Page 164 of Heir of the Beast

Apollo’s expression does not change as he glances in the direction of the bathroom. A strained silence passes between us, and I clear my throat.

“So how did you get here?” Does my voice sound higher?

“You were in a bath?”

“Yes,” I barely say.

He shifts under me making me grab onto his shoulders. “Are you trying to tell me you’re naked?”

I think my face turns cherry red and I smile. “Well, I didn’t take a bath with clothes on.”

Apollo nods, then grins, looking down. “I’m sorry, Angel. I will try to focus,” he murmurs. “I just missed you, everything about you. You must have been so hurt by me.”

He glances up at me and my heart squeezes.

“Why didn’t you come?”

“I convinced myself you were lying in my drunk state. In hindsight, I can’t believe I was able to do that. I admit that I was hurt by what I saw when I touched your necklace, and I just lost it.

“I didn’t think you were leaving, so I called your bluff. I just thought it was another one of your tall tales, I suppose. I was a complete idiot. A fool,” he admits, jaw flexing.

“Tarren came running in that morning yelling at me, and I still didn’t believe it. He said you and Laura were gone forever.” He takes a breath.

“I remember standing there when the realization hit me. I called your bluff and I lost. I ordered the Garthorn army to comb the land to make sure you were not trying to escape me.

“Though even that didn’t make sense because you said you loved me. After two days I started to panic, and I went to the South Shore. I went there and fell to my knees, praying for a miracle.”

I felt my eyes sting, listening to him.

“My knee hit your necklace, the magical one you made me touch. So I grabbed it and I held onto it tightly, asking if anyone heard me. I must have pleaded for hours.”

I leaned into him, kissing his warm skin, inhaling his neck. My heart throbs. “And then what?”

Apollo wraps his arms around me tighter. The smell of his scent and his leather jacket should be bottled and sold.

“I was transported to the Fairy Godmother headquarters.”

“Wow,” I breathe.

I can feel him smile. “I had to stand in front of the Universal Jury, far beyond Fairy Godmother Inc., and plead my case. It took three days before they made the decision to let me come get you.”

“What did you tell them?” I whisper in awe.

He looks at me. “That this is a woman I cannot live without, and that I would give my life for her if the need arose. Most of all, that I fucked up.

“I told them you were born in Delorith and they would be committing a grave injustice if they denied me. Take that and spread it over three days. It was brutal, but so worth it.”

Apollo looks at me. “All of the girls now have the chance to return if they so wish it. Pierce made sure of that.”

I wipe a tear and look up. “I can’t believe you did all of that for me. I am so happy.” I laugh. “Laura will freak out.”

Apollo instantly leans up and kisses me hard, hands holding my face. The taste of his lips makes a swarm of butterflies take flight in my stomach. His mouth is hot and passionate.

“Delicious,” he groans in my mouth, and deepens the kiss, sweeping in his tongue. He is a drug, an amazing kisser.

“We are supposed to leave for the Fairy Godmother’s office immediately,” he breathes between our lips. “They stressed that time is of the essence.”

He molds his mouth to mine with more wild tongue action. This man can do astounding things with his tongue, I remember.

---