Lawson makes me jump when he comes over, placing his hand on the small of my back. I frown at him. “What the hell, Lawson?”
He smiles tightly. “Just making sure no one suspects we’re here for anything other than a hook up, Eden.”
Oh, shit. That is what people are going to think. As if I don’t have enough trouble on the horizon.
I press the button and the doors open. We get into the elevator and I reach out. Lawson knocks my hand away and presses the button for the first floor. I frown at him.
“Eden, we can’t go after the Gods.” Lawson keeps his voice low, as if he might be overheard.
There’s no-one in the elevator with us. I frown at him. “Then what are you doing? I thought we were...”
“I saw where they took her. We’re going to Skyler, and we’re going to hope like hell the Gods are busy with other shit while we get her out of here.”
“Oh. Okay, good.” I nod as the elevator stops and we get out.
He rushes down the corridor and I go after him.
He uses our room key on a door at the end of the hall next to a set of stairs.
I hold my breath as he pushes the door inwards. The room is dark. The shades are drawn. He goes inside, and I follow, letting the door close quietly behind me. The bedroom looks empty but this seems to be a suite. The walls are red. It does look like the room I saw through Sky’s eyes. I don’t see her, but there’s a guy sitting in one of the plush leather armchairs. He glances up and smiles slowly.
“Lawson. Glad you could make it.” He gets up as the sinking feeling in my stomach drops further.
My gaze drifts to Lawson. He won’t meet my eyes. He looks sick as the God approaches us. I know what’s happening here, even if I can’t quite bring myself to believe it. Lawson just screwed me over.
I’m frozen in place. The guy has an arrogant air about him. He’s attractive in a sleazy kind of way, and he definitely knows it. He looks me over and licks at his lips.
“Eden Rose Masterson, Goddess of Rock.” He laughs. “I never would have suspected you were one of us.”
“Screw you,” I snap at him. I might be freaking out on the inside, but I’ve not gone mute, thank the heavens. His words sink in and make me angry. I’m not one of them. A Goddess, yes, but I know I’m nothing like him.
He raises an eyebrow at me. “And she scratches too. You know me so well.”
Lawson folds his arms. “Where’s Skyler?”
The God smirks. “You always had a thing for the broken toys, Lawson. Don’t you know they only cut you up?”
“You fucking promised.” Lawson practically growls at him.
“Calm down, lover boy. She’s here.” He looks me over. “Newly awakened Goddesses always taste so good.” He takes a deep breath and moans in my direction.
Ugh. This guy is getting nowhere near me. I’ll fight dirty if I have to. He’s not laying a finger on me.
“Skyler,” Lawson snaps.
The creep backs off and nods. “Bring her out.”
I don’t know who the hell he’s calling to until the doors behind him opens and Skyler is led out, her gaze on the ground. The guys either side of her are all muscle. They’re propping her up. She’s weak, or she’s drugged. I can’t help the strangled sound that bubbles up in the back of my throat. My friend is hurt, she needs me. I move forward, but Lawson’s quicker. He catches her as the men drop her, lifting her into his arms.
The men come towards me and I wonder if running would really do me any good. Somehow, I doubt it.
“Take her,” the sleaze tells Lawson. “I have other business.”
Shit. I don’t want to find out what he means by that, considering the ‘other business’ is me.
“I can’t believe I trusted you,” I tell Lawson as takes Sky towards the door to leave. She’s unconscious. I hope she’s okay. I hope he looks after her. There’s something like guilt in his eyes as he goes, but he doesn’t try to help me when the men grab my arms. I’m on my own now. The urge to use the light inside grows steadily as I struggle in their grasp. I don’t like this. I really don’t like the way the creepy God is looking at me.
“Well?” I snap. “Are you going to at least tell me your name?”
He laughs. “Ah, yes. I love the newly awakened. They always care so much about the mundane. My name doesn’t matter, Goddess. Not to you.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Keep him talking, Eden. At least until you get the chance to touch and distract. I know it won’t take much to get the men at either side of me to let me go, I just need to wait for the right chance. I might only get one shot at this. I can’t waste it.
“I’m going to have such fun breaking you. Lawson likes them already broken. That’s the curse of the weaker Gods. I like to do all of the heavy lifting myself.”
He’s looking me over like a predator, sizing me up. I catch something in his eyes and suddenly I know he isn’t talking about my body, he’s not undressing me with his eyes. He’s aroused by the thought of hurting me in other ways. I fight back a shiver.
“You’re a coward.” I tell him, as his lackeys hands tighten on my arms. “Needing these men to restrain me. What kind of...”
His smile stretches into a grin as he clicks his fingers. The men let go and fall to the ground. The breath is pulled from me as I realise they’re both dead. The death rattle of the guy to my left is followed by blood trickling out of his ear as he stills. Horror fills me as I raise my head.
“You’re going to find out what a God of Destruction is today, Eden. We don’t play by your rules.”
I hold my stomach, feeling sick. My words just caused the death of two men. No, Eden. Don’t let him fuck with you. He killed them. That was his decision. You didn’t cause this.
My mouth is drying up. I refuse to cry in front of this evil prick, but I’m so angry now my sight is blurring. He still has a grin on his sleazeball face. He’s enjoying every second of this.
I can’t let him get to me. I need to be stronger. If I stand any chance of getting out of this whole.
There’s a reason, I think, looking him over. No-one is just born this evil. Something made him that way. He might think he’s getting inside my head, but I won’t let him destroy me. Love is more powerful than hate. It always wins out in the end.
I’m going to get inside his head, and I’m going to make him regret the deal he made with Lawson. I’m going to show him what a Goddess of Love can do.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nick
Surprisingly, there isn’t all that much to do inside a rock star’s house when she’s not home. I already checked through her closet for sex toys. Found plenty of hot as fuck underwear and outfits I’m going to get Eden to wear for me, but no other vibrators, disappointingly. I went online and ordered a bunch of different stuff to surprise her with, then, I wandered around the house, looking for other shit to do. I wasn’t going to attempt to cook again. It had been enough of a disaster the first time.
The place was kind of dusty, but the thought of cleaning made me grimace. Attempting to become domesticated is no fun. I’m bored of it already. So, I end up lying on the couch watching T.V. and wondering how long it will be before Eden gets back from L.A. I’d open the club in Rapture tomorrow tonight, and that would keep me busy, but I was going to go out of my mind if she didn’t come back soon.
The doorbell makes me remember Asher’s warning about Diana’s mother. I consider ignoring it, but curiosity gets the better of me. Getting up, I walk to the door and pause when my hand closes around the handle.
Goddesses are powerful. They can command mortals to do all kinds of things.
I consider that for a moment before I open the door. I figure if she really wanted to, she would just walk straight in and issue her orders, rather than knock and wait to be invited. But I see it’s not her and now I’m even more confused. What the hell is Eden’s old bodyguard doing here?
“Logan.”
“I need
to speak to Eden.”
Yeah, there’s really no attempt at pleasantries with this guy. He just makes his demands and expects everyone to adhere to them.
Too bad he’s not a God. He’s mortal. So he can’t command a damn thing from me.
“Yeah, well. I need you to leave.” I start to close the door and he stops me with one leather-clad arm.
“I have stuff here that’s mine.”
I sigh and let go of the door. “What stuff?”
I’m not letting him into the house. Eden had explained that he was in love with Asher’s ex now, but it didn’t mean I should trust that he wasn’t up to something. Diana had been bad news before she decided to mess with Eden. The two of them together was double the fucking trouble, if you asked me.
He blows out a breath, trying to contain his irritation. “A bag, with my wallet inside, and I’m not leaving until I have it.”
“Where’d you leave it?”
“Let me in and I’ll get it.”
Screw that. “Tell me and I’ll get it. Or leave.” I shrug. “Either’s fine with me, but you’re not getting in.”
He scowls. “Where’s Eden?”
“Eden’s none of your business.” It’s well past time he realised that.
“I need to talk to her. It’s about Diana.”
This guy is unbelievable. “Eden doesn’t want to talk to you, Logan. Get it through your head.”
He looks like he could spit nails. I can see he’s getting pissed beyond reason. His jaw is doing this slow grind that makes me grimace. If he wants a fight, I’ll give him one.
“Diana’s mother gave us an ultimatum. I need Eden’s help to work out how to deal with her.”
Damn. He actually just wants to talk to Eden? “She’s in L.A. so you’re going to have to wait.”
“Fuck,” he mutters. “Well, can I get my bag?”
“Tell me where it is and I’ll bring you it.” I’m not bending on that.
He tells me it’s in one of the rooms, under the bed. I nod, close the door and lock it, and then I head up the stairs to look for the bag. I take my time. It was left here when he broke in, I know that much. All the catching up Asher did with us after Logan was sent back to Diana clued me in. I’d always known Logan was an asshole, but I’d had no idea just how possessive he could actually get. Not that it surprised me. I’d always suspected the guy had a screw loose.
I find the bag where he’d told me it would be. Tossing it onto the bed I decide to rifle through it before I hand it over. Nothing too interesting, besides a bag of gadgets that look like they’d be at home in a spy movie. I go back downstairs with it, wondering what I could get out of him for passing it over. He’s riled up right now. I wonder what the ultimatum was that Diana’s mother gave him.
I’m still thinking about that when I unlock the door, but I decide it’s not worth asking. He won’t tell me anyway. He wants Eden for this. If he tells me I might tell her and he loses any sympathy he might have wrung from her.
He seems calmer when I drop it at his feet. “Thanks.”
It sounds grudging, but I’ll take it. Gratitude from this guy is rare.
“Don’t come back here.” I close the door and listen until I hear him leave.
That’s when I make the decision not to tell anyone about it. I’ll say he came for the bag, but I’m not worrying Eden over nothing. If I can keep him away from her, I will.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Logan
I walk away from Eden’s door, my thoughts racing. The one person in this shitty little town who might be able to help me is out of town. I don’t know when Eden will be back and the clock is already ticking down.
Six days, and I’m dead. Probably less. Diana’s mother wants her to return to being a Dark Forces Goddess. She has six days to reverse her choice. If she doesn’t, I’m toast. The point of which I’m imagining is to force her to take back the decision to embrace her love for me, to become a Goddess once more. So, there’s no way the bitch is going to let me walk around for six whole fucking days while she waits for her daughter to do as she’s been told.
She’ll kill me much sooner than that. I need a fucking plan. And I stop walking when I realise there’s someone else in this damned town who knows almost as much about this Goddess shit as Eden does. Someone who isn’t going to be best pleased to see me, but beggars can’t be choosers.
I head into the library and see him at the front desk, a huge book open in front of him. He glances up as I get closer. There’s no hint of fear in his gaze. I suppose immortal men are immune to worrying about what mere mortals could possibly do to them. It’s an oddly charged moment. I don’t sense the same animosity I got from the tattooed club owner in Eden’s house. He seems more shocked than anything else.
“Asher. I need your help.” Said like I didn’t try to kill him and bury him in his own basement.
“Sorry, what?” He raises an eyebrow at me, then closes the book as he moves his hand and loses his place. Greek Mythology. Why am I not surprised? He probably knows more about what’s going on than Eden does.
“Diana’s mother showed up wondering why the hell her daughter is no longer a Goddess.”
He straightens. “I suspected that might be why she was back. What happened?”
“She wants Diana to reverse her decision.”
His eyes widen. “Reverse her decision? Is that even possible?”
“It apparently is, but she doesn’t want to.” I feel anger beginning to burn when I see the hint of pity in his gaze. I have to pause before speaking to avoid snapping at him. “She’s not the same person you knew. That woman wasn’t capable of love. Now, she is.”
He nods, slowly. “I’m sure she’s changed. It’s just hard to reconcile the thought of that with the Diana I knew. She messed me up, and it was all a game to her. Anyway, that’s in the past.” He clears his throat. “So that’s what her mother wants?”
“It seems to be.” I wish I was speaking to Eden right now. I’ve hated this guy for so long, I’m having a hard time spilling my guts. He won’t give a shit about the ultimatum meaning my death, but that’s only part of it. “If Diana doesn’t reverse her decision, her mother’s going to kill me and force her to go back. She’ll be a threat to Eden again if that happens.”
“And you’ll be dead,” he murmurs. His gaze drifts to the door behind him. “Ronnie will be back from her break soon. We should talk about this later.”
“I might not have much time.”
He nods. “Keep Diana’s mind on track. Don’t let her think her mother’s right. Don’t give her any reason to doubt you. She’s paranoid enough.”
It’s good advice, even if I was already doing that on instinct. I’ll get back and make sure she’s still obsessed with her plan to get pregnant. Make sure she knows I still love her. I wonder how she’d feel if she knew I was thinking about killing her mother. “Her mother seems to be a blind spot to her. Do you know anything about their relationship?”
He sighs. “It’s a complicated one. It was always obvious the woman was vile towards her, but Diana never said a bad word against her. She didn’t like it when I called her mother a bitch over something she did one summer.”
He only confirms my own suspicions. Diana doesn’t hate the woman. I don’t think she’ll be happy that my plan is to get her out of our lives for good. Even if she is threatening to kill the one person who can show Diana love. “When can we talk?”
He writes down a number on a pad of paper and passes it to me.
“Call me at eight. I’ll be free to talk then.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eli
I hear Eden moan and realize I’m standing outside her bedroom door in Rapture. The door’s open just a crack. I know it’s a dream because somewhere in the back of my head I remember we’re in L.A. and she just accepted me as I am, dark secret and all. But in the moment all I can see is the door, and I know if I choose to throw it open I can never go back. I don’t
know what I’m waiting for.
Everything changed the moment I met Eden. I already made my choice.
I push the door inwards and my gaze finds her, standing at the foot of her bed naked, with Asher on his knees in front of her and Nick standing behind her, his hands cupping her breasts as he kisses her shoulder. Her gaze locks with mine and she bites down on her bottom lip.
“Are you joining us, Eli?”
I can’t seem to form words at the sight of her so aroused by her men. I only know I desperately want to be one of them. Seeing them with her rouses my own desire. Is this part of it? Does she need all of us at once? Or has this been created out of my own deeply buried desires?
“Does it matter?” Her voice is breathy as she strokes through Asher’s hair, keeping him close. “You’re already in love with me.”
It’s true. Fast as it was, I know I love her. I know I want this. I want her. I want to please her. I want to be one of her men. I don’t care what that means sexually. I’ll do anything to have her in my life.
So why can’t I speak? She’s waiting for me to tell her I want this. To go over there and join in.
“I haven’t told you about Logan.” I know that’s what’s holding me back. The first secret was bad. That one’s worse. I have no idea how she felt about him. No idea how she’ll take me killing someone in cold blood, for her.
“Oh, Eli.” She moans. “I’m already yours. All you have to do is take me.”
She’s telling me what I want to hear. I move towards them and they disappear. I don’t get the chance to wonder what it means. I’m blinking into my pillow seconds later, realising I’m tangled in the sheets.
Waking up alone pushes me straight into panic mode, killing the hard-on the dream caused. I’ve never been a deep sleeper, but last night’s reveal did something I didn’t expect. Eden accepted me in spite of my deepest darkest secret. It didn’t make her run away. She still wanted me. The realization that I’d found someone I could trust with that burden had relaxed me into the best night’s rest I’d ever had. I’d fallen asleep holding her and waking up without her was like a punch to the guts.
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