Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I grit my teeth as Amell snickers. Clearly, he’s had a thing or two to say about me.
“I’m Nyssa,” she says with a brilliant smile and then sticks out her hand. “And I’m kidding. I know all about you from Zora. She speaks highly of you.”
Amell rolls his eyes, but now I’m charmed by the human turned queen of the Underworld. I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss the back of it, earning a growl from her husband. “It’s my absolute pleasure.”
Nyssa’s laugh tinkles as she tugs her hand back, and I shoot her a wink. She touches Amell’s arm, squeezing. “I’ll be in the kitchens if you need me. Rhynda’s received some kalamata olives and is completely perplexed with what to do with them.”
Amell slides his hand behind his wife’s neck, pulls her to him for a scorching kiss, and she melts. Something tugs at my heartstrings, followed by a wave of green jealousy.
It’s what I want, but the woman I want it with is most likely not capable.
Nyssa walks away and Amell watches her for a minute. When he turns back to me, he jerks his chin toward the hallway—presumably where his quarters are located—and we head in that direction.
“You’re clearly in love with your wife. I guess we’ve got no reason to fight over Zora anymore.”
Amell glares over his shoulder at me. “I was never fighting you over Zora. I was protecting her from you.”
As if I’d ever hurt her. “If it makes you feel better to say that out loud, be my guest. But it’s moot.”
Amell stops, tips his head. “Why is it moot?”
I give him a hard look. “You know Zora better than anyone. She’s not relationship material.”
Frowning, he gives a confused shake of his head. “Are you saying you want a relationship with her?” he asks incredulously.
What a dumbass. “Why the fuck did you think I was with her?”
“For sex,” he says.
“Well, that was part of it, but do you think I’d chase someone for a year if it was just sex? Do you know how many millions of available women there are to get my rocks off with?”
“You care about her?” he asks, as if he can’t fathom such a thing.
“Gods, you’re thick,” I grumble. “Yes, I care about Zora. But I also think it’s a waste of my time.”
“Typical,” Amell mutters and walks away from me.
I rush to catch up. “What’s typical?”
“Spoiled demigod. Doesn’t get his way and gives up on things.”
“I’m not giving up, asshole. I’m being realistic.”
Amell stops again and faces me with a harsh glare. “While I’m happily married to Nyssa and love her more than anything in this world, I still care for Zora and if you hurt her—”
“She can’t be hurt, Amell. Her walls are so tall and thick, nothing gets through.”
“And you don’t think loneliness hurts?” he asks. His words carry such a powerful punch they cause me to take a step back.
Scrubbing his hand over his head, Amell sighs. “I’ve known her the longest. She’s been alone from the start. There was no one to care for her here except me and that was complicated by the fact I also abused her when I helped Kymaris and her lackeys funnel dark magic her way. She got tossed into a new world without a clue as to what it means to love and when she was had almost figured it out with her sister, she died and became a god. Now she’s in a very cold, harsh group of creatures who have little empathy for the individual because they only care about the whole. Zora has no idea what world she belongs in or how to care about anyone. She was never taught it, so maybe you need to cut her a little slack.”
Well… fuck.
I don’t know what to say, but Amell’s not done. “I don’t know if you’re the one for Zora. I don’t know if you deserve her. But if you’re serious about a relationship, then you might need to give her some grace. You also might need to push her out of her comfort zone a bit. If you don’t have the ability to handle her correctly, you need to fucking walk.”
“Yeah,” I murmur as my head spins. “I hear you.”
Amell stops again, turning to face me. “Do you have a plan?”
Admittedly, I don’t. “She’s not the easiest to figure out.”
He holds up a hand as if to caution me. “Please know, I don’t want intimate details between you two but what exactly do you have going on with her?”
I sigh with frustration, running a hand over my jaw. “Some days I have everything with her. Conversation, laughs, moments where she lets go, and I can see the true Zora. Other days I only have… well, you know, the thing you don’t want details on. She’s closed up tight and after we’re… um… together… she sends me on my way. Which is why I’m really here.”