God of Pain (Legacy of Gods #2)(72)

On the way inside, I ask, “Why are we here?”

“I’m running out of ropes.”

“Wow. Romantic.”

“Only for you.” He interlinks his fingers with mine.

I can’t help grinning at that, because I know he’s not the type to lie.

“I wonder what your parents would think if they knew about your tendencies,” I say.

“Dad is all for exploring who we are, so he wouldn’t mind. Mum…it’s better that she doesn’t know.”

“I gather your dad is open-minded?”

“The best. Nothing is too wrong or too taboo. He encouraged me, Eli, and Landon to pursue what we wanted.”

“He sounds badass. I wish Papa were the same. I mean, he’s awesome, just too strict, I guess. Like Jeremy. It’s why I wanted to have a fake boyfriend, you know. So my father doesn’t marry me off to the first suitor.”

“That won’t be happening. You have me now.”

My heart nearly explodes. “Does that mean you’re my boyfriend?”

“If you want to put that label on it.”

“What would you call me?”

“My girl.”

“I like that.” I beam. “You’re like my man then.”

“Your man, huh?”

“Yeah, sounds badass and suits your grumpy personality. I’ll proudly introduce you to my family one day. Papa and Jer won’t tell me what to do.”

His lashes lower as he stares at me. “How about your mother? Is she like them?”

“Nope. Mom is the sweetest and constantly acts as my armor against both Papa and Jer. They can’t defy her.” I laugh. “Women rule.”

“I like your mum. She sounds like mine.”

I grin. “Yeah?”

“Mum managed to tame the lion, aka my father, and that’s a superpower. See, Dad is the most ruthless in our family aside from Grandpa Jonathan and Grandpa Agnus, but if Mum is unwell, Dad looks like he’s ready to burn the world.”

“Why would your mom be unwell?”

“She has a heart condition. Most of the time, she’s this ball of energy who’s capable of doing anything, but sometimes, her chronic disease acts up and Dad goes berserker. It’s really nothing major, just some dizziness, and it’s even confirmed by the million doctors he hired that it’s not a threat to her life, but he doesn’t understand that logic.”

My heart warms. “That’s because he loves her.”

“It’s more than love. Eli and I know that if she somehow dies, he’ll join her, no questions asked.”

“Honestly, I can’t imagine Papa without Mom either. They had a dark past that Jer was a witness to—it happened way before I came along—but they’ve shared every sweet and bitter pill for as long as I’ve known them. I love how fiercely they love each other and us. Sometimes, I hate that I’m a mafia princess, for obvious reasons, but I wouldn’t change my parents for the world.”

“Such a good girl, my Annika.”

I groan, feeling my body heating. “You can’t just call me that in public. Now I want to kiss you.”

“And why can’t you?” He tugs on my hand that’s in his, pulling me flush against his chest, and then his lips find mine.

I wrap my arms and legs around him, basically strangling him, to find balance more than anything.

The kiss steals my breath and all my thoughts. All I can do is fall harder and faster for this man.

More than I bargained for.

More than I thought was possible when I first met him.

He places me on my feet and pushes me against the nearest shelf to devour me.

Just when I think the kiss will never end, I’m jerked back by the elbow and I crash against none other than my brother.

Who’s glaring.





23





CREIGHTON





When someone wrenches Annika from my arms, my first thought is murder.

My second thought is to pound them until their features are unrecognizable and they’re begging for death.

I come to a halt, clenched fist at my side, when I make out the person behind the interruption.

Jeremy.

Annika trembles slightly, the rosy blush in her skin slowly vanishing until her face is all white.

She looks so small beside her brother, and it’s not only physically, but also in her aura. It’s almost like his presence overshadows hers. Annika told me that she’s always liked girly things and loved being a girl, because at least in that way, she’s different from Jeremy.

And she desperately wants to be different from him, because even though she loves him, she realizes what type of path he has to take—becoming a mafia leader.

Annika has never liked that part of her family, which is proven time and again whenever she avoids the subject with every trick under the sun.

The manifestation of that life on the island is none other than her brother.

“Jer,” she whispers, staring up at him with big, innocent eyes.

Despite his firm grip on her elbow, he doesn’t look at her. His full cutthroat attention falls on me, dripping with every intention of causing pain. His face is closed off, his eyes unreadable.