, you"re going to be sorry all right."

"I changed my mind. I regret nothing," Zia said, but Ares was kissing her before she could sass him any further. She broke the kiss long enough to pull off her shirt and throw it over her shoulder. Ares dropped her on the soft velvet lounge and pulled off her leggings and panties in one go. He nipped and kissed his way over her neck, his hands cupping her pussy.

"Ah, someone missed me," he teased and slid a finger into her. Zia gasped at the invasion before pulling at his clothes.

"Naked. I need you naked," she managed to get out. He circled his thumb over her clit.

"And what makes you think you"re in any position to make demands, Lucrezia?" Ares asked and slid another finger into her.

"Holy gods. Pretty please, get naked and put your dick in me, or I"m never going to become your bride," she replied.

Ares kissed her hard, robbing her of breath and thoughts. "Yes, you will." She hated he was right.

Zia bit his lip. "You"re the worst."

"Yes, I am, and you"re still going to be mine. I won"t stop until you are," he growled. He stripped off his shirt and pants, and she sighed at the sight of all of his lean muscles and tattoos.

"You fight dirty," Zia said because her brain was already too lust-drunk, and he had barely touched her.

"I do," he replied, spreading her legs wide and rubbing the head of his dick over her wet entrance. "There isn"t anything I won"t do to keep you." Ares thrust into her, and Zia gripped the couch as she fought the pleasure already starting to ride her. He always knew exactly what to say and do to ruin her.

Zia pulled him down on top of her. "Kiss me and then fuck me like you hate me."

"No. I"m going to fuck you like I love you." Ares thrust harder into her. He buried his hand in her hair and gave it a tight pull that she loved. "But don"t think for a second you"re off the hook for leaving the way you did."

Zia met him thrust for thrust, needing him with every part of her. She kissed him until she was dizzy with his taste, his heat, his body that knew exactly what to do to make her lose her fucking mind. "I want you to bite me. Please, Ares, bite me."

Ares chuckled. "You always become so polite when I"m inside of you, Zia." And then he sank his fangs into her neck.

Pain and pleasure blurred. Her nails scratched up his back as her whole body shook. She bit into his chest, making him moan against her skin. His blood tasted the same, like everything she had ever wanted. Zia"s body broke, and waves of pleasure washed over her.

"I missed you," she said, bringing his mouth back to hers. "I missed you so fucking much. I love everything about you."

Ares swept her sweaty hair back from her face. "I"m sensing a "but"."

Zia laughed softly. "But you"re still not getting this apartment back."

"That"s okay, love." Ares"s smile was brighter than she had ever seen it. He kissed her and placed his hand over her thrumming heart. "I have everything I want right here."