Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

ANI

The fear I am feeling is like a punch to the gut.

Hands around my neck squeezing.

Chains around my body with no escape possible.

A gag between my dry lips so I can’t scream.

This is it. I knew this day would come. Deep down in my moral soul, I knew punishment would be the ultimate ending to this story.

I stare out the window at the cars pulling up. Men in suits and men in uniforms are storming the manor. The full moon hanging over the crashing sea illuminates the army of justice. I fucked up.

I allowed this to happen. I didn’t stop it when I could have.

It doesn’t take long for them to barge their way into my room.

“Ani Parker. We have a warrant to search Olympus Manor.”

I nod with wide eyes. I try to offer a smile, although the effort could very likely crack my face. But if I am nice and cooperative, maybe they will let me go free. Or maybe Apollo hid my misdeeds sufficiently. Maybe he’s smarter than them. A chance exists that whatever desk jockey they assign this case to won’t be able to overpower the mighty Godwins. Maybe I’ll be safe due to association, simply because my sister is married to one of them.

“We would like you to come with us,” a man in a suit says. They all blur together, and I wouldn’t be able to describe any of them tomorrow in a lineup if I have to .

“Am I under arrest?” My voice doesn’t sound like mine. It quivers and is too high-pitched. A stranger is doing the asking.

“That will be up to you, Ms. Parker. We hope you’re willing to be cooperative.”

I nod again, although I know what they want from me.

Rat.

Narc.

Backstabber.

Betrayer.

They want me to go against the Godwins.

Silly people. Don’t they know that no one goes against a Godwin?

I wake up with a jolt, sweat beading on my brow.

A dream. It is just another dream. The same one over and over again. Will I ever sleep without this nightmare haunting me?

I look up at the camera in the corner of the room. He’s not watching me. Thank god, or I’d have to try to explain.

But a part of me wishes he is watching me, too. If he knew I was having a nightmare, would he come and take me in his arms and comfort me, to protect me from the boogie monster beneath my bed?

Footsteps pad outside my door…

The fear of my nightmare returning or realizing I haven’t fully woken from it yet grips me once more as the door creaks open.

It’s Phoenix.

He approaches me with a concerned look in his eyes. The weight of his gaze on me is a physical force, pushing me down into submission. He stands over me, towering above my bed, a god among men. I am nothing but a mere mortal in his presence.

“I heard you screaming.”

“I had a nightmare.”

“You seem to have nightmares a lot.”

I give a weak smile as tears burn the back of my eyes. “As long as my days awake are no longer a nightmare, I’ll consider myself lucky.”

I must stop obsessing over what happened. Over what I can’t change. My guess is Phoenix thinks I’m simply dreaming of Mark hurting me. He has no idea what the guilt of what actually happened is doing to me, a guilt I have to take with me to the grave.

Out of respect for Apollo, I won’t tell a soul. Apollo helped me, and he deserves my secrecy forever. But the only way that is going to happen is for me to accept and release this guilt. I must .

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you again.” Phoenix’s voice softens. “I can protect you. Even if I can’t make your nightmares go away.”

He reaches out his hand, and I take it, grasping it tightly. I know what I’m getting myself into, but I don’t care. I’ll do anything to be free from this fear, this constant sense of impending doom.

“Come upstairs with me. It could help you sleep by not being alone,” he says.

“I don’t want to be a bu?—”

“It’s not a request.” His eyes narrow in on me. “I’m not going to stay up all night and listen to you have one nightmare after another.”

My breath catches, and for a moment I’m frozen. I want to run away, but his dominance silences the flight.

I draw a deep breath, savoring the feeling of warmth and security. I don’t know why I feel so safe with him, but I do. I let out a long sigh of relief.

Just then, a chill runs up my spine, and I know he can sense it. He takes a step forward and looks at me with a concerned expression. “What’s wrong?”

The words freeze in my throat as I try to think of what to say. I don’t want to tell him about my fears, about how I’m scared of being hurt again. It’s too personal, too raw.

But he’s already seen through my defense. His voice is gentle and understanding as he presses further. “I’m not the one you need to be afraid of.”

The sincerity in his voice is comforting, and I begin to relax again.

As he leads me out of the room, I am aware I could be making a deal with the devil. He’s a Godwin. I know what that means. Everyone on the island knows what that means.

Gods or Devils—basically the same thing.

But in this moment, it’s a deal I am willing to make. Because with Phoenix by my side, I am safe. And that’s all that matters. No one can enter the attic without Phoenix knowing. Something tells me even nightmares aren’t allowed.

Phoenix leads me up the narrow staircase toward the manor’s attic. My sense of unease increases as we climb higher and higher. But I trust him. Everything in my gut tells me I do. As we reach the top of the stairs, he pushes open a door, and I’m greeted with a dimly lit room. What catches my attention is the bed is now in the center of the attic. The large four-poster bed with crisp white sheets and fluffy pillows looks like a sanctuary. He’s fixed up the space since the last time I came up here.

“No more nightmares, dove,” Phoenix says, as he guides me toward the bed. “It’s safe here. No one can hurt you.”

A sense of relief washes over me as I sit down on the bed. The sheets are soft and cool against my skin, and I release a sigh of contentment.

“Lie down,” Phoenix says, as he tucks me into the bed. “Close your eyes and rest. I’ll stay awake until you fall asleep.”

I do as he says, my body easing into the mattress. I should be worried about what’s to come, about what he expects from me in return for this help. No one can be this nice out of the kindness of their heart. My life has taught me that much. But in this moment, I don’t care. I feel safe, and that’s all that matters.

But as my mind starts to wander, I remember all the times I’ve been hurt in the past. All the times I’ve been taken advantage of or manipulated. A pang of fear pierces my chest, and I worry that Phoenix is no different, that he, too, is trying to take advantage of me in some way.

My breathing starts to pick up pace, and my heart races as I try to process these thoughts. I want to trust him, to feel safe, but I can’t ignore the doubts that are creeping in. Fear slowly overtakes me as I grapple with this inner conflict.

I lie there in silence, my mind spinning as I struggle to make sense of my conflicting emotions. I want to believe that Phoenix means well, that he truly wants to protect me, but I’m so scared of trusting the wrong person again. Of being hurt over and over.

I draw a deep breath and try to steady myself. I can’t live my life in fear, and if I’m ever going to move on from my past, I need to find a way to open up again. I need to force myself to take a leap of faith and trust Phoenix, believing that he won’t hurt me.

My heart feels like it’s being torn in two. I want to stay and enjoy this brief moment of peace, but at the same time, my mind is screaming at me to get away while I still can. I’m so confused, so scared.

As I drift off to sleep, I can feel Phoenix’s presence in the room. He’s here, watching over me, keeping me safe from the nightmares that haunt me. And for now, that’s enough .

I wake a few times throughout the night and notice Phoenix asleep in the nearby leather chair. He’s facing the bed, still watching over me. Staying near, but not assuming he may come lie in the bed with me.

He’s a gentleman. Not a monster.

And he’s watching.

And I like it.