Page 25 of Infinity Chronicles 2
“I don’t know, one second we were… kissing, and the next his eyes go all starry night and he falls over. He could barely speak.”
“Kissing?” Dante looks over at his brother, his eyes now narrowed. “Ares, have anything to add?” His arm falls down around my waist and pulls me tighter to his side.
Ares makes a scoffing sound. “I didn’t just fall over. I tripped.” He brushes at the sleeve of his shirt, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
“On what, your ego? Because there wasn’t anything else to trip over.” I’m a little perturbed he’s downplaying the whole thing. What would have happened if we weren’t at home? My mindstarts spinning, what if it happens every time we kiss, I meanreallykiss? I turn to face Dante, and confess, “It was more than kissing, we were making out.” It’s only then I realize I don’t even have my bra on anymore andhave no idea where it even is.
Dante’s eyebrows shoot up. Facing off with his brother, his voice holding an edge he demands, “Did you claim her?”
Ares raises his hands in surrender. “Absolutely not,” he pauses, his eyes move over to mine. “She claimed me.”
Chapter 9
My mind goescompletelyblank for abriefmoment. Then Ares’s words filter back in.I claimed him, what does that even mean? “I did what?” I gasp, feeling like I can’t catch my breath. My heart is pounding against my chest, flooding my ears with the heavy thud.
Ares comes back to stand in front of me, his eyes locked on mine. “Laura, breath.” What is he talking about? I am breathing. “Here, like this, in,” Ares takes a deep breath through his mouth, “and out. That’s it Laura, just follow me, in and out, in and out.” I nod mimicking his breaths.
My thoughtsbegin toclear. “Did you say I claimed you? As in I did something to you, that you didn’t have a choice in?” I wrap my fingers around Ares’s wrist. His hands are on my shoulders and Dante’s arm is still wrapped around my waist.Completely shocking me, Ares throws his head back and laughs, he laughs so long Istart tothink he’s come unglued.
“Laura, sweetheart, you couldn’t have claimed me if I wasn’t willing, it doesn’t work like that.”
“Why are you laughing at me?” I shuffle my feet remembering there is still so much I need to learn about their world.
Ares’s face sobers. “I’m not laughing at you.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Well, that’s not how I meant it,” he amends.Placing a kiss on the tip of my nose he adds, “I’m sorry.”
“Milo and Ollie will be home soon, why don’t we head to the room, I’m sure they’ll want to know what happened too.” I can’t read Dante’s voice, is he mad? I peer up at him, but he’s making a point not to look at me.
I take one quick look behind me, expecting to see my black bra lying on the floor, but it’s nowhere in sight. There’s no way I’m asking Ares what he did with it in front of Dante. I need some of my dignity.
As soon as we reach Ares’s bedroom, I excuse myself to the bathroom. I have more questions than I know how to ask, and I’m not sure I’m ready to hear the answers. Facing the mirror, I look at my reflection. My lips are still a little puffy from Ares’s kisses and I have a fewpurple love bites on my neck. Ihave no idea how I’ll hide hickeys at work tomorrow, or at school on Monday for that matter. Placing my hands on the counter near the sink, I lower my head. There are so many things I need to befocus on, my mom, finishing school, yet my love life with four guys is the only thing I can’t seem to get off my mind.
There’s a light tapping on the door. “Coming,” I call out, taking a deep breath. I need to find out exactly what I did tonight, and what ismeans for our future, I cannotdo that hiding in the bathroom.
Pushing out the door, I see Ollie standing there waiting for me, his legs crossed at the ankle and his arms folded over his chest as he leans against the wall. His shirt is a little wrinkly around the waist, evidence of wearing an apron, but his eyes are smiling at me. No judgment, no expectations, no demands to explain what happened, just Ollie. I peer around noting we’re alone.
I walk right into his arms, face-planting into his chest. He grunts, and then chuckles, wrapping his arms around my back. “That bad?” he asks after giving me a few moments. I toss my head back and forth, but don’t come out from the safety of his embrace.
“Are they mad at me?” Ollie’s always been the most level-headed. I haven’t seen his emotions get the better of him since the first night he showed me his gift, even then he was madder at himself than anything else.
Rocking me back and forth from left to right he asks, “Why would they be?” His tone is incredulous.
I chance peeking up at him, and he pauses as his eyes meet mine. “Ares said I claimed him,” I whisper.
Ollie rolls his eyes. “The bastard, he’ll never stop gloating.We’ll have to listen to him tell the story a hundred and twenty-seven times.”
Isag. “Ollie, I’m being serious.”
“You think I’m not? He’s a smug bastard, and youjusthanded him the keys to the kingdom.” Ollie teases, his tone light. I know he loves Ares and he’s trying to make me feel better.
“It was scary, I don’t think I ever want to do that again,” I mutter, nuzzling my face against Ollie’s soft shirt.
He pushes me back, holding me at arm’s length. “Now don’t go saying that, you’ll break all our hearts, and makes Ares's head bigger than it already is.” Ollie pulls me back into his chest and places his chin on top of my head. “That’s the goal you know, for all of us.”
“But—” Isplutter.
“There are no buts Laura,” Ollie interrupts. “We didn’t tell you before about the bonding because you already have so much going on, but I’m happy you know now. You think you hurt Ares, but you’re wrong. He wasn’t prepared, but I can promise that what you did, didn’t hurt him any more than it hurt you. Itjusttook his body a few seconds to recover.” Ollie intertwines our fingers together and raises our joined hands, flapping them at our sides.
Leave to him to take a serious conversation and make me feel silly. “You really want that? I feel like he didn’t have a choice, like I took something from him without asking.”
