Page 34 of Blood Descendants
“Fair enough,” he says, dismissing the poor woman. “You have rave reviews online for your instruction.”
I nod. I’m aware I have a great reputation.
“Yet what I can’t find any trace of is your relationship with my son,” Augustus says, his eyes darkening.
“Have you ever been in love, Mr. Lonan?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him slightly, leaning forward in my seat.
Ares’ grip on my hand tightens slightly, maybe a warning to not push this man too far.
“Love is relative,” he says, giving me that little smile that makes me want to hurt him. “I’ve loved many, many women in many, many levels of variance.”
I shake my head. “Have you ever had that magnetic pull to a person? Have you ever wanted to keep them a secret, keep them all to yourself, so you don’t have to share an ounce of what you have with the public? Have you ever had them wrap themselves around your soul, altering it into a new version of yourself that you never knew you wanted?”
Augustus studies me with every word I speak. Serious,dark, contemplative. He watches me, his gaze studying every bit of my body language.
But he doesn’t answer me, which gives me my answer.
“When you’ve been fucked over by the world too many times in your life, you don’t really give a damn to invite it into your new, perfect world. I’m happy to keep Ares to myself until the end of fucking days.”
Ares’ hand tightens around mine again, and I swear the heat rising off of him has risen a few degrees.
Guess I can be a good actress when needed.
It helps that all this vile energy is surging through me sitting in the presence of this man.
“You should know better than anyone that I’m careful not to leave a footprint online,” Ares says, speaking up for the first time in so long. “Lana and I started talking online. A dark, bitter soul knows another dark, bitter soul. Lana doesn’t trust anyone. And I know what this world is like. So, we didn’t meet in person for six months. But the moment I laid eyes on her in the real world…”
His eyes lock on mine, and the look in them deepens. In them, I see possession. Claiming. Hunger. Desire. I might be on my A game right now with this show, but Ares still puts me to shame.
“I knew I was going to ask her to marry me right then and there, but I figured I’d better wait a few weeks so she wouldn’t run,” he continues, studying every inch of my face. The way his words hit me right in the core… I should be embarrassed. “But it all lined up perfectly.”
I smile, caressing a hand to his cheek. And it’s a problem that my body can’t lie. Electricity races through every pathway in my body.
“Congratulations,” Augustus says darkly. My contentment pops at his voice. I look back over at him to find his gaze darkened, and something very close to a disgusted sneer is on his lips. “You look very happy.”
Look. That word makes me nervous. What if Ares and I aren’t as good as I think we are at selling this?
“Have you set a date?” Augustus asks, and my face goes cold.
We haven’t discussed that.
“We’re thinking May next year,” Ares lies smoothly. At least one of us is good on the spot. “But we haven’t nailed it down yet. There are a few things to factor in.”
“Which are?” Augustus encourages, sounding slightly bored and annoyed.
“Considering what drove us apart before, I thought you and I could talk things through. Now that I’ve found my match,” Ares says, steering the conversation expertly. “We’re hoping for a positive pregnancy test any day.”
Augustus’ eyebrows raise at that, and finally, finally, he looks… happy.
“So,” Ares says, cutting him off from saying anything else. “I thought it high time we smooth things out. I’ve got some ideas for the company I’d really like to discuss.”
A slow smile pulls on Augustus’ lips, and my heart picks up pace.
We’ve done it. I see it written all over his face.
Ares is back in.
“Then let’s talk business,” Augustus says. He rises to his feet, smoothing his sports jacket. “Lana, you’re free to explore the mansion. It’s a historical treasure that should be appreciated.”
