Page 44 of Sweet Obsession

“Zeus is right. At least partially.” I speak without raising my head, feeling my way through the reasoning. “If I can convince Circe’s generals to abandon her, Athena and her people should be able to sneak aboard and assassinate her and whoever else of value is on her ship without too much risk.” I almost tell him to just sink the ship after that and be done with it, but a little voice in the back of my head warns of unnecessary death. It sounds a lot like Ariadne.

I clear my throat. “But before you sink it, you should allow the crew to surrender. Aeaea is different from Olympus in a lot of ways—but it’s the same, too. When our people decided not to turn the island into a tourist destination, it started the long death of our industry. I still don’t think it was the wrong call, but if people don’t leave after secondary school, then there are only so many routes available to them—especially if they don’t have a family business to step into. The navy is the main route.”

Poseidon strokes a hand down my back. “I can’t risk our people by—”

“I’m not asking you to risk anything. If you’re already on the ships, you can evacuate them and send them to the nearest port that isn’t Olympus. Without Circe in the mix, they won’t be in a rush to fight.” I’m asking for extra steps, extra effort, and it’s not like I know any of those people, but it still feels…right. And not just because Ariadne would want it.

He keeps rubbing my back while he ponders it. It’s tempting to push him for an answer, but I stay silent and let him work through it. Ultimately, I can only argue. I can’t actually make the decisions that will change anything for anyone.

Finally, he says, “It’s not a bad suggestion, and lessening casualtiesmeans it’s less likely we’ll be dealing with another revenge-fueled invasion in a decade or two. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll see what I can do.” His lips brush my temple. “Thank you for suggesting it.”

I tense instinctively, ready to keep arguing, but then the meaning of his words wash over me. He’s agreeing with me. Not making promises, but then Poseidon isn’t the type of man to promise anything he can’t actually fulfill. The success of this plan depends deeply on Zeus’s support, which I suspect won’t be easy to get.

But Poseidon listened. He…found value in my input. I reach out and tentatively grip his big bicep. “Poseidon?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you still angry with me?”

He huffs out a laugh and what little tension was left in his body dissipates. “No, I guess I’m not.”

Thank the gods. I shift, earning a muted groan from him. “We still have another hour or so until sunrise.”

“That’s true.”

I smile a little at how deep and gravelly his voice goes. The world still feels slightly unsteady around me, but the man holding me is a rock in the midst of a storm. I don’t know how to tell him how sorry I am for hurting him, how much I appreciate the fact that he actuallylistensto me without rejecting my suggestions out of turn. I’ve never had to say anything like that before. Historically, I’m usually fighting for my life just to avoid being the biggest disappointment.

I know how to show him, though. I’m very good at it. “I can kiss you?” The sentence flickers a little, becoming one that I don’t dare speak aloud:Can I keep you?

I know better than to ask. The answer is always the same.

No.

Never.

Why would you ever consider that I’d want to be kept by a fuckup like you?

For the first time in my life, I want something different. Something…more. Too bad the person inspiring that feeling is the same one who will kick my ass to the curb the moment this conflict with Circe is over.

24

Poseidon

Icarus is breaking my heart. I want to shake him until some sense rattles into that beautiful head of his. I want to walk away and never look back because that’s the only way to prevent myself from falling harder for him. I want…I want everything to be okay.

He’ll see anything but a kiss as a rejection, no matter how I intend it. There’s no right answer, and that makes me want to crawl into a quiet, dark space and hold perfectly still until the world makes sense again. I press a light kiss to his lips and retreat before he can deepen it. “We need to sleep.”

“But…” His voice trails off and he ducks his head. “Yeah. Sure. Okay.”

“Icarus.” I wait until he looks at me. It takes a while. Only then do I continue. “I’m not angry at you. I’m not disappointed. You’re doing what you think is best, and I’m not even sure you’re wrong. Just…give me a little bit, okay?”

He swallows visibly. “Sure. Of course. Anything you need.”

It’s horribly awkward as we lie down next to each other. He can’t quite bring himself to move away from me, but he’s not doing that careless sprawl he was earlier. I finally haul him over my chest,keeping my eyes closed so I don’t see rejection on his face.

Except he doesn’t reject me. He’s only tense for a single breath before he goes completely lax. It doesn’t take long before his breathing evens out in true sleep. I still wait a little longer before I relax. Understanding his motivations and actions doesn’t mean I fully trust him. I’m not a complete fool, no matter what the other Thirteen seem to think.

My heartbeat finally calms and my thoughts lose the numbness that always signals complete overwhelm. Too many surprises, too fast. I was already worried about the situation with Hera spinning out of control, and now Zeus is in the mix as well with a fuckingcoup. The ridiculous thing is that I don’t trust either of them to hold the same priorities I do. If push comes to shove,bothZeus and Hera will choose their family over Olympus as a whole. I’d bet my life on it.

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