Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

DAPHNE GODWIN

I wish the red lipstick I wear, and the red nail polish of my manicure were laced with my enemies’ blood. Maybe then I’d have the courage and self-confidence needed to face her. Warriors of tribes used to do that, and they’d come out victorious, but I doubt my outcome will be the same. I don’t know how to intimidate. I don’t know how to scare. I’m not a true Godwin, and it’s clearer to me right now as I breathe deeply to calm my shaking hands.

Blood with menace does not run through my veins.

But it runs through Athena Godwin’s, and as I enter her office at Medusa Enterprises, I’m very aware of that fact.

When my sister-in-law lifts her eyes from her laptop to stare at me, the look on her face is as if she smells shit. But then again, that’s how she always looks at me. She examines me from head to toe, no doubt assessing if my designer clothes are fashionable enough, if the extra pounds I gained in the past months are concealed well enough, and if my appearance is worthy to enter Medusa as a Godwin, even if I only hold the name by marriage.

Athena and I could actually pass as blood sisters since we both have dark hair, even darker eyes, and our features are similar. Godwins have an exotic, mysterious, almost vampiric appearance. Every single one of them has eyes that haunt you, leave you silently begging for mercy as they captivate you as theirs. Their company name—Medusa Enterprises—is fitting since every member of the family can almost turn you into stone, incapable of moving from their clutch until they say you can.

Athena and I are both curvy and muscular. But I go to the gym to fit into the ballgowns and to burn calories I consumed at last night’s party. She works out so she’ll never need a man to kick someone’s ass because she can always do it better. We may look the same, but nothing is similar between us. Athena possesses something I don’t… Command.

I’m diamonds. She’s daggers.

I attend banquets. She pays for them.

I sleep with the wolves. She howls at the moon right before she shreds her prey.

Athena is a goddess nobody wants to fuck with because she has the devil backing her bet.

She swipes at the corner of her mouth as if she just drank blood from someone’s neck. “Last I checked, you weren’t on my calendar for the day. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I know you’re probably busy,” I begin as I take a seat across from her. I’m trying my best to give off the confidence needed for me to be in this room.

Her eyes narrow. “I am.”

Buzzing with regret for even coming, I know I have to continue on. No turning back. “I was hoping I could talk to you about something important.”

“You couldn’t have just texted me?” She looks over my shoulder through the glass windows of her office at her secretary. I didn’t stop to ask permission to enter, and it’s clear by the way Athena glares through the window that her secretary is in deep shit for not playing pit bull.

Knowing I’m running out of time, and Athena’s patience will only last so long, I ask, “Have you spoken to Apollo at all?”

“Of course I speak with my brother. We run Medusa. We can’t exactly do that without speaking.” She releases an audibly loud sigh. “Can we just get to the point, please? I have a board meeting I need to prepare for.”

“Our marriage is…miserable. For the both of us. And I was hoping you could help me. Speak with your father about allowing a divorce.”

She smirks, closes her laptop, and leans back in her leather chair. “And you thought I’d help you, why?”

“If anyone can make Troy Godwin change his mind on anything, it’s you. ”

Her smile remains, but there is a sinister darkness in her eyes. “You knew the rules when you spent an ungodly amount of Godwin money on a wedding dress, dry chicken, flowers, wedding photos with fake smiles, and champagne. Divorce is not an option. A Godwin will be a widow, but never sign divorce papers. You know this.”

I nod. “I do. I did. But…” I take a deep breath. “We’re not even friends anymore. We’re enemies.”

“Enemies can make the best lovers.”

“Surely, you want to see your brother happy. He’s not.”

“Then make him happy.”

“It’s not that simple.”

Athena rubs her temple as if my very presence is giving her a migraine. “It is. Suck his dick, spread your legs, continue going to those charity luncheons you attend, spend his money on expensive clothes and jewelry you’ll only wear once, and shut the fuck up. Pretty damn simple if you ask me.”

When I open my mouth to argue, she cuts me off.

“And before you spout words of love and romance to me,” she begins, rolling her eyes, “know that you’re speaking to the wrong person. I will not approach my father with anything regarding you, because I agree with the family dictate. When you said those vows, you agreed to be a Godwin until you’re in your grave. It’s our rules, and we didn’t exactly hide those terms from you. So stop being a rich, spoiled wife who wants to run away with half of everything like the other rich bitches you lunch with.”

“I don’t want anything. I’ll leave with the clothes on my back if it means?—”

Athena stands, places her hands on her desk calmly, and says, “This conversation is over. Sorry you wasted your time coming downtown to discuss this with me. But if you don’t mind?—”

“Athena, please. Your family doesn’t even like me. You didn’t think I was good enough to marry your brother to begin with.”

“No one is good enough to marry any of my brothers. But regardless, I approved of you because I knew a stray dog would always be loyal. And that’s what you were. A stray dog from the Eastside of Heathens Hollow. So take the bone I’m giving you and leave my office. I won’t tell my father, or your husband, that you came.”

“Why are you such a bi?—”

“Bitch?” she cuts in. “You bet your ass I’m a bitch. It’s far better than being a victim like you. ”

“Fuck you,” I hiss. “I’m not a victim.”

She gives an evil grin. “No? You sure as hell are acting like one sitting across from me, begging. You came from nothing. Less than nothing. You were nothing but an Eastsider living in a shack with your sister and piece of shit abusive father. You were just a poor kid with a constant black eye with fantasies of what you have now. You owe my brother everything you have. So I don’t give a fuck if you’re miserable or not. Maybe Apollo isn’t the best husband. But one thing he has done for you is give you a life others would dream of. So stop being a goddamn baby and suck it up.”

Athena can cut me to the core with her words alone. She has that wicked eloquence over all her opponents. And in her life, every single person she knows is her opponent. Athena doesn’t have friends. Friends make you weak. She has enemies. Just not everyone knows that fact when they meet her. She’s led by fire, and poisonous water courses through her veins, making her one of the most vicious and dangerous women I know. But she’s powerful, and I had desperately hoped she’d use some of her ascendancy to help me.

How wrong I was.

I’m suffocating.

I’m fading.

But Athena will only stand there and watch me fall to my demise and simply consider it a good day’s work.

“Are we done?” she asks. I can see her annoyance that I’m not picking up on the fact that this conversation was over before I even took the seat across from her.

There’s a knock on her office door and her assistant peeks her head in. “Ms. Godwin… I have a call you need to take on hold.”

Athena scowls at the poor woman. “I’m busy. I’ll call them back.”

“He says it’s urgent,” the woman pushes. I feel bad for the secretary because most likely she won’t have a job by the end of the day for not instantly doing as Athena ordered.

“What part of ‘I’m busy’ do you not understand?”

The woman swallows but doesn’t back down. “Ms. Godwin, you are going to want to take his call.”

Athena’s eyes narrow, but she reaches for the phone as the secretary scurries away. “Yes?”

Whoever is on the other line has accomplished the impossible. They’ve chiseled at Athena’s stone exterior. It’s a small chip, but I see it. Her eyelashes flutter, her lip quivers ever so slightly, and her breath hitches.

“Daphne’s with me,” she says, but her voice cracks. She takes a breath and adds, “We’re on our way.”

I tilt my head in question. After the conversation we just had, I have no intention of going anywhere with her.

She hangs up the phone and reaches for her purse. “There’s been an accident. Ares and Apollo were flying to Seattle from Heathens Hollow. The helicopter went down near Whidbey Island.”

I’ve heard the saying my hearts stops but never really knew what that meant until now. “Are they?—”

“We need to get to the hospital.”