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I wanted to be sick.
I wanted to finish what the other goddesses had started and wring her fucking neck.
“I didn’t tell him my name! I promise. You did. He heard you last night when we—”
“Get up.” Squeezing my fists into boulders, I kicked her away from me. “Stop fucking lying.”
“I’m not lying!” Her eyes blazed with terror, but no tears rained. This was beyond tears. Her treachery would not be forgiven with such pitiful, unbelievable excuses.
I’d gone to her villa this morning to announce I’d done what she’d asked.
That Calico, Neptune, and Jupiter had all been returned to loved ones.
I’d planned on taking her out on the water. Just us. Just us and vast open waters where we could finally drop our protections and be real. To see if what we felt could be long-lasting. To see if I could trust what she offered me.
A chance at happiness.
True happiness.
A date…the first date I would’ve been on because I’d never let anyone get close to me like I’d let Eleanor. I’d gotten my kicks from sex clubs around the world. I’d fucked women who’d remained faceless and distant because I chose that.
I chose not to trade emotions, not to catch feelings that might end up destroying me.
I’d been right to be wary.
I’d been so fucking stupid to think Eleanor goddamn Grace could cure the burnout that’d steadily been creeping over me since I’d killed my parents.
Not trusting anyone was exhausting.
Not dropping my guard was beyond tiresome…it’d become debilitating to the point where I craved the ability to set down my grudges and guards, begged for a woman to love me for me…the dark parts, the dangerous parts, the parts that would go to fucking war in her honour and place my life at her feet.
Eleanor could’ve been that girl.
But she’d proven there was no such girl.
No such angel worthy of a monster…no such goddess faithful to a god.
My anger blended with heartache. I studied her bowing before me, drenched in my shadow, and I felt empty.
Achingly furious and murderously mad, but beneath that heat was the ice-cold dagger of disillusion. Just like my dream girl, Eleanor had turned out to be a fiction of my idiotic hopes.
Bending down, I wedged my knuckles under her chin.
She shivered as I arched her throat up, not caring she winced from her bruises, not stopping even when pain flared in her grey gaze. She’d caused me untold misery, the least she could do was feel a little discomfort. “First, you make me release three perfectly trained goddesses. You cost me a fucking fortune. You use the power you have over me against my business and livelihood.”
She swallowed hard as I cupped her chin, holding her firm with cruel fingers.
“And now, now you want off my island, too?” I bared my teeth. “You tell a guest your name. You inform him of our little arrangement. You sign his death warrant as well as your own.”
“Sully. Please.” She reached up to touch me, but I snarled in warning.
“Touch me and you won’t like the consequences.”
Her hand dropped into her lap. Her eyelashes feathered down, hiding the turmoil in her stare.
“Are you determined to free all my goddesses?” I whispered. “You think you’re saving them from the cruelty I’ve caged them in?”
She tried to shake her head, words tumbling from her lips. “I don’t want to leave. I fought him to stay. He tried to take me away. Ask Jewel. Ask him. I’m telling you the truth—”
“The truth?” I shook her, making her eyes snap closed with a wince. “The truth is I think you believe you’ve got me so wrapped around your little finger that I’ll do whatever you damn well ask.” I kissed her cheek, not with affection but pure intimidation. “That you’re above my retaliation.”
“No. I don’t think that.” More words spilled in a rush. “You arrived before I finished. I was going to tell him that yes he knew my name and yes we might’ve been brought here against our will—Jewel showed him her tattoo and told him about the traffickers—but none of that matters because I’ve fallen in love with you. That I have no intention of leaving because you are worth fighting for. I did fight for you. Ask him! Ask him how many times I told him to remove his touch. I was going to turn around and run straight to you the moment I said my bit, Sully. I swear.” Tears did start now, the cracking of her heart and soul in each crystal droplet. “I love you, Sully. I’m in love with you. You have to believe—”
“Believe?” I ripped my fingers from her face. “I believe this is another trick. Just like you tricked me into removing three goddesses. You’re so determined to free everyone, Jinx? Fine, be my guest. You can do all their workload. You can serve every fucking night in Euphoria and see if I give a damn. And this time…it won’t be me.”
