Page 40 of Poseidon's Island Flower

In fact, this Cory might see more wrath come tonight.

Lani and Candice led us inside the cramped house. It was more of a hut. The roof was in disrepair. The kitchen was so small she could barely prepare food. Lani only beamed, apologizing for the mess when there was none. She didn’t show embarrassment. She was only emitting pride as she spoke of the small home.

“My parents raised me here until I was ten, then we adopted Koma,” Lani said offhandedly. “They weren’t expecting another child when they bought the place, but it’s hard to get land around here, so we stayed.”

With his giant frame, Zeus took up most of the couch space, while I stood in the corner, watching Lani plate the meal. I offered to help several times, but she shooed me away.

The men at the fire pits roasted the pig. I thought within the Hawaiian culture the men prepared food. So, I persisted until she cupped my hands, her smile widening as she led me to a chair with a tiny table that had two chairs.

“I know you saw those men cooking out there,” she said with her face reddening, “but as you can tell, I’m mixed, and my mother was Caucasian. She had to fuss a lot at my dad for trying to help too much. The thing is, I enjoy helping, I enjoy taking care of the men in my life.”

Men?

Lani laughed, her hand ran through my hair. She paused, almost asking permission until I said, “Please,” and she continued.

Fates, it felt so good. I could smell her sweet perfume as her fingertips ran through my hair, and I closed my eyes in bliss. I don’t remember the last time I felt loved and cared for. My mother left as soon as Kronos was imprisoned, she felt she wasn’t good enough to stay.

But here I had Lani, her comforting strokes, her endearing smile. It made me as boneless as a jellyfish.

“Just you and Koma. It was like you popped into my life right when I needed you to, Cy. I’m really glad you rescued me. I didn’t know I really needed it until you did.” Lani patted my head and pushed a plate full of sliced pineapple toward me.

She wasn’t talking about just being physically saved. That much I knew. She was lonely, just like I was.

Lani swayed back to the kitchen, a wet rag now in my hands. My body was still covered in blood, and I took the cool cloth and wiped my nose.

I didn’t know I could bleed in my human form, but there was always something new to learn every day. I wiped away the sticky substance, not upset that my body was covered in fluids.

It didn’t bother me, none of it did like it used to. The thought of trying to be in control of the smaller things in life, such as a made bed, a fluffed pillow, the way I rearranged my toothbrush and toothpaste didn’t matter. All that mattered was Lani now.

My attention was now on her. Even though I didn’t know where our journey would take us, I wanted it so badly I didn’t care if I didn’t know. I would break through all my problems to have her, to keep her, to be the most powerful god I could be for her.

Candice sat on the other side of Zeus, and he yawned, his arms stretching until Candice snapped her head to him. “Don’t even think about it, Lightning Boy.”

“Lightning boy?” he choked back a laugh. “Why would you?”

“Your name? Zeus? I swear who names their kid Zeus? Maybe for a dog, not a person.”

Now, I was thankful that Zeus called me Cy. Explaining my true name and who I was would be for another day. For now, I would accept my new breakthrough and enjoy getting to know her.

Chapter Thirteen

Lani

ItwashardleavingCy at the doorstep of his suite when we drove back to the resort to get my car. Candice waited in the car while Zeus walked confidently into his hotel room, but Cy and I stayed outside, our hands still clasped together.

I felt like a young girl in school having her first date with a boy she’d had a crush on for ages. Our palms were slick with sweat as we grasped each other's hands. He still had blood on his shirt, and I even had some on my dress, but that didn’t faze us at all.

The date was certainly one to remember and having a kiss to top it all off would have been sweeter, but I didn’t take the extra step. I cupped his cheek and thanked him for going out with me, and since I was the “guy” of the date, I continued to push that persona of asking if he wanted to go out again.

His cheeks flushed a bright pink, and I had to resist the urge to beam at his delightful appearance. Cy said yes in the end after a few seconds that felt like hours, and all I could do was cup his cheek again and stroke it with the pad of my thumb.

Promises to keep texting, promises to get together soon were spoken, and when I turned around to hop in my car with a grumpy Candice, he was still standing at the door waiting to go inside.

I bit my lip, trying my best not to show too much enthusiasm, but to hell with it. This wasn’t some normal date with some random guy. A typical guy would take advantage of every bit of this openness and run with it.

But not Cy. Cy had enough trouble deciphering why Candice was even angry. He whispered to me during our time at my home he didn’t understand why she was irritated when she had been fine just a few days before. I had to gently explain there was tension between Zeus and Candice, but I didn’t know why. Even my own friend wouldn’t spill and let me know what the deal was. Candice would wave her hand, telling me not to worry about it and to concentrate on Cy, and that I deserved it.

Candice was being the saint, but I would still find out what he’d said.

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