Page 56 of God of War (Legacy of Gods)

It sucks that he thinks I’m still a child, but I don’t blame him for sleeping around.

My only consolation is that he’s never had a relationship and I haven’t seen him with the same woman three times. As Remi mentioned, he doesn’t sleep with the same girl more than twice.

What makes you think you wouldn’t be another statistic in his endless women's adventures?

I used to think he’d just fall in love with me as easily as I fell in love with him, would see that I’m his best option and would cherish me forever.

Obviously, that’s the hopeless romantic in me.

Realistically, I know Eli is a cruel man who has no qualms about crushing people’s pride and aspirations. But that’s part of his charm.

Besides, he can be warm with a select few he considers his people—namely his parents, Creigh, and even Lan, Bran, and Glyn.

I just want to be added to the list.

Which is not a lot to ask.

I hide behind a pillar to watch him, creepily becoming aware of where Ari gets her stalkerish habits from.

Eli’s still speaking to Kylie, or she’s the one who’s doing the talking while he listens with little interest, polite nodding, and the absolute opposite of the signs she’s giving.

My eyes narrow on her hand on his forearm, the way she leans closer to whisper something in his ear. She pulls away with sensual laughter. His lips tug in a small smile.

Whyis he smiling at her?

A lick of jealousy burns my skin, and my feelings burst at the seams.

You know what?

There’s no way in hell I’ll be able to wait until I’m a few years older and he finally sees me as a grown-up. I have to take my shot.

As Papa says, you’ll always fail if you never try.

Though he’d certainly break Eli’s neck if he knew about my fixation on the gray-eyed, mythically handsome prince.

Who’s six years older than me.

But age is just a number. I’ve known I liked him since I was young. In the beginning, I thought it was because he was so cool and handsome and the face of every fairy-tale prince I read about.

As I grew older, I began to compare every boy, actor, and musician crush to him.

They all failed miserably to hold a candle to my Eli, by the way.

It’s not a hopeless crush like Lan and Remi said, or an unhealthy obsession as Cecy likes to remind me.

It’s fate.

Otherwise, the universe wouldn’t have placed him in my path.

Pushing my shoulders back, I walk toward him and Kylie, who, if I didn’t know she was good at her job, I’d contemplate having her fired from Mama’s NGO.

I keep my eyes on him, and the closer I get, the more dazzling he becomes. I can hardly breathe because of how beautiful he is. Tall, dark, masculine, and smells like mysterious cloudy nights.

He’s very well-built—muscular, but not bulky. A prince through and through.

“Hi, sorry to interrupt,” I announce in my usual cheerful tone and touch Eli’s bicep, trying not to feel up the taut muscles. “Aunt Elsa is asking for you.”

It’s subtle, but he slips from underneath my hold, steps back, and offers Kylie a smile. “It’s been lovely talking to you.”

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