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Athena turns her eyes on me, her face growing bright red and her teeth grinding as she realizes I set her up. I knew they were there, and I let her walk right into that.
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary, Myra,” I butt in before Athena can say anything. “Athena is just new and over her head. Keep doing what you are doing. We will let you know what needs to be altered. Don’t worry, you are not losing this job.”
“N-no, of course,” Athena stammers. “I’ll let you know as soon as I have that list, but can we start with the back patio area. I want to have it open to guests for the first party in a few days.”
“Of course.” Myra takes her daughter and practically runs from the room.
“You know I hate you, as does everyone else in this house,” I say as I take a seat on the counter. “And you just made Myra’s daughter, Polly, cry. Once that gets around, the staff will hate you, too. Why don’t you just leave now and save yourself the trouble? I can’t imagine anyone is going to want to come to your little party, anyway.”
Athena takes a step toward me and leans in. Her eyes are locked with mine. “I’m glad you hate me.” She glances down at my lap, zeroing in on my cock beneath my pants that suddenly hardens as if this vixen is Medusa herself and can turn anything to stone. “But something tells me that hatred makes your dick hard.”
She then turns and stalks out the door.
Chapter
Eight
Athena
“Thank you for coming early.” I glance at Phoenix wearing the rare tuxedo perfect for tonight’s party. “And for agreeing to come to the party. I know it’s not your thing.”
“We aren’t staying long,” Phoenix says, his arms across his chest. He appears angry, but it isn’t directed at me. Being away from the four walls of his attic puts him on edge. I know this, which is why I appreciate him making the effort.
“What is this place?” Apollo asks. “You bought a mansion outside of Seattle? This doesn’t fit your style. And why the fuck did you just decide to quit Medusa?” His eyes go to my stomach. “Are you pregnant or something?”
“No, of course not,” I say, running my hand over my belly and wondering if there is reason for him to say that. Do I fucking look pregnant? “And I didn’t quit Medusa. I simply took a leave of absence.”
“You told us this was urgent,” Phoenix adds.
I release a deep breath. The only way to say this is by spitting it out. Godwins don’t sugar coat things, and there is no reason for me to start now.
“This was our mother’s house,” I begin.
Apollo and Phoenix both look around the room with fresh eyes now knowing it isn’t my new house. The confusion washes over both their faces.
“She was alive. The entire time.” I look to Phoenix. “Just like you thought. She didn’t jump off that cliff and commit suicide like we were led to believe.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Apollo asks. “Alive?” He looks at Phoenix. “And you knew this? You knew Mother was alive this entire time?”
Phoenix shakes his head. “I didn’t know anything, but I’ve been reading her journals, and there was a line in one of them that made me think there was a possibility.”
“So I dug into it,” I say. “And long story short, I found out she lived in this house.”
“Lived? As in she’s not alive now?” Apollo asks.
“She died about a month ago,” I say. “She left me the house in the will.”
“Will?” Apollo shakes his head and runs his fingers though his hair. “She was alive, now dead, and there is a will? Journals? And this is the first I’m hearing of this? What the fuck, Athena!”
“Does Dad know about this?” Phoenix asks.
I nod. Our father knows everything. Stupid question.
“And no one felt the need to share this information to her fucking sons?” Apollo’s face is reddening, and I can’t say I blame him.
“I know it’s a lot,” I begin in a soft voice. “I’m still trying to process it all myself, but she wanted out of the marriage or something, and our father decided to banish her from our fucked-up kingdom instead.”
“So, she’s been living here the entire time? While we all believed she died?” Phoenix takes a seat on the nearest chair. I can almost hear the wind being knocked out of him.
“It appears so.”
We aren’t a huggy type of family, but a part of me wants to console Phoenix by taking him into my arms. Instead, I open Pandora’s box fully and tell my brothers everything I now know. I rattle off about the ridiculous rules of the will, the terms of madness, and the assholes that I now have to live with. I tell them every little detail of every single thing to help ease my guilt for keeping it from them for so long. There’s pain in their eyes, rage in their movements, and the stench of betrayal is thick in this room once I am done.
