Page 102 of For the Love of the Gods

“Any plans on telling him?” Lukas asked, right as the point of his knife embedded itself in the shoulder of the target carved into the wall.

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “I know I should, but he’s already chipped away at so much already.”

“It might help,” Lukas said.

“Help what?”

“The unrequited love you’re feeling.”

My knife flew into the lower leg off the target. I was aiming for the head. “Love? Lukas, darling, that’s a stretch.”

The heady feeling of hate was still sitting pretty in my chest. It just looked a little different. Was warping.

Lukas looked at me skeptical, the wordsbeachandthreatening my noseclear in his expression. “You sure about that?”

I nodded and channeled my energy into nailing the target right in the chest. I was always good at knife throwing.

“Does it hurt?” Lukas asked.

“What?”

“Does looking at him hurt?”

I stared at him stupidly for a second, taking in his words. I thought about how it felt. The thing in my chest with his name on it. “Yeah. It um…it aches. Like I overworked a muscle.”

Lukas raised an eyebrow like that was exactly what he meant.Shit.

“You said unrequited,” I noted. “That means it’s one-sided.”

Lukas threw a knife then looked back at me, crossing his large arms over his chest. “It’s not.”

My knife clattered to the ground.

“Did he say something?” I dared to ask. Even though I was still uncomfortable, itchy at the thought of anything existing between us that belonged in the positive emotion category.

“No,” Lukas said, shaking his head. I ignored the pit that sprung up in my stomach. “Even if he did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“C’mon, Lukas. I thought we were friends.”

“But he’s my best,” Lukas returned. “Besides, I wouldn’t ask you to do the same with Daphne. For all I know you are keeping her secrets.”

He got me there. I’d help her hide a body if she asked. But for some reason, I felt the need to defend the situation. Especially when I’d seen him wither since she left. “I told you everything I know. I want to find her just as much as you do.”

Lukas laughed bitterly. Almost like it was a competition that I’d certainly lose. “He hasn’t said anything directly, but he was about to take my head off at the mere thought of us hooking up.”

We both shuddered at the thought. Lukas was like a brother. Let alone Daphne was—he was Daphne’s fiancé.

“He’s like that with everyone,” I defended weakly.

Lukas raised his eyebrow like that exactly proved my point. “You trust him?”

“Yeah.” I did. I was a little annoyed that I did.

“Tell him,” Lukas said, then breathed in like I was about to be in for a friendly lashing. “You are the one keeping a secret. Why would he reveal anything if you are still hiding this from him?”

I grimaced. “Tough, but fair.”

“I’m just fantastic at giving advice,” Lukas said. “Spouses are hard.”

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