Goddess by Chance (Demi-God Daughters Book 2) (14 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Cerceis pressed her lips together as her muscles tightened. Bitterness rose up thick in her throat … because Triton had lied to her.  Her ex was so wrapped up with Athena’s daughter, he hadn’t even detected her presence. In fact, the fool didn’t seem to care that he and the girl were not alone and a few people still lingered from the service.

Gritting her teeth, she watched them together in a small corner of the pavilion. Triton’s arms were wrapped tight around Arienne’s waist and he was kissing her as if she were the only woman in the entire world. Cerceis knew that kiss well. Triton was kissing Arienne with love. Cerceis swallowed back the tears that threatened to send her into hysterics.

He’s in love with the daughter of our enemy. How did he let this happen?
Cerceis shook her head. Triton was a man, and men were weak. He’d fallen for some pitiful half mortal and lied to her about it. She’d been a fool to trust him, but no more. If he thought he was going to have a happy ending with Athena’s bastard, Triton was sadly mistaken. She was going to have her revenge, and if her ex got in her way, she had no problems dealing with him. It was time to put her next plan into action.

****

Arienne lay on the couch watching TV, glad the service was over with. It had been one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do, but lucky for her, Chris had been right there. No matter what happened, she would always be grateful for his support.

But he’s been more than a little supportive, hasn’t he?
She blushed at the memory.

She’d had no idea what to expect when he’d pulled her into the corner, but kissing her senseless had not even been in the top ten. The way Chris held and kissed her made her tears stop falling, and for a few glorious moments, her pain disappeared. That was what being with him did for her. It was as if the world disappeared around her and all that mattered was what he made her feel. It was a new experience, both thrilling and terrifying.

Less than a month ago, she hadn’t even known he existed and now he was suddenly an integral part of her life. Alone, really, for the first time in days, she missed him.

He does have a shipping empire to run. He’s already neglected it by being here with you every waking moment.
She knew it, but that didn’t stop her from wishing he was here to kiss her. To touch her. To make her blush at the compliments he made. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around herself and smiled.

“Now that’s definitely the smile of a woman in love.”

Arienne gasped and sat up. Perched on the arm rest of her couch was her aunt Aphrodite, clad in another resplendent pink creation.

“What are you doing here?” Arienne asked.

“Just checking in on you. Those were beautiful words you spoke at your father’s memorial.”

“You were there?”

Her aunt nodded. “Invisible of course. Can’t risk scaring the mortals. Your mother was there as well.”

Arienne rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to think about was Athena. “Okay.”

“Young lady, I think you and I need to have a little chat about your mom...”

Aphrodite rose from her perch on the arm of the sofa and came to sit down beside her niece.

“What’s to talk about?”

“You’re majorly pissed at her, and I understand that. Athena has never been the easiest person to get along with because of that morally superior vibe.”

“So you see it, too?”

“Everyone does, but you can’t take it personally. That’s just the way she is. It’s her defense mechanism. We may be immortal beings, but life is not just one big party for us either,” Aphrodite said.

“She told me what it was like for her growing up. It sounded pretty terrible, compared to what I had.”

“Then you should have some compassion for her.”

“I do … about that, but that still doesn’t change the fact that she’s never been a real mother to me and I resent the hell out of her for that.”

Aphrodite grabbed her niece’s hand and took a breath. “Arienne, I’m going to tell you something. I haven’t hidden it, but no one seems to be that interested in my life these days so no one has really paid attention.”

Arienne raised an eyebrow. “Okay. I’m curious. What is it?”

“I gave birth to half mortal daughter, too. She’s only a couple years older than you. I didn’t raise her either.”

Arienne’s mouth fell open. She shook her head.
Another deadbeat mother. Why am I not surprised?

“
I can hear you, young lady,”
Aphrodite said inside her head.

“So do all of you do that? It might be different for a boy with a god for a father, but a girl needs her mother,” Arienne said. She couldn’t stop the frown that spread across her face.

“Before you jump to conclusions, I have been a part of my daughter’s life from the moment she was born and I don’t just mean holidays and birthdays. I see her nearly every day.”

“Then why not raise her yourself?”

“Because she’s half mortal and I thought it would be better for her to be with her father. Besides, it’s never been done. A god or goddess raising their half-mortal offspring,” Aphrodite explained.

“That makes no sense to me. It would’ve been nice to have someone around before my powers manifested so I’d know what to expect or how to control them.”

“You girls are different from past demigods. Usually you’re born with your powers, not this weird later in life manifestation that’s happening with your generation.”

Arienne put a hand up. “It doesn’t matter. Athena cared more about her reputation than being my mother. The only reason she’s even expressing any interest now is because she’s feeling guilty.”

“Your mother loves you, and while I wholeheartedly agree with you that the decisions she made in the past were wrong, she’s trying now. Just give her a chance.”

“Why is this so important to you?” Arienne asked.

“I’m the Goddess of Love. I don’t like to see strife anywhere, especially between a mother and daughter.”

“Fine. I’ll give it some thought.”

Aphrodite patted her knee. “That’s a start. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I can see the glow of love around you. Being in love agrees with you.”

Arienne laughed a bit. “Who said I was in love?”

“I’m the one person you can’t fool. You love him.”

Arienne shook her head. “It’s too soon.”

“Thou dost protest too much, and besides, there is no timetable when it comes to love. I’ve seen people fall in love in a matter of hours. It’s different for everyone.”

“But does he love me?” Arienne asked.

“That’s one thing you need to figure out on your own. Do you think he does?”

Arienne shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m new to this relationship stuff.”

“You know, deep down inside. But I don’t blame you for being cautious, so be careful.” Aphrodite rose from the couch.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Arienne asked. She stood and glared at her aunt.

“It’s not my place. All I can tell you is that it will not be smooth sailing when your mother and boyfriend come face to face.”

“Why?”

“That I can’t divulge. All I can say is that you cannot let it affect your relationship with either of them. Whatever happens, please do that for me,” Aphrodite said. She touched Arienne’s cheek, and then she was gone.

Arienne stood frowning. She bit the inside of her cheek.
What the hell was that about?
Why would her mother and boyfriend have a problem with each other when they’d never even met? None of this made any sense. She needed to get out and clear her head.

****

Triton had no idea why his father insisted on stirring up back to back storms during the mortals’ “hurricane season”. Triton was staying busy though because as some of the storms reached their peak, he would wave his trident and calm the waters. As the Prince of the Sea, it was his job. He’d never really minded it before, but today he’d much rather not be traveling between oceans.

Arienne was alone, and after the emotions she’d been overwhelmed with, the last thing he wanted was for her to experience that again. He should be there, holding her and making her forget everything else, but even a god had work to do. And from the way things were clouding up in the distance, his father was not done yet.
Every now and then nature needs a little disturbance, son.
Triton had heard that for so long, there was no use in arguing. He just hoped he could get back to Arienne, sooner than later.

****

Arienne walked down the small street leading back to the complex where her condo was. Walking nearly half a mile had done nothing to clear any of the confusion in her brain, concerning her mother and Chris. And she sure couldn’t ask Chris if he knew Athena.

Sure, Arienne. Ask your boyfriend has he ever met your mother, the Goddess of Wisdom. He’s liable to run away and never come back.

“Now aren’t you a pretty thing.”

Arienne came to herself. A scruffy African-American man was walking towards her.

“Thank you,” she said. Her pace increased.

“Tell your friend not to leave.”

Arienne’s head snapped to her left. A white man with greasy blond hair was coming closer.

“Leave me alone,” Arienne said.

“I don’t think we’re going to do that just yet.”

Another African-American man stood a few feet away, blocking the path in front of her. The hairs on Arienne’s arms stood up as the three men surrounded her from all sides. Arienne’s skin was clammy and her chest felt tight. The thing she’d feared most in the world was staring her right in the face. She was about to be raped … again.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

For a moment her arms and legs didn’t move. Fear tasted acidic and hot in her mouth. All the therapy in the world couldn’t have prepared her for this. The men came closer and closer, and then one of them grabbed her arm. Something inside her broke loose, and with all her strength she pushed the man away. He flew ten feet from her before falling and landing hard on the asphalt.

“What the fuck? Man, let’s get this bitch,” the bearded African-American man said.

“I’m warning you. Don’t make me hurt you,” Arienne said.

“You’re the one who’s going to be hurt, sweetheart,” the greasy blond said.

“Fine. I warned you.” Arienne stood to her full height. Her muscles relaxed and she felt a lightness in her chest. She was not the helpless seventeen-year-old she’d been all those years ago. She was a survivor, the daughter of a goddess, and that meant she could take care of herself. Concentrating Arienne tapped into her power. With a thought all three men went flying away from her. She smiled with satisfaction.

“Get up. Get up. What’s wrong with us?” the clean shaven African-American said to his buddies.

“I don’t know, man. Maybe we should just let this one go,” the white man said.

“No. We need to teach this one a lesson.”

Arienne watched, amusement rising. She bent down and pounded the asphalt as hard as she could. The ground shook and then it splintered all the way to where her would-be attackers stood. As the ground shook beneath their feet, they stared back and forth amongst themselves before running towards her. Arienne braced herself.

****

Triton raised his trident over the waters. A beam of golden light spread across the water for miles and miles. The waters of the Aegean were calm once again. Surveying the ocean around him he was reminded once again that this was the part of being a god he loved the most, enjoying the tranquility of the seas. It was the only place in the world he truly felt a measure of peace. With a smile he looked around and prepared to depart when he stopped cold.

Triton’s spine tingled. Something was wrong.
Arienne.
He knew it like he knew his name. With a thought he was transporting himself back around the world. He didn’t know what he’d find, and he didn’t care if his cover was blown. He was going to protect her.

Triton materialized a quarter of a mile away from Arienne’s condo and found his beloved fighting off three men. With telekinesis and super strength, she could’ve easily done them real harm if she chose to, but he could tell she was only trying to get them to go away without causing them serious injury. He could also tell she was wasting her efforts. These men couldn’t stop, even if they wanted to because they were being controlled. He could sense the magic surrounding them.
Cerceis.
That bitch was going to pay for this.

With a bellow of rage, grabbing for the man on Arienne’s right, Triton reared back and delivered an uppercut as hard as he could. He heard the crunch of bone as the man’s jaw broke and the greasy man fell to the ground. Before anyone could follow his movements, Triton sent a burst of power at the man’s mind, snapping Cerceis’s control.

A scruffy faced man ran at him, but Triton easily caught him with a punch to the face. The man’s nose broke beneath the force of his punch. Blood sprayed hot onto Triton’s hand, but he didn’t care. As the man fell to the ground, Triton kicked him for good measure before he broke the mind control. He looked up to see the last man falling to the ground. Arienne stood staring, hair wild, blown by the wind. Sweat marred her brow, making the fine hairs around her temple stick to her head, but she’d never looked more beautiful. With a quick kick to distract his actions as he freed the last man from Cerceis’s mind control, he approached her.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded looking down at her unmoving attackers. “Yeah. I’m okay.”

He pulled her into his arms, resting his chin atop her head. For a minute he just held her, trying to calm the beating of his heart as the realization set in that she was safe.

“Baby, I was so scared when I saw those men attacking you,” he finally said.

“I was, too, at first.”

“I’m sure you were. What happened?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“I think they wanted to rape me.”

A red haze appeared before Triton’s eyes, and he began to shake. Quickly he picked Arienne up in his arms and started the walk back to her condo. Maybe by the time he had her inside he’d have calmed down enough. Right now, his emotions were much too raw.

****

Arienne was quiet as Chris carried her back to her condo. He hadn’t said a word since she’d told him that her attackers probably wanted to rape her, but he didn’t need to. She could feel the heat of Chris’s anger as he held her close. There was a hard look in his usually bright eyes and his jaw was locked. For a minute she wondered if her attackers were unconscious or dead. The way Chris had struck two of them was enough to make her wince. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his jaw and she could feel him tremble.

“I’m fine, Chris. Calm down.”

He continued walking without a word, but his eyes met hers for a split second. She waited for him to say something, but he never did. A bit dejected at his robot-like coldness, she looked away.

“I could’ve lost you when I just found you,” he whispered.

So that was it. As angry as he was, he was also terrified at the thought of anything happening to her.

“But you didn’t. I’m here. You saved me.”

“What if I hadn’t got here in time?”

“You did, and it’s not exactly like I was helpless.”

Chris’s eyes found hers as she pressed the elevator button that would take them to her place. Some of the glacial ice in them melted away, but his jaw remained tense.

“I wanted to kill them,” he said.

Arienne touched his cheek. “I know.”

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside, still carrying her. Chris jabbed at the button to close the doors.

“This is my fault. I shouldn’t have left you alone. I should’ve stayed with you.”

“Chris, what happened has nothing to do with you. I left to go for a walk. And besides you can’t be with me every waking minute. You have your own life.”

The elevator opened, depositing them right outside Arienne’s unit.

“My life would not be the same without you.”

His eyes bored into hers with an intensity that made her feel breathless. Her mind was scattered as she tried to formulate a response. Shaking her head, she was speechless as Chris took the key from her pocket and unlocked the front door. Stepping inside he set her carefully down on the couch before he turned to lock the door completely.

“Chris, I…”

“It’s all right. I know that was a little intense.”

“It’s not that. I just…” Arienne trailed off.

He sat down beside her and took her hands in his. He shook his head. “You don’t have to say anything, but there’s something I need to tell you.”

Arienne swallowed and nodded. What Chris needed to unburden, she had no idea.

****

Arienne’s dark eyes watched him, waiting for him to speak. After today, he didn’t have time for pretenses or games. It was time to share with her something he hadn’t confessed to anyone, not even his own mother.

“I haven’t always been the best man, Arienne. There are things I’ve done I’m not proud of, but even a flawed man like myself knows love.”

She squeezed his hand, nodding for him to continue.

“A long time ago I fell in love, and that woman became my world. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t have done for her, but she betrayed me and that betrayal destroyed me.”

“I’m sorry,” Arienne said, eyes soft.

“Thank you. Though it happened some time ago, I never really got over it. I stopped trusting women, and I closed myself off from love. I haven’t made love to a woman since her.”

“You’ve been celibate?” Arienne asked. Her brows were raised in obvious disbelief.

“In a sense,” he said.

“What does that mean?”

He cleared his throat. “There are other ways a man can enjoy pleasure.”

Arienne’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh.”

“I hope this doesn’t change things between us.”

Arienne stared at Chris.

“Arienne, please say something,” Chris said.

“I really don’t know how to respond. I mean intellectually I get it, but emotionally it makes me wonder if you’re really ready for a relationship with me and all it entails.”

“I’m ready. Arienne, I want us to have something that will last us the rest of our lives. Baby, any two people can do things together, but to make love to someone, you have to trust them. You have to feel that it’s safe to be close to them in such a special, intimate way, and I thought I’d never feel that again and then I met you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. There’s an innocence that radiates from you. It touches me. Soothes me. It makes me dream of a future waking up in bed beside you every morning and worshipping your body with mine as nature intended. I love you, Arienne. I love you … so much.”

He could see tears welling up in her eyes. Her bottom lip trembled.

“Oh Chris. I want to believe you. I want to trust you wholeheartedly, but I’m scared.”

“I’m scared, too, so let’s be scared in this thing together. I love you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

He smiled and then he kissed her, with an ardent fervor, trying to convey the full depth of his emotions through a kiss. He loved her so damn much. He wasn’t sure exactly when it happened, but he knew it was true. He loved her from now to eternity. Arienne leaned away and looked at him with fresh tears staining her cheeks, but she was smiling.

“Make love to me.”

Four simple words. Triton’s heart stopped.