Chapter 9

Chapter

Nine

EROS

The past few days, Heph has been driving that little Athena mad. He has made every single step she has taken towards this party, and even literal steps, an absolute nightmare. It would be funny if I wasn’t just a little afraid of him now. The man truly is relentless, but I also see something else in his eyes. Lust. There’s no denying that fact.

But despite all of Heph’s best efforts, and they are impressive, it’s time for the party. Which means it’s my turn. I can’t help the smile that’s been on my lips all day. The party is a masquerade, which makes my job that much easier. The false anonymity gives the party a titillating feel. The liquor is flowing, and my job is going to be a piece of cake.

Our plan is simple. Perseus and Paris made sure every single tabloid will be in attendance, and I am going to lure the fair maiden away from the party. Then with my charm and wit, I will seduce her and get her into a particularly scandalizing position just in time for the doors to open and each tabloid to get the perfect money shot, as it were.

The only question now is what kind of position will I put her in? I can’t just bend her over the desk. That won’t be salacious enough. Getting those perfectly juicy lips around my cock, is on my to-do list, but that is still too tame. The tabloids would make more money selling those pictures back to her than publishing them. It has to be something really dirty.

I considered having them walk in on my going down on her, but honestly, that would probably just make her a hero to unsatisfied women everywhere.

Though it would do wonders for my reputation.

No… It must be something kinky.

Naked and tied in Shibari knots would be fun, but I don’t have that much time. If there was a chance in hell I could get Perseus’s help and tag team her, that would work, but it will never happen. They hate each other too much.

Then it hits me as I’m tying the bow tie on my tux and adjusting my mask. It’s all about perception. Maybe I could convince her to test out a new toy for me. A remote-control vibrator. Then I could use it to turn her on, play with her, make her delirious, and just as she is about to come, I will make a hasty exit just as the photographers come in. It will look like she is masturbating at the first party in her deceased mother’s house. It will show everyone how little Athena cared for the mother who suddenly died and left her almost everything. Who masturbates at a party you are hosting, anyway? It’s devious, and I am so proud of myself for coming up with it.

With the toy in my pocket, a new one that I have been looking for the right time to use, I head downstairs to a party that’s in full swing. I have to admit, the place looks good, and the crowd seems to be having fun. I snag two flutes of champagne from a server so Athena and I can toast her success. I look around, but I don’t see her.

I know she came down. She greeted her guests. She has to be here somewhere. I search the ballroom and the patio, even the kitchen. She is nowhere to be found.

In a last-ditch effort before calling for backup, I look for her in the library. She is there with a book on the desk I plan on spreading her out on for all to see. I send the text to Paris letting them all know where I am, and to give me thirty minutes.

“Hiding from your guests?” I ask, sliding up to her.

“What do you want?” She doesn’t even look up.

“I wanted to congratulate you on a grand party, but you don’t seem to be enjoying the fruits of your labor.”

“Well, your little buddies made throwing it such a pain in the ass that it’s ruined the entire thing for me.”

“Yeah, Heph is a little protective of Perseus, and I think Perseus is just grieving Freya and hurt by her betrayal.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” she argues, looking up from the old book .

“Doesn’t it, though?” I ask. “He thought he knew Freya, and he trusted her, but then he finds out that not only does she have other children he didn’t know about, but that she gave the bulk of her assets to her only daughter. This mansion isn’t just a house to him. It’s his home. The only home he’s ever had and known. Until you live one day homeless on the streets, you can’t understand the importance of that.”

She looks up at me, the cutest little crease between her eyes. “I’m not kicking him out.”

I set the champagne flutes on the desk. “But you’re planning to, baby girl. Don’t try lying to me.”

“I’m not your baby girl,” she says immediately, but there is no fire behind it.

Deciding we need something stronger than champagne, I cross over to the good stuff. I pour us each a glass of bourbon from the crystal decanter on the side table and hand her a glass.

“Look,” she says, taking the glass. “I know this is a lot for him, and all of you, I guess, but that isn’t my fault. I didn’t write the will. I didn’t do this. She did. Maybe he should sort out his mommy issues then start acting like a grown-ass man.”

I can’t help the laugh that comes from my lips. She surprises me at every turn, and I like it. She’s full of fire, and it’s a damn turn-on, but I have to remember that I’m here for a reason, and I am working on a clock.

“You’re not wrong but give the man a break. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and then to have the most devastatingly beautiful ball-buster kick in his door. Baby, you got the poor guy on the ropes.”

I toss back the bourbon and she does the same, then as I put down my glass, I see what she is looking at. It’s a diary, and I recognize Freya’s handwriting.

“I didn’t realize Freya kept a diary.”

“It appears so. Apparently, there’s a lot about this woman we don’t know.”

I stand behind her, placing my hands on the desk on either side of her so I am caging her in while looking over her shoulder.

“Anything good in there?” I lean down so I know my breath is caressing her skin. I press myself up against her, and her breath catches.

“I don’t know,” she says.

“Not going to read it?” I ask.

“Maybe I plan to give her her privacy. ”

“Speaking of privacy,” I say, my lips right next to her ear. “I’ve been wanting to get you alone since the minute you walked into this house.”

My dick is hard and pressing against her. There’s no way she doesn’t know what my intentions are.

“I’m a virgin.” The words come from her lips so causally, but they take me off guard. I see a hint of smile on her face. She knows what she just did. It’s her weapon.

“What? How? Why did you just blurt that out?” I can’t rebound. Not only am I shocked by her announcement, but I’m also surprised she’s being so open and honest about it. At her age… is virginity even a possibility?

She turns her head to look up at me, meeting my eyes. “I am a virgin by choice, because it gives me power. It’s part of who I am. I make the choices with my body, and I decide if someone is good enough to please me. So far, no one has measured up.” She shrugs. “I have no shame in admitting that fact.”

Rebound. I need to rebound quickly.

“How do you know if you won’t give them a chance?” I ask before I gently kiss her neck. Her head tilts to give me more access, so I place a few more kisses as she thinks about her answer.

“Because every single man I have ever met is egotistical and self-serving. They see women as objects to use. And if the woman gets off in the process, great, but if not, they don’t really care. I have no desire to just be a vessel so some asshole can shoot his cum in me and then walk away.”

“Seems to me then you need more than one lover,” I say, kissing my way up to her ear. Her pulse is fluttering against my lips.

She smiles. “Possibly. But until I can find my own personal harem of men willing to work together to please me, then I guess I am just left with my imagination and my fingers… and maybe a few toys.”

My cock is rock hard, pressing against her ass that is so beautifully shown off in the tight, floor-length gown.

“Tell me more,” I growl, moving my hands to her hips and pulling her body into mine.

“Tell you more about what? How I like to tease myself at night. How I edge myself over and over, spending hours exploring my body?”

“Yes,” I say, as one of my hands moves up her dress to just under her breast. “Tell me what you think about when you come all over your fingers.” I lift her right hand and bring it to my lips, kissing the offending fingers.

“No.” She pulls her hand out of mine but doesn’t step away from me. “I want you to tell me what you think of at night when you’re alone.”

“I’m rarely alone,” I say.

“Bullshit, you’ve slept here every night since I got here, and you haven’t had anyone over.”

“Are you checking up on me, baby girl?” I can’t believe a woman so inexperienced can radiate such sexual prowess. I need my dick inside her now.

“I like to know who is in my home. Now tell me.”

“Lately, I’ve been thinking about how fucking sweet your pussy would taste when I have you tied to my bed.”

Her laugh is a deep, sexy sound that makes my cock ache.

“Well, that would never happen.” She presses her ass against my cock. “If I was going to let you taste me, then you would be the one tied to my bed while I rode that pretty face.”

“I might let you ride my face,” I say, “but only if you put that sexy mouth to work on my cock.”

“Maybe.” She smiles at me. “If you were a good boy.”

I place my hand into my pocket, fingering the vibrating balls I brought for her. I’m pretty sure I can get her to wear them for me simply by daring her. The chemistry in the air is thick, and I know I can use it to my advantage. But I suddenly don’t like the idea of other people getting to see her come. At least not yet.

No, I am going to earn each orgasm I coax from her, and there will be many. I am the only one who gets to see her come apart. Only me. At least to begin with…

She looks down at the diary again, her deep neckline giving me a perfect view of her large perky tits that I just know will be sensitive and a dream to slide my cock in between.

“Why don’t we go up to my room right now, and I will show you exactly how good I can be?” I say as I look directly into her beautiful blue eyes when she twists her head to look at me again. “Let me give you a taste of what it will be like when you find your harem of men.”

“And why would I do that?” She picks up the glass of bourbon and takes a sip while arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me.

“Because you want to, and I promise my mouth is better than your fingers. I might have a few other things you would like to try as well.”

Before she can reply, the doors open, and several men walk in snapping photos of me and Athena both leaning over the table looking at an old book.

Paris, Heph, and Perseus are there, giving me bewildered looks.

“Can we help you, gentlemen?” Athena’s voice is cool, the heat and passion coloring it a moment ago gone.

“Well, I guess we will have to finish our conversation later,” I say, as she turns her head to meet my gaze. “Let’s pick up our discussion later tonight, after the party.”

“Maybe,” she says as she strolls out of the room and back to her guests. I don’t even try to hide how I am watching her ass sway.

The photographers all follow her out, leaving me with my pissed-off friends.

“What the fuck?” Heph shoves me back into the desk.

“What?” I ask. “We had an enlightening conversation. Sorry, boys, I think my powers of seduction aren’t going to be as useful as we thought.” I push past Heph, who is glowering at me. “Maybe try annoying her some more?” I add as I head back to the party.

I mingle for the rest of the night, talking to socialites and millionaires while mostly trying to catch Athena’s eye, but she ignores me. It’s as if our conversation didn’t affect her the way it had me.

She’s cool.

She’s collected.

She’s a goddamn goddess.

The other guys keep looking at me funny. Perseus looks confused. Paris looks worried and, well, Heph looks pissed. But Heph is always pissed. It doesn’t matter. The only thing I am thinking about is getting her alone again.

Athena won this round tonight, but my dick doesn’t care. Right now, I’m prepared to admit defeat. My eyes follow her every move. I’m waiting. Waiting. This party needs to end.