Page 41 of For the Love of the Gods

Dominic’s eyes flashed and I held his stare, curious what he was going to do. But then he shook his head and the desire I thought I’d seen there dimmed.

Back to normal.

Dominic offered me an arm, even though the chivalrous act looked painful. I took it, wrapping a hand around his tense bicep. A bicep that was perfectly carved out and taunting me from under his suit jacket.

Raiden was our only guard today, the whole cavalry unnecessary when we were going to another god’s home. I greeted Raiden and he gave me a quick squeeze on the shoulder before scolding us both for makinghimlate. Apparently the guards had some pool going for who would show up last and Raiden was not about to lose money. He practically pushed us out of the door, and I was holding onto Dominic for dear life.

We stepped through the front door right into Corrina’s entry way, and were immediately greeted with the sounds of chatter and music. My ears perked up when I heard the distinct melody of one of my favorite songs, and played on piano, which made it even better.

“What?” Dominic asked, studying my face as I took in the sound.

“It’s—”

“Ah, the happy couple!” Corrina interrupted, calling us from the entry to the ballroom to our left. She was beautiful, in an alluring, captivating way that everyone in her House appeared. She had rich auburn hair that made her brown eyes look like freshly made caramel, and her cherry red dress was falling off her full curves delicately. She also had the biggest heart, open and eager to give love.

“Corrina.” Dominic greeted, tipping his chin down as she approached.

But she ran right to me and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t miss the shock on Dominic’s face.

I smiled as she rocked me back and forth in a tight embrace. “Hi, Corrina.”

“Hi, doll,” she said through a blinding smile, before turning to Dominic. “Hi, Dominic, nice to see you. I’m going to steal your wife now.”

She grabbed me by my free hand and pulled me away, forcing my hand to trail down Dominic’s arm. He grabbed my hand for a moment before Corrina gave me a yank and tore my hand from his rough, calloused fingers.

When she got me through the doors and placed a glass of red wine in my hand, she grabbed me by the shoulders and said, “I want to know everything. Now.”

I laughed behind the rim of my wine glass. “Don’t get too excited, it’s an arrangement.”

Her eyes flashed with delight. “Ooo, I love a friends with benefits storyline.”

I shook my head quickly. No, no,no. “We are not friends and we are certainly not sleeping together.”

“Why? You are both hot and he is staring at your ass.” I wasn’t going to tell her that I knew that. Dominic clearly followed us into the room because I could feel his gaze pinned to my backside. Thank god for the wine or the color building in my cheeks would be unexplainable.

“We have an interesting history, if you don’t remember.”

“Oh, whatever.” Corrina meant it kindly. She was my age, and was never friends with Pine. To her, to the gods, indiscretions weren’t that bad. Humans didn’t understand what power did to you the same way the gods did. It was why everyone who didn’t know Pine was still pretty nice to me. Death and killing were more common amongst them, viewed as collateral instead of an unforgivable wrong.

But living in the Underworld, seeing what untimely death did to people, there was a different code to live by. It was why my staff quit, why Dominic thought me the devil. I knew the pain it caused people alive and dead, and did it anyway.

Corrina thought death was romantic, viewing sacrifice and grief as the purest expression of love. I wished I could see it that way.

“Really, nothing is happening,” I insisted when she gave me a little shoulder shake.

“Well, when something does, you tell me first.”

I laughed. “Will do.”

We finished catching up, and then more and more of my friends came up to say hello. It was good to see them, but I was somewhat distracted trying to track Dominic’s movements through the room. I felt his eyes on me occasionally, and every time I looked back, he looked more and more pissed.

People kept approaching him, offering their congratulations, I assumed. They would offer him a hug or a clap on the shoulder, talk for a few minutes, and then filter off. I was worried that my friends would start to spill information about me. Specifically, stories about me. These were my friends, and we had fun, but Dominic didn’t need to know that.

I kept the two worlds separate. I didn’t want to give him more reason to think Pine’s death didn't affect me. Not that I trusted him with that information anyway. He was too observant for his own good. If he knew what happened, he’d soon find out my plan and do something stupid like try to stop me.

I wanted to pin down someone who had spoken to him, and figured Julian Mars was my best bet. He was a gossip, especially after some whiskey. I spotted him by the bar and approached, hoping a dance would clue me in on why Dominic looked ready to kick over a candle and burn down Corrina’s beautiful home.

Chapter 11

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