Page 73 of God of War

“Not gonna let you do this.”

I whip around so fast that, for a moment, Ares is just a blur in the darkness. He steps forward, hands by his sides. One is bandaged up with clean, white gauze and he looks better — cleaned of Aaron’s blood, his hair wet and slicked back.

The shock subsides, replaced by anger. “What… What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“You think I’ve never seen you climb in and out of that bedroom window before?” he replies, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “You know, you’re not as smooth as you think you are.”

His eyes flick to the gun.

“You mind putting that down or at least pointing it not at me?”

My eyes track his and, yep, I’m pointing the gun right at his chest. I lower it slowly, carefully sliding my finger off the trigger.

“Sorry, I—”

Ares lunges for me and wrenches the gun from my grasp. He spins out the chamber and the bullets drop out, skittering uselessly across the living room floor.

“No, no, no! Ares! What the fuck?”

I start to drop to my knees, already reaching for the abandoned bullets, when Ares drops the gun and grabs me by the back of the neck. He forces me up and flattens me against the wall. He crowds close and he’s all there is — all I see, all I feel. He snarls through clenched teeth.

“What the fuck? That’s my line, Delaney. So, Rev calls me, tells me you bounced and you know what I’m thinking?”

His palm slithers around my neck. Closes around my throat.

“That little bitch is gonna get herself killed.”

His fury is palpable. But there’s something behind it, in his eyes… Fear. I suck in a breath, my throat rising against his hand. The tingling feeling from earlier is back, this time curling like a snake around my core. Tightening.

I want Ares to squeeze.

He sees it in my eyes — the want — and his face lowers, heavy brow shadowing his darkening eyes. His lips brush mine.

But he doesn’t kiss me.

“Tell me what you think you’re doing, Del.”

“I…” I swallow. His hand flexes.

“Tell. Me.”

My knees tremble. I want him to touch me, to fuck me right here against the wall. But I know he won’t, not until I tell him the truth. And then, he’ll probably be so mad he won’t ever want to touch me again.

I wet my lips, my tongue briefly, accidentally, brushing against his mouth. His body shudders against mine.

“I’m doing what I have to,” I say finally. “I know you don’t want me to, but I don’t know what else to do. This has to end, Ares. Please.”

I don’t mean the final word to come out so broken and pleading. I hate how it sounds and I flinch, tears hot behind my eyes.

“Okay.”

I blink. “Wh-what?”

Ares relaxes his hand around my throat but leaves it there, a heavy, warm reminder of him. His eyes are locked on mine in a stare that bores deep.

“We’ll end it,” he says. His eyes flick to my lips. “But first, let me taste you.”

He kisses me with an intensity that makes my brain grind to a halt. He forces his tongue between my lips and I moan against him, barely keeping up as he devours me. His hand tightens around my throat and I can’t breathe — don’t want to breathe, if it means he stops kissing me. Finally, panting heavily, he pulls away.

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