Page 71 of Bitter Desire
“What?”
She moved from beside Zeus and stalked towards me. There was no other way to describe how my mother moved across the room. She was confident, each movement bold and predatory. She was sure in herself, that whatever she was going to say next would work to advance her position in this fucked dance we were all stuck in.
I hated that she knew she had the upper hand. It had always been that way with us.
“I’ve been in the city for a while now, Honey Isabella Martinez,” I glared at her use of my full name, “and I’ve noticed how you’ve been living. The company you keep. It’s not safe.”
“When the fuck have you ever cared about my safety? Why now?” I turned to face her head on, Law still had my arm in his grip.
“A mother’s love is timeless, Honey.”
I reeled back and bared my teeth at her in a barely veiled snarl. I felt like a trapped animal and I looked around the room, my arm still trapped in Law’s grip. “You’re not my mother. You’re just a woman I was forced to spend my life with,” I gritted out. I would have tried to run but it was impossible with Law holding me where I was. I looked at him and pulled at my arm. “Let me go.”
Law’s fingers tightened. “No. Not until we talk.” I could hear that he meant the two of us, but I’d thought that when he’d told me he hadn’t known what was going on, or who was involved, that he would keep me safe.
I’d fallen for lies from a lot of people. I didn’t know why I’d thought knowing when Law was lying or telling the truth would be any easier for me. Of course I’d messed up.
I struggled in his hold. “I’m not talking to you. Let me go!”
“Honey-”
“Now! I don’t want this,” I screamed, leaning back, the heels of my shoes digging into the marble of the floor, “Let me go. I’m done, Law. You lied to me!”
He let me go and I stumbled. “I didn’t lie to you, princess.”
I’d loved it when he called me that. It always set my heart racing, had me seeing the world through rose colored glasses. When I was Law’s princess the world was right and true. There wasn’t a thing that could touch me or go wrong.
The word fell flat on the floor.
It felt wrong now.
“I’m not your princess.”
“I think it’s time you left, Law.” Zeus was walking towards us, right past my mother and to Law. He nodded at the papers I still clutched. “Give those to him, flower. Let the beast take his payment and I’ll have him escorted from the premises.”
My hand shook, the paper crumpling and wrinkling in the death grip I had on it and I did what Zeus said, holding it out towards Law. “Take it.” The papers wiggled, wavering in the air as if they had a life of their own. If I pretended they did, if I pretended they were there of their own accord. If I pretended I wasn’t holding them.
If I pretended Law hadn’t taken me for his own for the sum of them.
“I don’t want that shit.”
“Stop lying to yourself, Law. A man like you,” Zeus splayed his hands at his sides taking in the size of the room and winked at Law, “wants for nothing. So what could I offer you but a part of this. You own the city. You’re a king out there, but here? Here you can be a god. And we both know it’s better to be a god than a king. I paid you according to your status. Take it.”
Law’s jaw clenched, his eyes on Zeus not me, and for a moment he didn’t move. Maybe he wouldn’t take the papers, my heart whispered to me. That voice that I’d pushed down when I’d just been on my own. That voice that was hopeful and longed for a place to be. That voice that I had let speak loud and clear while Law had been mine.
That voice was easily fooled. My heart had believed it all when it came from Law’s voice. I’d believed he’d loved me solely for the purpose of loving me.
Stupid.Stupid girl.
Law moved, turning towards me even though he never took his eyes from Zeus. He pulled the papers from my hand and in a neat move folded them and slid them into his jacket.
That voice was wrong now, just like it had been all those other times. The only difference was now I was seeing it in real time.
“Smart man,” Zeus said with a nod. “Connie will walk you through the rest of the little details that come with you being an owner. There will be a lot of perks and privileges I’m sure you’ll want to exercise immediately. Plenty of freedom to play. We have such a beautiful bevy of new members picked to your,” his eyes moved to me, “preferences.”
“Follow me,” Connie said, crooking a finger at him. She smiled at me, touching my shoulder on her way past but I was too numb to do anything but turn my face from them both when Law followed her.
“Works for me,” Law said, his voice was gruff. He moved then, turning towards the door and left. I bit my lip, holding in the tears that wanted to fall. I wanted to run after him, beg him to come back for me, to not leave me here with these two people. People I knew didn’t care about me. But Law hadn’t either.
