Page 101 of Invoking Ruin

She scowls and shoves at my chest, but the motion only throws her off balance, and I hold her arms to steady her.

Atê’s still shaking her head. “I’m not used to this.”

“Used to what?”

She sighs, unable to meet my eyes again. “You wanting me. How am I supposed to believe this isn’t a punishment for you?”

I tug her closer, my hands on her hips as I guide her into straddling my lap. “Atê, look at me.” I grip her chin, tilting her head until our eyes meet and I can see her sullen expression.

“This is what I want,” I tell her, making sure my words and desires are clear. Knowing Atê, she’ll wriggle like a worm on a hook, desperate to deny the truth and her own fate.

“I told you, back in the dungeon. Olympus isn’t the place for me. My path isn’t here, but on Gaia. I would much rather forge that path with you at my side.”

Her eyes brighten with the threat of tears, but she blinks them back, and I do her the kindness of not mentioning them.

“It will be wild, untamed. It will be true freedom,” I breathe each promise against her lips, until she’s leaning into me, seeking my touch. That’s how it should be. Her resisting me feels wrong. She should be savoring her victory, my own freely given surrender.

How long has she waited for this moment?

“I feel as though I’m dreaming,” she murmurs, echoing my own thoughts. “Any moment, I’ll wake and find myself chained to a rock in Tartarus.”

“This is no dream.” I tug a lock of her hair forward, reminding her of its imperfection. “If this weren’t real, would you imagine yourself like this?”

She snarls at me. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”

I chuckle and catch her mouth again. “It’ll heal.” Now isn’t the time to tell her that grey hair isn’t her only worry. Hopefully, the worst will fade before she even notices. If not, well, I’m happy to show her how little I care about her appearance.

“Please, Dionysus,” she cups my face with both hands. “Don’t let this be temporary, some misplaced sense of gratitude. If you ever go back on your word, I won’t recover. I won’t let you escape.”

“You wouldn’t let me escape either way,” I remind her as I cover her hands with mine.

In a flash, I have us flipped, pinning her back against the pillows, her hands over her head.

She’s gasping, and I keep my touch light, not sure how much of her heavy breathing is arousal, protest, or fatigue.

“I’m the one not letting you escape this time, Atê. If I let you out of my sight again, you might do something incredibly stupid, like plunge yourself into the fucking Void.”

Beneath me, she arches, her hips pressing to mine, and we both let out groans as she brushes up against my hardening cock.

Tempting little disaster.

“So that’s how it will be, then?” she asks me, all defiance. If she were up to it, I’d spank it out of her. “You’re in charge now?”

“You’ll get used to it.” I bury my face against her neck and nip at her skin just to hear her gasp. “I daresay you’ll like being mine.”

“Dionysus.”

I love the sound of my name on her lips. My true name, not anything else she called me in the past. There have been many lies between us, many deceptions, but through it all, she’s known me for what I truly am.

Known me, despite the lies I tell the world. The lies I’ve told myself.

And now, I know her.

Now, I’m the one unwilling to let go, and I’ll prove that to her with time.

We have plenty of it.

For now, I kiss her again, swallowing any arguments on her lips.

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