Electric Idol (Dark Olympus #2)(99)

Family? I frown. “What are you talking about?”

He leans forward and presses a button on his phone. “Send her in.”

Behind me, the door opens and familiar footsteps sound. Horror keeps my feet planted in place, but it doesn’t save me from the truth as my oldest sister rounds me and Eros and moves to stand at Zeus’s shoulder. Callisto is wearing a black dress, the sheer simplicity of the cut only serving to highlight her stark beauty. She doesn’t touch Zeus, standing a careful foot away, but there’s no denying what’s happened.

It’s written there on the giant diamond on her ring finger.

“No,” I whisper.

For his part, Zeus doesn’t seem overly smug. He just looks bored with this conversation. “The engagement will be announced in a few days. The wedding will be this spring. Under no circumstances are you to do anything to endanger that, or I will exile every member of your family.” His gaze flicks to Eros. “As well as your husband.”

“But—” I choke back my protest when Callisto shakes her head very slightly. When she said she’d take care of it, I was afraid she’d try to murder Zeus or something equally violent. I didn’t think she’d agree to marry him. Her words from yesterday come back to me.

You and Persephone have been taking care of us long enough. I’ll handle this.

I have to respect her choice; even if I don’t understand it, I know Callisto too well to believe anyone forced her into this decision, not if she didn’t want to do this.

I clear my throat. “Welcome to the family, Zeus.”

“Better, but I expect smiles and happy words when we officially announce the engagement. You will be nothing less than effusive and supportive.” He looks out the window for a long moment and then back at us. “That concludes things. You won’t be allowed contact with Aphrodite until she’s removed from the city. There will be a press conference in the morning that I do not want you to attend.”

“You’re going to spin the story.”

“Of course I’m going to spin the story.” He shakes his head. “Go home. Stay there. Keep making heart eyes at each other for at least a month. I don’t care what you do after that, but you will keep to this timeline to avoid people asking uncomfortable questions. Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

Zeus turns that cold gaze on Eros. “And you?”

“Loud and clear.”

“Good. Now get out of my office.”

I don’t know if I’d have argued further. Eros doesn’t give me a chance. He turns to me and, with a hand at the small of my back, guides me out of the room. It’s a small touch but no less dominant for it. We don’t speak as the elevator goes to the ground floor. Only then does he hesitate. “Are you up for the walk to our place?”

Our place.

He says it so freely, without hesitation or stumbling. As if the penthouse is really both of ours, rather than just his. As if this marriage was anything but a con. A month. A month is all we have left. After that, we’ll have no reason to stay married. No reason except for the love that’s threatening to rip a hole in my chest.

Eros told his mother he loved me. He told me he cared about me. But we’ve both spent so long pretending for other people, I don’t know what’s real and what’s not anymore.

“I can walk.”

“Okay.” He loops his arm through mine and turns us in the direction of his building.

It takes half a block for my feelings to get the best of me. “Eros—”

“Not here.”

Right. Not out on the street where anyone can overhear. I should be smiling up at him like the newlywed I am, but I can’t manage it.

As long as I’m moving, I’m okay, but the second we get back into Eros’s penthouse and he closes the door behind me, my knees give out.

He catches me before I hit the floor. Of course he does. Eros scoops me up and takes me into the bedroom that’s become ours. Only then does he sit me on the bed and crouch before me. The ice is still present in his eyes, but the way he holds my hands is soft and sweet. “Breathe, Psyche.”

“I am breathing.” Except my voice is too high and thready. And I can’t stop shaking. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Adrenaline letdown.” He rubs my hands gently. “It will pass.”

Of course he would know. He’s been in dangerous situations over and over again. I’ve only done it twice, and the feeling bubbling up inside me after the assassination attempt in the parking lot was nothing compared to this.

My throat is too tight, but I have to get the words out. “I’m sorry.”

He frowns. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry. You told me to stay here and I couldn’t. I couldn’t let you bear the burden of hurting her. She’s your mother.”

“She’s a monster.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t love her.”

He sighs and moves to join me on the bed. “No, that doesn’t mean I don’t love her, if you can call it that. I…” He curses. “I’m fucking furious with you. You put yourself in danger. You didn’t fucking talk to me. I thought I was going to show up and find you dead. I can’t… Psyche, I don’t care what burdens I have to bear; they’re more than worth it if you’re safe.”