Chapter Twenty
ARES
“I can’t believe you bought a condo.” Apollo leans back in the chair on the other side of my desk. His eyes roam around the room. “We can still keep the guest room for you. Or are you planning on being at the main office even less?”
“Most of my time is spent here at the auction house or traveling. While I appreciate you keeping a room for me, it was way past time. I’ll still come to the main office as needed. We have our quarterly meetings with the board, but that’s the extent of it. If something comes up, you know I’ll come though.”
Apollo nods, appearing pleased enough with my answer. “Is that the only thing keeping you busy? Moving?”
I cross my arms. “What do you mean?”
“It’s been two weeks since we were all at the beach house. I haven’t talked to you since the day after you got back from London. That was only a work email. We normally chat every few days. I know we’re not kids anymore, but I appreciate when my younger brother checks in every few days.”
My thoughts go to Kyra. She’s why. Not that I can tell my brother, not yet. I have to figure out exactly how to go about telling my brother and the parents. First, I need to finish convincing Kyra we’re official and long term.
I noticed when she left my place the other day. She’s trying to pull back and be distant. I fucking hate it.
“Maybe you need a vacation too. I heard you gave Jules an extra two weeks of vacation time to use immediately. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just the slow season. She works hard and I’ve just been busy getting my place setup.”
“It is the slow season for you. Maybe you should take a vacation too. Why don’t you take the next week and a half away from here. All of this can be waiting for you when you get back.”
I laugh. “Is this coming from my brother or the CEO?”
His eyes light up before a chuckle comes out of him. “Maybe both.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Apollo nods, seeming to be fine with the answer. For now.
The door bursts open. “Hey, we need to ta—” Kyra walks inside my office and freezes. Her eyes widen for a moment before she shakes it off and smiles. “Apollo. Hey.”
“Kyra! What are you doing here?” Apollo stands up to greet her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here.” He glances back at me.
“Yeah. She’s been helping out since Jules is gone.”
Apollo laughs. “Has it been that busy?”
Kyra clears her throat. “Cataloguing is easy. Plus, being surrounded by all this history has inspired me. I’ve been working on this major paper for ancient history.”
It’s a lie. She already finished that paper a week ago, not that I’m going to say anything.
“Of course.” Apollo shakes his head as if he forgot. “I know what you’re studying. History is what Ares went to school for too. It just never clicked how it was all the same. Of course, this place would be helpful for you. I’m glad the opportunity came up.”
There’s a brief moment of silence before I speak up. “Yeah. I never realized she enjoy history until we got to talking over her spring break.”
“I’m glad you guys are getting along, our parents will be happy that we’re all getting closer.”
Kyra looks at me. He has no idea how close.
“This is actually perfect, since I have you both here. Their five-year anniversary is coming up next weekend. I was thinking we could celebrate at the club. It falls over Easter weekend again. Kyra, you have extra days off school. And I was just telling Ares here how he needs to take a vacation.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Kyra starts.
“We’ll be there.” I can feel the daggers she’s shooting toward me, but my gaze stays on my brother.
Apollo glances between the two of us before shaking the tension with a laugh. “Alright. I’ll let Daphne know so we can get the ball rolling.” He pulls his phone out and quickly sends a message. “I’ve got that meeting.” He looks back at me. “So, I will see you both next weekend.”
After a moment of hugs and goodbyes, it’s just Kyra and me. She fidgets with her necklace before walking over and giving me a little shove.
“He knows something is up.”
I grab her arm and pull her close. “You look gorgeous. Ready for dinner?”
“Ares, I’m serious.”
“So am I. I’m hungry.” My gaze roams down her body and back up to her face. “Let me take you out for dinner and then we’ll go back to my place for the night.”
“I can’t stay the night.” She takes a step back before glancing back at the door. “I came to tell you we need to talk about us.”
“My favorite subject.” I grab her by the elbow and start to lead her out of my office. “We can discuss our future over dinner before going back home, then I can enjoy you for dessert.”
“Ares.” She pulls back. “We can’t.”
I grab her and haul her close. “Yes, we can. I told you the other night if you didn’t want anything to happen, to leave. I fucking warned you what would happen if you didn’t leave. You chose to stay, remember?”
She sighs. “Ares.”
Her eyes plead with mine, but I’m not giving her up. I never will. Even if I have to spend every day for the rest of our lives proving it. There isn’t a single doubt in my mind. Not that I’ve had her, I can’t exist in a world where she’s not mine.
* * *
The rain comes down heavy outside. I’m not sure if it is the storm that wakes me, or her.
I turn to my side and watch her in the dim lighting. The sheet has slipped down her body, pooling around her waist. Her soft curves and bare skin are out on display. She looks at peace, completely relaxed. As if she knows, in her sleep, she is safe here and belongs to me. Mine.
I breathe in the sweet smell that is utterly her and the hunger starts again. I feel it in my cock that throbs against her thigh. I’m fucking starving for her. I don’t want to wake her though, not when she looks like my own sleeping beauty.
Fuck.
The thought occurs to me, and I can’t help how obsessed with the idea I become. I’ve never been into having sex with someone who is asleep, but the idea of it makes me harder. I want to use her and fill her up while she’s asleep. Then cherish her and bring her to orgasm when she’s awake.
I slide my hand up her thigh, slowly so I don’t wake her. For now. She may not be awake to give me permission in this moment, but I’d warned her before, I would not give her up. My fingers brush between her legs to find her warm and slick. I swallow a groan. She shifts beneath me, a sleepy sigh escaping. I freeze, waiting to see if she wakes up. But she doesn’t. She nestles even closer, searching for me in her sleep.
I slide her leg to give myself more room, line myself up, and slowly sink into her. She whimpers in her sleep. It’s so soft, I barely hear it. Her breathing remains even. I stay still for a moment longer.
My thrusts are slow and even. Kyra stirs. I can feel her clench my cock. Her breathing becomes uneven, and I know she’s waking up.
It doesn’t matter.
She can fight it all she wants, but I know the truth.
I’d let the world fucking burn before I let her go.