Chapter 22

Chapter

Twenty-Two

ATHENA

“I’m tired of hiding in my own home. We need that bitch out now!” Perseus’s words keep ringing in my ears.

I went down to ask Perseus and Heph if they wanted to order Indian food, my treat. I was planning on making a peace offering after I heard from the mechanic saying he couldn’t find any evidence of foul play, but then I heard Perseus and Heph talking, and I slipped away. I don’t know what they are planning, and I don’t really want to know.

Which is crazy. The old me—the woman who entered this house a couple of months ago—would be taking notes and preparing to go to battle. But now… I don’t know what’s happening.

I’m tired.

Maybe I’m growing soft.

Maybe I’ve lost my edge.

Maybe I’m simply done fighting.

Is all of this worth it? I have grown accustomed to this house, but it’s not my penthouse apartment big enough for just me. The money really isn’t that important.

The only thing I wanted when this all started was to get to know the woman my mother was. I think that through her diary I got that. I learned so much about the woman she was and the sacrifices she made. I learned how she loved me unconditionally and did what she felt would give me the best life.

Maybe I should just leave. I can pack up all her diaries, take a few dresses from her closet and the jewelry as my inheritance, and just move back home. It will void out the will. Perseus will get everything, and I won’t have to wonder if Eros and Paris want me or want to destroy me. I’ll find out one way or the other within days.

Giving up isn’t in my nature, but neither is pouring time and effort into losing projects.

I’m considering what else I want to take with me when my phone rings. It’s the P.I.

“This is Athena,” I answer the phone.

“Ms. Godwin, I have been digging more into your mother’s death as you asked, and I have something. I found these letters in a safety deposit box. I think your mother was killed, but not by your father. I’m not sure which, but I believe one of the men you’re living with may have been the perpetrator. I need to do more digging, but I had to let you know. You may not be safe there. You may want to stay somewhere more secure.”

I take a moment to digest his bomb of intel. One of the boys, my mother’s boys, could be the snake that killed her.

“What makes you think that?” I ask. “From what I’ve seen, these men loved her.”

“The letters I found are threatening her, demanding money. Few people knew she was alive, and your father paid her a handsome monthly stipend. Why would he need money? He would just stop the payments.”

“I want to see pictures of the letters.”

“I already sent them to you,” he says, “but you’ll see that whoever sent them, knew her closely. And since she lived the second part of her life as a hermit with those men in the house as her only associates. She remained hidden, as per your father’s wishes.”

I release a heavy sigh. “Okay, keep me posted on what else you find.”

“Ms. Godwin… I really think you should consider leaving the mansion.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” I hang up the phone and look at the pictures the P.I. sent me.

They’re everything he said… and more.

Threats on her life. Fucked up threats about exposing her as a fraud.

Who the fuck would threaten her? Is it truly possible that one of her boys is responsible ?

Perseus. Eros. Paris. Heph.

I didn’t have any of them pegged as a killer. Yet…

It can’t be all of them. No way could it have been a group effort. That much I know . But then at the same time, do I know anything anymore? Have I allowed each of those men to get in my head? Was that their plan all along?

Have I misjudged each one of them?

My father always taught me to listen to my intuition. It’s the most powerful tool I have. Instinct is a tool that the mighty can use to get ahead in business and in life. My instinct has always been good. Laser sharp, in fact. I just need to listen to it.

I close my eyes and focus. Who can I trust? Who out of those boys do I know without a doubt had nothing to do with Freya’s death?

One name is clear…

Eros.

He didn’t say he was on my side, or that I can trust him, but he has proven he is at least not a complete ass. And my instinct knows that he’s not a killer.

I send him a text.

Me: I need you.

Eros: for…

Me: please.

Not even a full minute passes before a knock sounds at my door. I open it to him standing in the doorway, his arms braced on the doorway.

“You called, baby girl?”

I step back, letting him into the room.

“So, is this a social visit or a booty call? Planning on leaving me with the world’s worst blue balls again? Or is it my turn to leave you wanting again?” I know his words are meant as a tease, but I can’t help the tears that spring to my eyes.

He turns to see the tracks rolling down my cheeks, and his entire demeanor changes. He isn’t the cocky asshole anymore. His natural arrogance turns to concern as he pulls me into his arms and holds me.

“What happened, sweetheart?”

I can’t talk about it. Not yet. I need to feel something other than overwhelming grief, so I lean up and place a questioning kiss on his lips. Eros returns this kiss. I pull him over to the bed and yank him down on top of me.

“Are you sure?” he asks .

I don’t want to answer that. I don’t want to make a decision about anything right now.

“Make me feel good,” I say before kissing him again.

He takes over the kiss, running his hands down my side while lying over me.

“How good, sweetheart?”

“Eros, please,” I whine.

He stops for a moment, and stares into my eyes, clearly looking for the game or the angle I have. But instead, I think he can see how I am begging to turn my brain off and feel.

Eros begins to run his hands down my body, tracing every inch of skin with his fingertips. I shiver with anticipation, feeling my body come alive under his touch. He slips his hands beneath my shirt, his palms warm against my skin. His touch is fire, igniting a passion within.

He kisses me deeply, exploring my mouth with his tongue, and I moan softly. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him close, needing to feel his body against mine.

He breaks the connection and starts kissing his way down my neck, his lips leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I arch my back, offering him more access, and he takes advantage, nipping and sucking at my skin.

He slips his hand beneath my waistband, and I gasp as his fingers brush against my most sensitive spot. My body reacts instinctively, and I buck my hips against him.

He chuckles softly, knowing exactly what he’s doing to me. He continues to tease me, his fingers tracing maddening circles around my clit. I’m so close to the edge.

He stops suddenly, and I groan in frustration.

“Not yet, baby girl” he says, a wicked grin on his face. “I want to make you feel so good that you forget everything else.”

I nod, unable to speak, and he resumes his ministrations. He brings me to the brink of orgasm again and again, each time pulling back just before I can tip over the edge.

Eros smiles and begins to slowly undress me. Every touch of his fingers sends shivers down my spine, erasing all thoughts of the pain I was feeling moments before. He continues to kiss me, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth as he skillfully removes my clothes. I become more and more aroused with every passing second, the heat between my legs almost unbearable.

Eros slides off my panties and moves his mouth to my core, expertly flicking his tongue over my clit. I grip the sheets, lost in the pleasure he’s giving me.

But I want more. So much more.

As he reaches for the hem of his own shirt, I stop him.

“Let me,” I say, sitting up and pushing him onto his back.

I take my time, savoring every moment as I undress him, tracing every line of his defined muscles with my fingers. Once he’s naked, I straddle him, feeling his hard length pressing against me.

I nudge myself against him, teasing him, allowing him to feel my wetness against the tip of his cock. His eyes darken, and I have my answer to the question I’m about to ask.

“You want this, don’t you?” I whisper as I let myself sink onto him. I feel myself stretch to accommodate him, and I groan softly.

“Oh yeah,” he answers, grabbing my hips and pulling me down all the way.

I begin to rock my hips, taking him in and out, in a slow and steady rhythm. He lets me set the pace, and I’m grateful for that. I want to feel every inch of him, to feel him fill me completely.

The piercing on his cock is everything I’ve heard rumors it can be.

My body is overwhelmed with sensation as I ride him, the vibrations of the piercing sending tingles throughout my body.

He leans forward to suck on my nipples, pinching them gently with his fingers, playing with them while I bob.

I lean back, resting on my hands, and watch Eros’s face as he watches me.

His eyes are locked on mine, and I can see the same pleasure that I’m feeling reflected back at me. Heat suffuses my body, and I’m approaching the edge once more.

Eros’s hips thrust forward in time with my movements. I look down to see his hand gripping my hip, nails digging into my skin.

“Do it, baby girl,” he says. “Give it to me.” His cock is twitching as he approaches his own orgasm, but he’s holding on. It’s clear he wants me to come first.

He moves his hands to my ass, and he begins to thrust in time with my movements. We move together, finding our rhythm, the pleasure building between us.

“Eros,” I moan, the sensations coursing through my body too much to take.

“Come for me, baby,” he demands .

He thrusts again, and so do I. I let go, my entire world narrowing to a single point of pleasure.

And then I’m falling.

I come back to myself slowly, Eros’s strong arms holding me as I lie across his chest.

My entire body is covered in goose bumps, and my breathing is ragged. He kisses my forehead gently, running his fingers through my hair.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“That,” I say, “was...incredible.”

“Good,” he replies, “because I’m just getting started.”

He sits up, pulling me with him. I straddle his lap, feeling his softening cock still inside me.

“Ride me, baby,” Eros says, and I do.

I begin to move my hips, grinding against him, every nerve in my body still alive with pleasure. He hardens inside of me, and I ride him harder, giving him everything I have.

Hands on my ass, he helps me find the perfect angle, then begins to thrust in time with my movements.

He’s hitting the spot inside me that makes the pleasurable vibrations return, and I gasp as the sensation washes over me.

“That’s it,” Eros says, his voice hoarse with desire. “Let go, baby girl. Just like that.”

I move harder, grinding against him, reveling in the way he grips my body, in the sounds he’s making.

“You feel so good,” he groans. “So fucking good.”

He thrusts inside me, and I rock my hips down to meet him, needing every inch of him. “Fuck, that’s it,” he whispers, his hands on my hips, guiding me.

“Harder, Eros, please,” I plead. He gives me what I want, and we fuck each other hard and fast, the intensity of what we feel exuding between us.

The harder I grip him, the harder he thrusts back. He begins to quiver, and I know he’s getting close.

“Come for me again, baby girl.” His voice is low and seductive. “I want to feel you coat my dick with your cream.” His words are my undoing, and my body tighten as I come once more. He groans as he releases, his body shuddering against me.

He stays inside me as I collapse against his chest, both of us breathing hard. We lie there, wrapped in each other’s arms, not talking, just savoring the moment.

His lips are at my neck, and I shiver. “Perfect. Just perfect.”

He wraps the blankets around us, his arms tight around me. I feel safe and protected, like nothing could ever hurt me again.

“Are you ready to tell me what’s wrong, Athena?”

I shake my head, but he grabs my chin and looks into my eyes.

“Baby, what just happened between you and me changes everything. You are mine now. Something primal, animalistic and raw surged through me. I have one goal from now on. You. I will keep you safe. I will take care of you. But to do that, I need to know who I need to make suffer.”

In a moment of weakness I crack, the tears flow. I tell him how I don’t give a fuck about the money anymore. I wasn’t even planning on keeping it. I had planned to use it to honor my mother’s memory. After reading her diary, I thought it was loneliness and neglect that killed her, but now there is evidence saying she could have been killed. I’m pacing the room like a caged tiger, blurting out everything, rarely taking the time to take a breath.

“Your father?” Eros asks, his voice shaking. I look into his eyes, and I can see his heart is breaking, too. He loved my mother.

“No, my P.I. thinks it was one of you.”

“He’s wrong.” Eros pulls my head back down to his chest, sweeps me off my feet, and sits on the bed with me curled on his chest. “We would never hurt her.”

“She got these letters threatening her, demanding money,” I explain. “My father doesn’t need money from her. He was the only one from her past that knew she was still alive.”

“You don’t know that. Maybe he made a bad investment, or there was a revenge plot for everything the Godwin family has done to their enemies,” he tries to explain.

I shake my head. “No. Absolutely no one knew she was alive. Everyone, including her children, thought she jumped off a cliff and died. Yes, many questioned if she really jumped or if, in fact, she was pushed off the cliff. But regardless, she was dead,” I explained.

“So, it wasn’t your father.” He sighs. “But that doesn’t mean?—”

“Doesn’t it?” I grab my phone and show him the picture the P.I. sent me of one of the letters. I can see the moment Eros realizes it’s true.

“Fuck.” His eyes are wide, and his face grows pale. “It can’t be. ”

“It is. Who did this?”

He just shakes his head.

“Eros, who took my mother from us?”

“I don’t know,” he says, barely above a whisper. “But we will find out.”

“How?” I ask.

“When do invites for the next event go out?” he asks.

“Tomorrow. Why?”

His face breaks into a smile that would be scary if it wasn’t so fucking hot. “Don’t send them. Only send them to Freya’s boys. We are going to catch ourselves a rat.”