Page 25 of Sins of Leo

“Why hide what you are? The world loves heroes.”

“Not everyone does. People can be dicks. Those who fear us would see us hunted and killed. You know there are some who would want to experiment, take us apart to see how our abilities work. Then there are the greedy who would coerce us into doing their bidding.”

“Those are fair points. Still, it must be lonely carrying around such a huge secret.” She’d yet to keep moving up the stairs.

“Not usually. I’m a private kind of guy.” Even more so now, since his experience with Kylie. She’d been the first person to find out about his Zodiac side, and while she’d seemed accepting at first, by the end, she claimed it as the reason why she couldn’t love him.

“You told your wife, though,” Ruth stated as if reading his mind.

“Yeah. Kind of had to since I saved her from a gorgon. Sage offered me a potion to wipe her memories but…”

“You fell in love,” she finished softly. “I envy those who can find it. I find dating to be a chore.”

“Then you’re not dating the right men.”

“Or it’s me. I just find them lacking. My therapist claims it’s because of my unresolved daddy issues.” She rolled her eyes.

“And?”

Her lips quirked. “He might have a point.”

“If you ask me, take your time dating and find the right one. I rushed in, despite Sage telling me I should wait. Kylie and I eloped a month after we met and got married.

“Wait, you ignored the seer? The person you always obey?” She threw his words back at him.

“First and last time.” He grimaced. “Ready to keep going?”

She eyed the stairs and sighed. “If I must. This place could use an elevator.”

“You get used to it.”

“Perish the thought,” she groaned.

Before Leo could think twice, he’d scooped her into his arms.

“Put me down. I can walk.”

“You can, but you’re slow.” The faster he got her to whatever room Tower had planned, the sooner he could escape her presence, and he needed to, badly, because he kept noticing things he shouldn’t. Like how her rounded bum filled out her slacks. The fullness of her lips. The way talking to her engaged his senses while the scent of her intoxicated.

“Eager to get rid of me?” she quipped.

“Yes.” No point in lying.

“And here I thought we were having a nice conversation.”

He snorted. “Is that what you call it? Seems more like shrink-talk to me.” She wouldn’t stop questioning, and his dumb ass kept answering.

“We never did finish our sessions.”

“Guess we’ll have plenty of time since we’re stuck together.”

Her nose wrinkled. “For how long?”

“However long it takes to find this doorway and the relic inside. So you’d better get around to reading that journal.”

“I don’t want to.” Her sulky reply.

“Hate to break it to you, Buttercup, but the longer you procrastinate about diving into your dad’s journal, the more time we’ll have to spend together.”

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