Radiant Sin(10)

I bite back a sigh and bring him up to date. It doesn’t even occur to me to keep the rejected offer to Cassandra to myself until his expression goes thoughtful. Zeus leans back in his chair. “Bringing her along is smart.”

“It’s a moot point. She said no, and I’m not comfortable compelling her into a situation like that.”

His lips quirk in a bitter smile. “You don’t have to play the bad guy, Apollo. That’s my job.” Before I can generate a response, he raises his voice. “Cassandra.”

It takes several beats for her to appear in the doorway, looking justifiably suspicious. “Yes?”

Zeus moves his chair so he can see both of us. He studies her for a long moment. “You want to get out of Olympus and take your sister with you.”

She crosses her arms under her breasts and narrows her eyes. “That’s not news.”

“You don’t have the money to do it.”

“Also not news,” she snaps.

Later, it might awe me a little that she’s one of the few people who doesn’t seem to care that the de facto ruler of Olympus sits before her. Right now, I’m too busy fighting a wave of unease. I can tell where he’s going with this, and I don’t like it on a number of levels. “Zeus—”

He ignores me. “Do this one thing for us and I’ll give you enough money to start over. Comfortably. Seven hundred grand.”

Cassandra glances at me, and even though I know her well at this point, I can’t read her expression. She turns her attention back to Zeus. “You’re serious.”

“I am.” He holds her gaze. “This party presents an opportunity we won’t see again. You work for Apollo. You know the potential threat we’re facing. We need that information. There’s no lengths I won’t go to protect Olympus.” He doesn’t move. “Name your price. As long as you deliver on your end of the deal, if it’s within my ability to give it to you, I will.”

She’s silent for a long time, her gaze on something in the middle distance. We both wait silently, though I have to bite my tongue to keep from protesting. Zeus is correct in his arguments, but Cassandra just told me no. It’s not right to put this kind of pressure on her. She’s not one of the Thirteen. She didn’t sign up for this kind of responsibility.

Finally she nods to herself and refocuses on Zeus. “Any price? Double your offer and provide me and Alexandra a safe way out of Olympus. If you agree to those terms, then I’ll do it.”

He doesn’t hesitate. “Done.”

I can’t stop a choked sound. One point four million dollars. That’s her price. I don’t blame her for that, but gods, the audacity. She’s amazing. Still, I can’t ask this of her. I know she doesn’t want it, and even throwing so much money at the situation doesn’t change how uncomfortable she’ll be acting the part of my girlfriend. “I’m sure we can find—”

“You will be paid upon completion.” Zeus’s blunt tone doesn’t waver in the slightest. “While you won’t be asked to do anything sexual with Apollo, you will have to sell the relationship, and that will mean acting appropriately enamored in public.” He pauses. “I won’t require you to be nice to people.”

“I wouldn’t even if you asked me.” She doesn’t look at me. “I’ll be a good little girlfriend and spy, and that’s all that you bargained for.”

Zeus gives a grim smile. “So I did.” He pushes to his feet and finally looks at me. “Update her on everything she needs to know. Start selling the story now so it’s not a surprise when you show up with her next week.” He pauses and sweeps a look over Cassandra that makes me bristle. Zeus frowns. “You have style, but that’s obviously from the sales rack. Appearances matter, and we can’t have you showing up looking like—”

“Like Apollo is fucking someone he picked up in an office,” she says drily.

“Just so. My wife will be in touch to deal with your wardrobe.” He glances at me. “Find me answers, Apollo. We can’t afford another failure.”

“I know,” I finally manage. I’m still trying to process what just happened when he stalks out of my office and leaves me to deal with the mess he just created. One of the perks of being Zeus, I suppose. I clear my throat. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I know.” Cassandra shuts the door and comes to sit across from me. She’s got her expression shuttered, but there’s new tension in her body language that wasn’t there before. She holds my gaze. “I won’t do it for the good of Olympus. The city can burn for all I care. It’s nothing more than it deserves. But a true escape that doesn’t mean losing everything?” She shrugs a single shoulder. “It’s a price I’m willing to pay to get Alexandra out before this city smothers her innocence.”

“If you needed money—”

“I’m going to stop you right there.” She holds up a hand. “We both know you gave me this job as a charity case, and you pay me nearly double what others in similar positions make. You’re already giving me money, Apollo. I’m not going to ask more of you.” Her dark eyes go soft for a moment. “It might not seem like it, but I do appreciate what you’ve done for me.”