Chapter Ten #3
Ares would never usually be so honest with a lover but Cassie knew where they stood. They were both on very different trajectories. This was just a…moment.
He knew he was playing with fire indulging in this rare chemistry with her. She’d been innocent. She’d had a pretty sheltered upbringing. She might be displaying her sense of insecurity, but he had an uneasy suspicion that it wasn’t her he should be worried about protecting, it was himself.
As if hearing his thoughts she stirred and cracked open one eye and smiled. He knew now which smiles were genuine, and which ones were the ones she pulled up out of habit, to project that sunny nature. To defend and protect herself.
In a bid to try and regain a sense of control, Ares came down over Cassie on his two hands and bent his head to hers, hovering over her mouth for a moment, prolonging the delicious feeling of anticipation, and then she wound her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his and Ares fell headlong into the kiss, pushing aside all niggles and reservations and a growing uneasy feeling that he’d lost control a long time ago.
The next day…
‘Go on, hit me, show me your moves.’
Cassie smiled sweetly at Ares as she moved around him on nimble feet. ‘You think I can’t take you?’
Ares let out a huff of laughter. ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’ve learned that you are not to be underestimated.’
Cassie’s smile got sweeter and then she aimed a few jabs at Ares’s midriff area and when he looked down she pushed her palm up to connect with his chin. If any force had been behind it his head would have snapped back.
He looked at her. ‘Not bad.’
Cassie—still moving—gave a modest shrug. They were in the gym of the villa, and Ares had put mats down on the ground. After a leisurely breakfast he’d said, ‘Get your workout gear on—now’s as good a time as any to prove to me you could have taken care of yourself with those guys.
‘OK,’ Ares said now, walking her back towards a corner of the room, ‘say I’ve got you boxed in like those guys had in the bar. What do you do?’
He crowded her, putting his hands up over her head, caging her in. Cassie wanted to scowl. He had an unfair advantage of being far too distracting in a sleeveless T-shirt and shorts. All she could see were muscles.
‘What if I told you I’m a lover, not a fighter?’ she said, hoping to divert him. Not because she couldn’t take him but because she’d prefer to lick his muscles than pummel them.
‘Nope. Not going to work.’
Cassie rolled her eyes and as quick as lightning ducked out under Ares’s arm and was standing behind him tapping him on the shoulder.
He sighed and turned around, and Cassie lifted a knee as if to aim a kick at Ares’s groin area but he caught her leg.
Cassie twisted to dislodge his hold and feinted away.
She went back into the centre of the room and Ares came towards her, not smiling.
It reminded her of how he’d been and how different he was now.
It was enough to distract her so she wasn’t ready when he quickly sidestepped her and caught her in a choke-hold against his chest, a strong arm across her neck.
She wriggled her behind against a strategic part of his anatomy and when he relaxed infinitesimally, she aimed a sharp elbow at his ribs and used his arm as leverage to get free, while hooking her foot behind one of his legs to send him sprawling to the ground.
Instantly she was down beside him, concerned. ‘Ares? Are you OK? To be honest I didn’t even think I’d be able to budge you.’
He looked up at her and then, capitalising on her distraction, executed a move that had her under him in seconds. He commented, ‘You little minx, you knew exactly what you were doing distracting me.’
She grinned, relishing his weight on her. He came down even closer and she wrapped her arms around him.
He said, ‘I don’t need to worry about you, do I?’
Cassie was torn. After years of her feeling like an object to be moved around, Ares was the first person—after her brother—who really looked at her. Saw her. Was it so bad to want to be worried about? Because that meant someone cared.
But she swallowed that down and said, ‘No, I guess you don’t.’
He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his and it was only a discreet coughing that became forceful enough to notice that had reality intruding and Ares lifting his head.
He looked up and Cassie’s face flamed when she followed his gaze and realised it was Declan and he was saying, ‘Sorry to intrude, boss, but your phone kept ringing and apparently it’s urgent.’
Ares levered himself up from Cassie and she put a hand over her face to try and hide. But Declan was gone and Ares was on the phone saying, ‘Caius?’
Immediately Cassie got up in a fluid motion. Ares was looking at her and saying, ‘Yes, she’s here. Hang on.’
He handed her the phone and he was grim. Cassie’s insides turned over. ‘Caius? What’s wrong? Are you OK?’
Her brother’s voice on the other end of the line said, ‘I’m fine, Cass, it’s not me. But I think you need to get back to Sadat. Your absence has been noted and speculation is building as to where you are. Some are even saying you don’t want to be queen.’
Cassie gasped. ‘That’s not true. I’d never let them down.’
‘I know, Cass, but you should probably get back and calm things down.’ After a beat he said, ‘I’m sorry you didn’t have longer.’
Cassie was looking at Ares, who was watching her.
Suddenly it was overwhelming to think that life was rushing back at her.
And that this was it. Emotion rose, swift and sharp.
Tears pricked her eyes, she turned away and terminated the conversation with her brother and gathered herself before facing Ares again.
He spoke before she did. ‘You have to get back to Sadat.’
She nodded and handed back his phone. ‘I should have figured that my absence would cause some confusion.’
Ares came close and touched her jaw. ‘It wasn’t too much to ask to have some time to yourself, Cass. You’ll be able to carve out time again—you’re resourceful.’
She shrugged minutely and struggled to muster up a smile. She felt flat. Cold inside, because it would be time without Ares. ‘I should start packing.’
‘I’ll arrange your transport.’
Cassie felt that like a physical blow. He probably couldn’t wait to be free again. She also suddenly realised there was still so much she didn’t know about him. Abruptly she asked, ‘Where do you even live?’
Ares blinked. ‘You want to know where I live?’
Cassie felt foolish now. ‘I just…realised I didn’t know that about you.’ Maybe she didn’t know because he didn’t want her to know.
But he answered, ‘New York, mainly. But I have this place here, an apartment in Athens and a place in London, too.’
‘Oh.’
‘Cass…?’
She shook her head. ‘Sorry, I just…wasn’t expecting this to end…like this.’