Page 13 of Zeus's Ruin

CHAPTER TEN

Sugar

I’m not sure I wantto go home yet but Harper’s landlord is a real asshole, and if I stay any longer, he’s going to start asking me for rent.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, just always looking over my shoulder, afraid Jimmy’s going to find me.”

“Oh, honey.Promise me you’ll go to the police and report what that asshole did to you.”

“I’ll think about it.”I have no intention of going to the cops—ever—but Harper doesn’t need to know that.Letting Zeus handle Jimmy is the only way I’m ever going to feel safe again.I linger in the doorway.“Well, thanks for letting me stay.And for the cheese and wine and girl time.”

“Of course, babe.Anytime.”She pulls me into a gentle hug.I grimace anyway because everything still hurts.

“See ya at work.”

“Call me if you need me.”Harper pulls away and levels me with a stern look.“I mean it, Sugar.”

“I will.I promise.”I give her a little wave and slowly take the stairs.When I reach the bottom floor, her landlord opens the door to glare at me.I flip him off and exit onto a busy Magazine Street and begin the long trek home.

***

IT’S AFTER THREE WHENI walk up the drive to the doubles.Zeus is on the porch again, dirty jeans, a white tank, and a beer in hand.“Hey,” he says nonchalantly, as if he didn’t just tell me to go stay with my friend while he offed my ex.

“Hey.”

“You want a beer?”

I glance at the empty street and slowly climb the stairs.My body is aching from head to toe, between the cable cars and all the walking, I feel bruised all over.Okay, well more bruised than Jimmy left me.“You got something harder?

His mouth twists in a grin.“You wanna come inside?”

I shake my head.I don’t want that.I can’t do that.I don’t want to be alone with Zeus right now.I’m not sure I trust myself, but I also need to know if Jimmy is dead.I need to know I’m never going to have my power taken from me like that again.

“Can you just tell me?”

“You’re safe, darlin’.If you want details, you’re gonna have to come inside.”

A sob tears from my throat, surprising us both, and I raise my hand to cover my cries.

“Come ’ere.”Zeus wraps me up in a hug and kisses the top of my head.It hurts.Everything fucking hurts, but this is the last time I’ll ever be hurt this way again.I’ll never let another man make me his punching bag.I’ll never be weak, never be a victim again.And the next time a man raises a hand to me, I won’t need a biker to kill him, I’ll do it my-fucking-self and he’ll rue the day he ever met me.

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