Page 4 of Gilded Gods

I point my finger at Athena. “Because of her? I’m your daughter. Your flesh and blood. She’s some home-wrecker who took advantage of you while your wife died.”

“I’m sick of your princess attitude,” Ares interjects. “Apologize to our mother. Now!”

I blow out a deep breath and ignore him.

With my teeth gritted, my gaze lands on my dad. “And here, I thought you were different. But I guess all men only ever think with their dicks.”

I don’t wait for him to answer and race upstairs, my feet moving so quickly that the soles of my shoes feel like they’re on fire. Every part of my body burns from the adrenaline coursing through me.

“Ophelia,” Dad calls out from the ground floor.

Screw him.

I don’t waste time and stuff clothes, toiletries, and a few things into a backpack. My bodyguard will let me crash at his place until I figure out what to do with my life. And with the size of my trust fund, I can buy my own club.

I don’t need him.

My dad and his new family are still in the sitting room when I head downstairs, adjusting the bag’s strap over my shoulder.

Everyone stops talking.

They stare at me.

Ares cradles his mother in his arms like a newborn baby, dabbing at her tears with a silk handkerchief that matches his tie, but his eyes never leave mine.

He glares at me.

I roll my eyes.

Fuck him.

And thisfamily.

He releases his grip on his mother and steps out of the room, blocking my path to the front door. Because of his size, I can’t get around him. Not with all of the muscle bulging out from beneath his suit jacket.

“Get out of my way, Ares.”

He dips his head down so he’s almost at my height, and our eyes connect. “Listen up, you little brat, because I won’t repeat myself. If you don’t march your entitled ass back into that room and apologize to my mother, I will make your life a living hell.”

“Your threats mean nothing to me.” I reach into my back pocket and grab the Glock from my waistband, jamming the barrel into his stomach. “Now, if you don’t moveyourass out ofmyway, I will put a bullet in your kidney. You do the math, Ares. At this close of a range, that gives you maybe a five percent chance of survival if you’re lucky.”

“This isn’t over.” He steps to the side, teeth bared. “I’ll find you, little dragon. And when I do, your mouthy ass is mine.”

ChapterThree

ARES

One day,I will wrap my hands around her throat and squeeze the fucking life from her body. This little bitch thinks she can mess with me. She’s fucking with the wrong man.

With the barrel of a Glock jammed into my stomach, I don’t have any choice but to let her go. I can tell by the murderous look in her eyes that she’ll pull the trigger. This is a girl who takes action. Otherwise, Belen wouldn’t have let her manage his most profitable club.

“This isn’t over,” I tell her, stepping away from the door. “I’ll find you, little dragon. And when I do, your mouthy ass is mine.”

Ophelia lowers the gun and smirks. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“You should be,” I snap at her.

Ophelia stares at me like she’s trying to size me up. I have never met a woman so formidable.

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