Artemis’ PovI could have asked Aiden where he was off to, but I chose to play nice and let him have his way. Besides, wherever he ought to have gone wouldn’t take much time, but I was wary of someone, the woman in mask.It’s been a game since we arrived at the table. It’s been a game from yesterday during the dance. Kane had his eyes on me like I had something of his he wished to reclaim, and the lady had her eyes on Aiden like he owed her, so, I couldn’t help my curiosity as it piqued.I looked up from my plate and saw Kane. First, he was a little too crafty. He’s shoved a word at Aiden at will, though he knew Aiden would say nothing to him. And when their father showed up, he accused Aiden of saying shit about the old man.Thanks for the Don’s personality. Well, that’s by the way. The problem now is Kane still has his eyes on my skin. It felt it sting like a scorpion’s sting. I needed Aiden so bad at this moment, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found.It was then that a broad hand gl
Author’s PovAiden returned to the hall and met the noise and the fella nestled at his seat with his face riddled with disgust. His eyes met that of Kane who seemed eager to see either him or his masked lady returned.He made to his seat and tugged at Benny’s suit. Benny turned with his eyes red with tears that refused to spill through his eyelids.“You asked me to recite my poems to her,” Benny’s voice met Aiden’s ears in the midst of the laughter. Don Carlos was now seated, but his friends now resorted to one thing; mock and mimic the fella they thought mad and nothing else.“Sorry—” Aiden urged him to leave the seat with his eyes. Benny left the seat and Aiden sat. “You can go grab another seat over there.” Benny followed Aiden’s gesture. It was the tail of the table. Someone had just rose from there, and the person would surely return. That would be a second batch of trouble for Benny.“Okay,” Benny said and walked off from the hall.Artemis on the other hand was done with her m
Author’s Pov“You don’t mean it,” the man said with a toothy smile. Kane raised his brows and gestured at the limo down the aisle. Some of his girls were there already, waiting for him. This time, Aiden picked interest in looking though he hadn’t wished to do such earlier. The scene was nothing far from what he had seen and done in the past. It was nothing tempting, so, he felt the fella might as well turn down the offer. “Nice girls you got there, but I’m not up for some pussy,” the man said with a shrug, “I’m out here hunting for something deeper and bigger than a ride with girls and a big guy.” Aiden chuckled. The men who check in often in the Creeks crib will never fall for such fantasies. It’s that common among them. Kane smiled. He seemed to understand just why the fella had to turn down his offer—Aiden was there and no one would like to hurt Aiden to favor Kane. “What if I introduce you to my new business plan and make you part of—”The man slung his ball bag across his
Aiden’s PovI nearly pushed my finger’s to Rusev’s lips, but I didn’t because Artemis could be watching from the room. He’s not to be blamed anyways. No responsible man can skip such question, and if anyone should, it can never be Rusev.“She’s no more,” I masked the shock that braced my face with a sudden smile.Rusev raised his brows. I thought of blinking my eyes in quick signs but he seemed not ready to yield. Maybe because he must have ready of me in the dark web where I was portrayed as ruthless.Being ruthless might mean I might be so rash I could talk of my past even in the presence of my wife to be—that is if he understood Artemis’ place.“What happened to her?” he asked curiously, “is she dead?”I waited thoughtfully before I answered him. “Maybe, just not sure.”He nodded and turned once more to my mother’s picture. I knew why he’s so obsessed with my mom. She hid him and his siblings away during the dark days of the scandal that tossed his father’s life in the hands of the
Artemis’ PovFirst, Aiden didn’t see me when he stepped into the bathroom thinking he had the privacy he probably wanted from the prying eyes of his friend in the open chamber, and probably mine, but he didn’t know he walked in on me.I was done cleaning the restroom when he entered, and I didn’t bother to disturb him, not until I heard him chant the name Hera twice in the phone with tensed voice, and now, his friend asked if I’m Hera.Who the heck is this Hera of a person that got almighty Aiden so pissed he couldn’t even check well before snarling at the name.“Hera?” I raised my brows, “I am—”“Artemis,” Aiden didn’t let me finish, “my wife to be.”The fella blinked twice. He seemed to realize he’d said the wrong thing at the wrong time, and he should have knocked before badging into someone else’s toilet.“And why are you donning such apparel?” the fella pointed out.Aiden called him Rusev earlier, so, I thought I should call him the same and ask him to let me be. I can’t stand ge
Artemis’ povAiden, my man, is not the type that would drift to sleep in a matter of seconds, but with me in his warm cuddle, he snored like he’d never done before.I might be wrong anyways if I count it as success—the endless stress of being a core member of the Creeks is enough stress already, but I praise my patience for enduring till I heard him snore.I started with his heavy hands, he’d secured me with them, maybe to keep me from breaking into the night to search for clues of the name, Hera.I lifted his hand gently and slipped off, but I didn’t let it rest on an empty space. I replaced my warmth presence with a pillow and watched him for a while as he slept like a baby.I was tempted to touch his hair—to trace the lining of his nose bridge with the tip of my finger and press a kiss on his cheek before leaving him for my little adventure, but shunned the thought instead and made my way out of the room.First, I sought out his things. He didn’t check in with much—just his suitcas
Aiden’s Pov“You nearly put me in shit, man,” I pushed Rusev’s chest and pinned him to the wall with my left hand. On a good day, I’ll punch shit off his face, but he’s a longtime no see friend, so, I didn’t dare.“Come on,” he gently shrugged off my hand. He probably knew what I meant, “I didn’t know it was not Hera—”He paused suddenly and watched me spare him a breathing space and free my face a little to catch up with the morning’s warmth.He exhaled and adjusted his shirt. “I thought she was Hera because she looked like Hera, and—maybe I just didn’t understand you when you said you don’t have no more shit with Hera.”“You saw her in the field with us and walked to the chamber with us, only to call her Hera—” I clenched my fists to punch his lying mouth, but I still held back. He raised his hands like he knew I could throw a punch at his face if he kept on tossing his lies to my face. I freed my clenched fist and gestured to the big balcony next door.He nodded and followed me in
Artemis PovI nearly jolted out of myself when the flowers moved. There’s clearly no wind in the garden. It looked lit was sealed from the outside, but I could breathe in it—I don’t why I could still breathe in this new word.I thought once again of Damon. He’s the one I should call—maybe before calling anyone I used to know. He’s the one I wished most to meet and at least, say sorry for letting him fight on that fateful night for my sake.“D—” something crawled on my leg and stopped three steps away in the flowers. I looked down and saw a pink nurtured rabbit with a red rose trapped in the grip of Its teeth.I went down on both need and took the flower from its mouth, sniffed it and remembered Aiden. The flower’s scent seemed to have been touched by his hands.“Aiden,” I whispered.This might be a stunt, or, the rabbit brought me gift from the human world—maybe the flower placed on the grave. I sniffed once again and let the scent sink into my head.It was full of him. Maybe full of
Aidan POVThe next few days after Kane's threat began to unroll in a whirlpool of events -- within each minute the quiet strain between Artemis and I. We had decided on attending the charity gala, together, for the display of unity and defiance against the haunting shadows of Hera and Kane. I stood in front of the mirror, while adjusting my tie, pondering upon what I may have done, or not done of late, to have the weight of expectation hanging upon me. The gala would be where the most influential people would congregate. If ever there was a time for Hera to strike, it would be here."Are you ready?" Artemis called from the other room. She sounded almost haughty with a mixture of excitement and nerves. "Almost," I replied, forcing a smile. I had to be his strength. It was his entry into, a very new and dangerous world-and I had to make sure that it felt like a support.I was silent for a moment when she came out. She was wearing this lacey red gown that molded her body all the right
Artemis POVThe hallway, awash in chaos, found a frozen representation of me. Uncertainty had reduced the strength of my insides. Even as the adrenaline rush of Aidan's protection fueled my very being, my very fear of what would follow stopped my feet in their tracks. There were louder voices now: anger and indignation intermingled. I found myself rushing Aidan, heart pounding away. As I took the turn, he stood toe to-toe with various men, their faces illustrating how morally intense and confrontational the situation was. "Get lost," Aidan growled, barely above a whisper. "Aidan, you can’t just turn your back on this," replied one of the men, sharp-edged. He was the tallest, wearing a dark suit that announced authority. "Hera has powerful connections, and you have to be careful." "Careful?" Aidan scoffed, his temper flaring. "You think I’m afraid of some empty threats? I’ll handle this my way." I edged closer and heard snippets of their dialogue, which made my spine crawl at the
Artemis POVThe hallway, awash in chaos, found a frozen representation of me. Uncertainty had reduced the strength of my insides. Even as the adrenaline rush of Aidan's protection fueled my very being, my very fear of what would follow stopped my feet in their tracks. There were louder voices now: anger and indignation intermingled. I found myself rushing Aidan, heart pounding away. As I took the turn, he stood toe to-toe with various men, their faces illustrating how morally intense and confrontational the situation was. "Get lost," Aidan growled, barely above a whisper. "Aidan, you can’t just turn your back on this," replied one of the men, sharp-edged. He was the tallest, wearing a dark suit that announced authority. "Hera has powerful connections, and you have to be careful." "Careful?" Aidan scoffed, his temper flaring. "You think I’m afraid of some empty threats? I’ll handle this my way." I edged closer and heard snippets of their dialogue, which made my spine crawl at the
Artemis POVThe night air was cool under my feet as I stepped outside the garden, and everything was cast under a silvery glow by the moon. I could not shake the unnerving feeling pressing at my heart since dinner. Aidan's father and his expectations were hovering like a dark cloud above us, and I felt like a puppet in their great play. There was some magnetism in Aidan that drew me toward him, something I could not quite put a finger on. I found Aidan leaning back against a marble pillar, the phone still clutching in his hand. The air was thick with tension as my heart fluttered at the thought of going up to him. Did he feel it too? "Aidan?" I softly called, stepping closer. His head rose, and those piercing green eyes locked with mine. For a moment, everything ceased to exist outside this sphere that encapsulated both of us in limbo and yearning."Artemis," he said, his voice low and sultry, making me shiver. "What are you doing out here?""I needed some air," I swallowed, hoping
Aidan POVThe night hung heavily as we drove back to my family's estate, enshrouded in tension. The showdown with Kane had jolted us, and I could feel the pall of uncertainty over Artemis. I glanced at her: her jaw was set in a determined line, though fear, I knew, lurked beneath the surface. "You okay?" I asked after I parked the car, breaking the silence. "Just trying to process everything," she answered, her voice steady, but her eyes were full of worry. "What do you think Kane meant? That we were in over our heads?""Don't know," I said, raking my fingers through my hair. "But we cannot allow him to scare us. We are stronger together, and we need to focus on Hera."As we stepped inside, it was like suffocation; the grand foyer resounded with the silence of empty echoes. I felt my father's wishes bearing down on me as his wildest expectations presented themselves. I had gone against him, and I was wise enough to know that my father would not bear it lightly.''Let's go talk to hi
Artemis POVI felt each whisper of conversation thrum through the room. Every eye seemed to be trained on me in anticipation of what would unfold next. I noticed that Aidan's jaw clenched, trying to gain control over his anxiety. Hera walked further forward into the party and her smile lit up the room like a bolt of electric tension.“Aidan, darling,” Hera said sweetly, slicing every air with her voice. “I didn’t expect to find you with someone who looks so… so… different from me.” Her eyes shot over to me, and as they did, the rush of anger and insecurity combined in me."Aidan, is this the woman you have chosen to be with? I only hope she understands what she is getting into," she continued mockingly.Aidan spoke with a low but firm voice, "Enough, Hera. You have no rights to be here.""Oh but I do," She moved closer. "See, I came here to remind everyone of that little agreement." She pulled out a document from her purse and waved it like a trophy. "This says you owe me, Aidan. And
Artemis POVI felt each whisper of conversation thrum through the room. Every eye seemed to be trained on me in anticipation of what would unfold next. I noticed that Aidan's jaw clenched, trying to gain control over his anxiety. Hera walked further forward into the party and her smile lit up the room like a bolt of electric tension.“Aidan, darling,” Hera said sweetly, slicing every air with her voice. “I didn’t expect to find you with someone who looks so… so… different from me.” Her eyes shot over to me, and as they did, the rush of anger and insecurity combined in me."Aidan, is this the woman you have chosen to be with? I only hope she understands what she is getting into," she continued mockingly.Aidan spoke with a low but firm voice, "Enough, Hera. You have no rights to be here.""Oh but I do," She moved closer. "See, I came here to remind everyone of that little agreement." She pulled out a document from her purse and waved it like a trophy. "This says you owe me, Aidan. And
Artemis POVThe next few days rolled into a blur of work calls, meetings, and strategizing: Aidan and I finally reached out to our closest friends, determined to spend anxiety-ridden hours seeking out enough people to build a network of support able to help us resist Hera's power. With every discussion, one more layer of the web unfolded before us, and, with the feeling of growing tension as we neared the time of confrontation, I could feel the strands beginning to coil tighter.One evening we had gathered in my apartment. The air buzzed with anticipation, and Aidan, Emily, and Ryan comprising the rest sat serious in the living room discussing what would be the next move with me."I know it's a risky affair," Aidan said in a very firm tone. "But we've got to confront Hera directly. If we let her decide the narrative, we'll never free ourselves from her dictation."Emily nodded with her brow knitted in thoughts. "But what if she tries to retaliate? She has connections in places that ca
Artemis POVNights like these trail, having turmoil and kept whispers that swung clouds around Aidan and me. Hera's oculus, I could feel her weight, and every time I spotted her, a shiver disturbed my bones."Are you alright?" Aidan asked, coming closer and lowering his voice."I am fine," I said while forcing a smile, "just trying to grapple with all of this."With his expression raining, he answered. "I know it's quite some taking in, but remember, we have each other."As the gala went on, I tried focusing on the talks we were having, but my mind would attach itself to the topic of threat on us, as Kane's echoed himself in me. Somehow, it all felt like we were walking on a tightrope, one misstep away from disaster."Let's get some air," Aidan said, finding my hand with his.I nodded, relieved to get a moment away from the crowd. Together we stepped out onto the balcony where the coolness of the night air felt revitalizing against my skin. The sounds coming from the gala disappeared