Page 12 of Lovesick Gods

“When’s the last time you got laid anyway?”

“Can we drop this?” Cho grit out. “Do I look like I’m retiring any time soon? Ourelectricfriend wouldn’t stoop to fraternizing with someone like me even if he does think I have a soft spot for this city.”

“You do have a soft spot for this city. And for him.”

“Lucy…”

“See ya later, Mickey. But if you’re not gonna try a little lightning any time soon, at least go for something with some bite.”

Danny pivoted to face away from the entrance as he felt Lucy breeze past him. He’d encountered her when he was Zeus many times. Gaia, she called herself, because she could create and control plant life large enough to wrap a grown man up like the next meal for a boa constrictor.

Awakening as an Elemental was often hereditary but not a guarantee. Danny knew from Cho’s police file that he and his sister didn’t share the same mother, obvious only in Lucy’s paler skin tone. Otherwise, they had striking similarities in theirfeatures—the shape of their eyes, the line of their noses, the dark color of their hair, though Lucy’s was bobbed at her chin shorter than her brother’s, and as an Earth Elemental, her eyes were brown.

Waiting a safe amount of time after she’d left, Danny darted back to the condiments counter to get a new lid. He took a sip to calm his nerves. Still terrible, but he’d risk being late now if it meant getting a fresh coffee and the chance to confront Cho.

He’d always assumed Cho’s subtle flirting was just to get a rise out of him. The man mocked him, lied to him,betrayedhim. And all that,thatgot his crank turning? Even when he’d played nice with Danny in the past, he’d just been hoping to bend him over the nearest surface.

Cho wasn’t good or redeemable. When the city needed him, whenDannyhad needed him, he’d run away and hid, then dared to show his face right after and expected Danny to act like nothing had happened. Cho just wanted to use Danny like everybody else. Even Andre and Lynn wouldn’t look twice at him if he wasn’t Zeus.

Just like them, Cho only saw Danny suit deep, not even skin deep, just leather and lightning. No one cared about Danny Grant. His past relationships proved that. He’d never once been the one to end things; they’d always left him first. Vanessa left because he was too distant; he couldn’t tell her he was an Elemental, and it had only gotten worse after his mother’s death. Before that, his last boyfriend had been sweet and soft and loving, but he couldn’t handle Danny’s intensity.

“Maybe I need someone who isn’t Lightning leaning,” he’d said.

Danny didn’t care what element someone was, but he didn’t want sweet or soft right now. He definitely didn’t want loving. He shouldn’t have to always be the lonely superhero thatcouldn’t be honest about who he was without putting people in danger.

Cho wouldn’t be in danger. He could take care of himself. Danny wouldn’t have to hide that he was Zeus. He wouldn’t have to hide anything, worry about anything. He could take what he wanted and blow off some of that steam rising steadily within him.

Turning around, he spotted Cho in line, halfway to the counter now. Cho was smooth and handsome and exuded sex appeal. It wasn’t as if Danny was blind to that. This could be everything he needed. And he’d finally get his revenge.

He started to walk forward.

Andre had told him not to break some poor girl’s heart. No worries there. At worst, Danny would get some no-strings-attached sex out of the deal. At best…well.

Wouldn’t it be something if he could swindle the unflinching Prometheus? If he could get Cho to actually fall for him, head over heelsin lovewith him, and then rip the rug out from under his feet? It would be such sweet vengeance for what Cho had done to Danny. A guy like him probably wouldn’t even feel it, but it would still be validating to finally be the one on top.

“Crap!” Danny said as he shouldered into Cho—purposely, but playing up that he’d tripped. “Sorry, shoot, I am so sorry, I just—Cho?!”

“Well, well…this is an expensive coat, Danny. I hope you’re planning on paying for that.” Cho smirked despite his words, amused at seeing Danny rather than upset that he now had coffee all down the left side of his trench coat.

Other than the mess Danny had made, Cho lookedgood. He always did, always so slick and put together compared to Danny’s button-down, sweater, and seen-better-days blazer. Today Cho looked like a businessman to better blend in with the crowd. Blue suit, dark trench, shiny striped tie. He wore glassesto veil his identity, and his dark hair hung loose to frame his face. He was equal in height to Danny, both over six feet tall, but Cho was broader than Danny’s lankier frame.

The faint scent of cologne wafted up from him, and when Danny reminded himself of his goal, the scent and sight of the man made his gut burn hot with anticipation.

He feigned concern for the people around them and leaned in close to Cho. “What are you doing here? Lowering yourself to robbing coffee shops now?”

“Just passing through. Usually I’m a morning person, despite my frequent late nights, but even I need a shot of caffeine to get going.”

“Of course you’re a morning person,” Danny grumbled, honestly annoyed at that, but still playing into his game. “Well my morning is thoroughly ruined now, thanks.”

“I’m sure you can get back in line for another cup.”

“Was already planning to. The new girl doesn’t know what she’s doing.” Danny subtly insinuated himself beside Cho in line. To anyone watching they were just two friends catching up as they ran into each other on their way to work. “Want a hint? Request for Esther to make your order. She’s been here forever.”

Cho stared at Danny as he stood there, holding his now half-empty coffee cup and not making any attempts to move away. “Are you angling to budge in line, Sparky? That’s awfully villainous of you.”

Naturally, Cho fell into the pattern of their old banter—Danny barely had to make an effort. Pulling on a smile, he watched Cho’s expression shift into mild surprise. “It’s not budging ifyou’regoing to pay for it.”

“And why would I do that?”

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