Page 10 of A Goddess Unraveled (Olympus Rising)

Luke Carrington had to be the most amazing man on the planet. He was humble, witty, handsome, even chivalrous. And that kiss. It was better than any kiss Lexi had ever imagined. What would have happened if Cherry hadn’t shown up? How far would they have taken things?

Fortunately, it was only Dion on the croquet lawn when Lexi arrived, making it easy for her to act casual and help him set up. Luke had detoured to the east-facing path, giving the impression he’d been walking on the beach.

“What did Mom and Dad say to piss you off this time? Nobody would tell me,” Dion pried as he tapped a wire wicket into place with his mallet, adjusting it with a tug to form a perfect arch.

“Of course, nobody would tell you. It was their fault. They want me to stop spending time with Luke. Dad thinks I’m chasing off the boys he invited. Well, I say good riddance to bad rubbish.”

Dion snorted. “You really showed up that tight-assed Argentinian boy. How’re you feeling, by the way? Can you swing a mallet?”

Lexi rubbed her shoulder and grimaced when pins and needles radiated down her arm. “I’ll be reminded of his stupidity for the next few days. But it was worth it. Maybe he’ll have a clue now.”

“I doubt it.”

She followed him as he counted his steps and stopped to pound in the next wicket.

“Is this guy really worth all the trouble?” he asked, his head lowered as he hammered. Was he hiding a scowl? Surely he wasn’t about to pass judgment on Luke after their late-night conversation on the beach. Luke had said all the right things.

“Yes. He’s the real deal. Realer than most of the people I’ve met. And he gets me.”

“What makes you think he gets you?”

“A girl knows these things.”

He looked up, his brows lifting skeptically. “I’m going to need more than that. Did something happen on the beach last night before I got there?”

“That’s none of your business. I don’t ask you about your personal life.”

“Good. You’re better off not knowing about that mess.”

“What do you mean? Why is it a mess?”

Dion rarely got personal, but he seemed to be sharing more than usual this weekend, so Lexi probed as she walked to the next wicket location, which rested near the hedge that formed the south end of the garden maze.

“I understand what you’re going through, that’s all,” he said, crouching to hammer the wicket. “Don’t you ever wonder why I’m twenty-five and don’t have a steady girlfriend?”

“Not really. You just turned twenty-five last month.”

He gave her a pointed look. “Are we being serious here, or not?”

“Of course. I pegged you for a romantic and assumed the right girl hadn’t come along. Better?”

He cracked a smile but it didn’t last. Lexi shadowed him as they headed for the final wicket location. “There have been two girls I thought would be a good match for me, but it’s not just me they’re marrying, is it? Imagine yourself in their shoes—in Mom’s shoes. It’s like marrying into the mob, but without all the murdering.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve used that metaphor before. Have you been breaking things off with girls because you don’t want to ruin their lives? How altruistic of you, Dion.”

“Tell no one,” he said with a forced grin. “Lexi, I’m not trying to minimize your situation. The opposite, actually. I figure I only have a couple of years before I’m required to make a choice, whether I’m ready or not. Just keep that in mind when you’re railing against the family’s wishes. And I’d like to say one more thing.”

His lips took a downward turn as he cradled the mallet in his bent elbow. “I know stuff about Luke. And Mom and Dad aren’t wrong. If you keep pursuing him, shit is going to hit the fan.”

Lexi held her jaw tight and relieved Dion of his mallet, speaking through clenched teeth as she hammered in the final wicket. “If you know something”— slam —“feel free to share it.”— slam! —“Otherwise, shut the hell up about Luke!”— slam!

She stood and handed the mallet back as he eyeballed her warily. Then he knelt to adjust the wicket, which she’d hammered all the way into the ground.

“I can’t tell you what I know,” he said. “But you’ll find out soon enough. Let’s just drop it and play croquet.”

“Fine by me.”

Lexi walked across the lawn to greet the guests who were beginning to arrive. She didn’t want to be angry with Dion. His confession had sounded genuine. For a while she thought he’d turned spy for the family as her parents were always finding out about her missteps. But after she graduated high school he stopped checking in, even when they’d spend months apart. At the time she suspected he’d pulled away so there was less to report on her. Now she wondered if he’d just been busy managing his own version of family bullshit.

“ Buon pomeriggio , signorina Lexi.” Lady Twila’s lilting voice seemed to ride the currents of the air as she sashayed through the grass like it was the red carpet.

Today, the royal beauty wore a flowing chartreuse gown that perfectly matched the new growth of leaves on the foxberry bushes. Lexi didn’t doubt she had done it on purpose. Beside her, Luke and Nora had their heads bent in secrecy, while a safe distance behind them Uncle Z and Lexi’s parents led the other party guests outside.

“Buon pomeriggio, signora Twila,” Lexi replied, although her eyes were on Nora, who stowed a grin when she and Luke joined them next to the mallet stand. “Who’s interested in a game of croquet? We can play teams or singles.”

“I think your uncle Z is going to try his luck,” Nora said.

“Uncle Z hates croquet. He calls it a sissy game.”

Nora’s grin was back as she glanced at Luke. “Well, Luke has issued Z a challenge. And we know how much your godfather loves to prove he’s better than everyone else.”

Still buzzing from their steamy kiss, Lexi addressed Luke without looking at his lips. “You’re either a very brave soul or you don’t know my uncle Z as well as you think you do. He’s a poor sport and a terrible loser.”

A wicked smile spread across Luke’s face. “I know he is. That’s why I did it.”

Lexi shook her head. What made her think Luke was in control of his ego? Regardless of chivalry, he was still a man. “Let’s play singles, then. I have no interest in teaming up with delinquents. It’ll be me, Dion, Uncle Z, and Luke.”

Lexi won the coin toss, which was not an advantage in the game of croquet. Still, she had confidence in her skills, as long as her shoulder didn’t act up. While she advanced her ball to the middle wicket, she assessed the posture of her competitors. She didn’t have to read Dion long. He sucked at croquet. But despite his hunched stance of resignation, she noticed a rare focus in his eyes.

Her uncle Z had begun a perimeter walk around the court. He was either trying to rattle her or had realized that his knowledge of the game was lacking. Emily joined him partway through and appeared to be offering pointers. Regardless of the weather, Emily always wore sturdy boots and a leather jacket, with fingerless gloves reinforced in thick hide that covered her knuckles, like she expected a fight to break out any minute. She wasn’t far from the mark half of the time. Luke remained at a respectful yet watchful distance to Lexi’s right, congratulating her position after she’d finished her turn.

When it was time for her godfather to make his play, he powered through his first two shots, which landed his ball beyond the wicket and forced him to backtrack. His growl silenced the murmur on the sidelines, and he stewed a few moments, pinching the bridge of his nose. His next move would require a light touch, something he didn’t have much of. But he managed to tap his ball through the wicket, and Lexi bit her lip as she watched him take aim at hers.

While she knew he loved her like a daughter, he never gave Lexi an inch when it came to competition. Delivering a power-packed swing, he slammed his ball into Lexi’s and sent it careening across the grass into the center of the court.

“Oh, that’s going to cost you, Miss Maxwell.” He grinned as he swung his mallet around like a toddler. It was tempting to banter back. He’d been pushing her buttons this weekend. But she couldn’t afford to get sidetracked.

It was Dion’s turn next, and it took him extra time to play through. But he did well on his first go, coming within a foot of Lexi’s ball. This gave Luke a clear advantage, and his lips remained set as he navigated through the first three wickets in three clean shots. Lexi was so shocked that she broke her own rule about in-game banter.

“You didn’t tell me you could play croquet, Luke.”

“You didn’t ask.”

It made sense now why he had challenged her godfather, and she was tempted to comment on it. But the smile Luke offered was already ramping up her heart rate. Instead, she was forced to watch him target the two balls sitting helplessly in center court. Would he go after her or Dion?

He performed his next shot with calm resolve, and his ball seemed to move in slow motion as it rolled up to Lexi’s and tapped it ever so gently. Was he trying to piss her off? Or was he reminding her of their amazing kiss among the pines?

“Pardon me, mon ami ,” he said with an innocent shrug. “We are on a battlefield, are we not?”

“Just remember that when I’m taking you down,” Lexi retorted.

“I look forward to it.”

“Enough talk! Get on with it, already!”

Uncle Z’s grizzly bear–like voice shushed everyone, but Luke showed no sign that he was rattled. He continued to guide his ball easily through the middle wicket, earning another shot. Without a hint of hesitation, he sent his ball into Uncle Z’s and knocked it out of bounds. He was now in the lead.

There was no doubt in Lexi’s mind that Luke wanted to beat her godfather. He’d issued the challenge, which meant he had to win to save face. Even Lexi wanted Luke to beat him. But would Luke try to beat her?

She had no idea how competitive Luke was, although she was beginning to form a hypothesis as she watched the two men stare at each other across the lawn. If she had to guess, their history went a lot deeper than anyone had let on.

~

Luke’s pulse hummed in time with his movements, carrying him through the game without drawing attention to the fact that he was using power beyond the realm of human perception. He knew Z was employing the same tactics, although with less finesse. As for Lexi, she had an advantage over everyone without any help.

Risking his edge, he glanced at her standing alone outside the boundary line. She held herself with easy poise, confident even under stress. What was she thinking of him as he battled with her godfather? Was their longtime rivalry obvious? Nora’s unrestrained grin said yes.

Luke had two choices as he assessed the field: send Lexi’s ball out of play and claim an easy victory over Z, or target Z and give Lexi an easy victory over everyone. Either choice held consequences, and as he weighed them, he was reminded of the kiss.

But not just the kiss. The delicate fragrance that sweetened Lexi’s skin and the way her heart raced as she responded to him. He knew the rush was sublime. He’d felt it, too, as he tangled his fingers in her hair.

Of course, logic told him to stop encouraging Lexi’s affection. She had torn down his wall and enchanted her way into his heart, which was a precarious place for anyone to be. He knew the sensible move was to send her ball and her infatuation flying. But it had been so long since he’d felt that kind of connection. Since he’d felt hopeful. Did it make him a fool to encourage it? Or was he a fool to ignore it?

“We’re all looking forward to the big finale,” Lexi said, pointing at the final pair of wickets, as if offering herself up as a casualty in his war.

Luke chose to follow his instincts, which had successfully carried him through many sticky situations, consequences be damned. He drew back his weapon and shot his ball into the one belonging to his nemesis. Z’s ball bounced farther out of bounds, enough to give Lexi the advantage, and the audience drew in a collective breath as Z threw up his arms and roared. A powerful gust of wind followed the gesture, and everyone glanced anxiously at the sky, as if they were looking for lightning to follow. It wasn’t far from the truth.

But Luke still had another shot, which could be his last if he didn’t hit Lexi’s ball out of play. Once again, he considered the outcome of a win. She’d been a worthy and gracious opponent, and he expected her to recover with no long-term resentment—unlike Z.

As he watched Lexi worry her lip, he decided that if this was to be his last move, he wanted it to be an honest one. So he chose not to use the laws of nature as he brought his mallet down. His ball took an eternity to move across the lawn, causing the spectators to go silent as it approached and missed Lexi’s ball by the width of a dragonfly’s wing.

Lexi clenched her fist at her side, although it looked like she wanted to raise it in triumph, and Luke stepped off the playing field, bowing humbly to her as he accepted the defeat. The onlookers drew close as Lexi aimed her mallet and drove her ball through the last two wickets, sealing her win with a resounding clank against the dowel.

Voices rose as the court quickly crowded with well-wishers, patting Lexi on the back and praising her skill. Luke listened to her engage with each person, offering grateful thanks along with a humble smile.

“Lexi has a strong spirit,” Z said as he appeared beside Luke.

“On this, I will agree with you. I suppose you want to take credit for that.”

“I take only the credit that is due me. Lexi is fearless on her own. She doesn’t care whether she wins or loses. She’s inspired by the challenge. You don’t find many with such exemplary traits.”

Luke nodded, wondering why Z wasn’t grabbing him by the collar and throttling him. Of course, it would have drawn too much attention.

“I expect you’ll be present when we tell Lexi the truth?” Z said.

“Yes. I believe she’s aware there’s a storm brewing. I’d hate to see her outnumbered.”

Z’s face pinched like he’d stumbled into a hornets’ nest, and Luke almost felt reassured. A quiet opponent was often the deadliest. “If you take advantage of her vulnerability, I will crush you,” Z growled.

Luke met Z’s scowl without difficulty. “There’s no need for threats, brother. I’m just saying there’s more at stake than simply dashing her dreams, and I’m curious to learn what you consider to be ‘the truth.’ I’ve seen the signs, and you have too. It’s obvious to everyone but her, which leads to accidents. Like the one today.”

“The stakes are not your concern.”

“They are my concern while I’m here.” Luke stopped there. He knew his brother’s limits, but that didn’t make it easy to watch the sneer twist the tangles of hair that framed Z’s mouth; the mask he never removed.

“I’m not denying that. But I want to make this as painless for Lexi as possible. In other words, one damn thing at a time.”

Z walked away, shouldering his mallet like a sword, and Luke took it as a mercy. Of course, that didn’t mean the threats weren’t still there, waiting to land the next blow. Luke rarely felt the sting of regret, but he was beginning to wonder if the Fates were the ones really in control here.