Page 9 of Risk (Gods #3)

“ T hanks for coming with me and driving us here,” I tell Aaron as we pull up outside of Zeus’s house, where his thirtieth birthday party is being held.

My big brother is turning thirty. His actual birthday is tomorrow, and he’s spending the day with Cam and the girls, so his party is being held tonight.

Aaron is my good friend from my PhD course. I asked him to come with me because I didn’t want to come alone, and he was free because his boyfriend was out of town, visiting family.

Because Kaden is going to be here. I haven’t seen or heard from him in four weeks, ever since that night. The night that I never think about.

And never talk about.

In the days following that night that never happened, my emotions bounced from hurt to angry, hurt again, and then anger. I considered calling him and giving him a piece of my mind, but I don’t chase any man, even if it is to verbally kick his ass, so that was off the table.

I did wonder if he would get in touch with me. Even maybe a text, saying, Can we keep what happened between us and not tell Zeus?

But nothing.

That note he left—with those words I’m sorry —is all I got.

Not that I would ever tell Zeus about me and Kaden. I haven’t told anyone that I slept with Kaden that night.

Aaron doesn’t know. He just thinks he’s coming with me because I was allowed a plus-one. Truth is, I asked Cam if I could bring someone with me because the thought of showing up here alone and seeing Kaden just made me feel shitty.

It’s not like I could tell Cam why I wanted to bring someone with me. Cam and I are close, but I wouldn’t put her in that position because I would not want her telling Zeus and it wouldn’t be fair to ask.

Hell, I’ve not even told Ari, who I’m closest to, and I tell her pretty much everything.

Not that I’m not close to Cam, but she lives out of the city, and I see more of Ari because she lives in the city.

I’ve kept that night to myself because of the obvious—Kaden being Zeus’s friend.

Well, he’s a family friend really because he gets along well with Ares and Lo, too.

But mostly because I’m embarrassed. I don’t want people knowing that he slept with me and then left while I was sleeping so he wouldn’t have to deal with me the morning after.

Aside from being hurt, I’m mortified beyond words.

I can’t believe I thought that us having sex would be the start of something between me and Kaden. It was fucking juvenile.

A thousand reasons as to why he disappeared on me have gone through my mind these four weeks. One that’s a recurring thought is that the sex wasn’t good for him. That I wasn’t good enough for him. Basically, the sex sucked, and he didn’t want a repeat and didn’t have the heart to tell me.

Yeah, the thought of that does not feel good at all.

Maybe I should have been truthful with Aaron and told him part of the reason I wanted him here was because I needed a buffer. I know that my whole family is going to be here.

And honestly, part of me—the hurt part of me, maybe the immature part of me—wanted to show Kaden that I didn’t care about him leaving me alone in that hotel. That it hadn’t affected me. That I’d moved on.

Even though I haven’t moved on and Aaron is only my friend and nothing more, Kaden doesn’t know that.

Also, there is the fear that he might show up with a date. Not that he’s ever brought a date to other functions we’ve attended, but there’s always a first time for everything.

Ugh, I’m awful. I’m kinda using Aaron, which is a crap thing to do. Even though he has no romantic inclination toward me at all and I enjoy hanging out with him, I’m being wholly untruthful as to why I invited him here tonight.

“Like I’m ever going to say no to a party,” Aaron says in response. “Especially not one that’s going to have all of your gorgeous brothers.”

“You know my brothers are all straight, and two out of three are taken.”

“I know. But a guy can window shop and dream.” He gives an exaggerated sigh. “And who knows? There might be some other single hottie here.”

I unclip my seat belt, reach over, and get Zeus’s gift out of the backseat. Then, I climb out of Aaron’s car.

Standing on the sidewalk, I give myself a quick mental and physical check. Hair down and curled into waves. Eyes smoky, lips red. Black maxi skirt. Off-the-shoulder emerald-green top. Heeled nude sandals.

I’m good to go.

Aaron joins me on the sidewalk, and we walk to the door. I let myself inside. The house is pretty quiet, considering there’s a party happening. I start to doubt I’ve got the right day, and then I see Gigi barreling toward me in a party dress.

“Aunt Missy!” she screams and launches herself into my arms.

I somehow manage to catch her and keep hold of the gift in my hand, but it’s a definite balancing act.

“You want me to take that for you?” Aaron chuckles.

I hand him the gift and then pick up Gigi properly.

God, she’s getting so big.

“Hey, cutie.” I hug her to me.

A second later, another screaming little person comes flying in my direction. I shift Gigi to my hip and pick up Thea, setting her on my other hip.

I nuzzle my cheek to hers. “Hey, baby girl.”

I love these girls so much.

“Who’s this?” Gigi has her head turned and is staring at Aaron.

“Girls, this is my friend, Aaron. Aaron, these are my nieces, Gigi and Thea.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Aaron says to them.

“You Aunt Missy’s boyfriend?” Gigi says with a curious tilt of her head.

Seriously, this girl has no filter.

“No, Gigi. Aaron is just my friend.”

“Did you see Daddy’s cake?” Thea tugs on my hair. “Me, Gigi, and Mommy picked it out at the cake store. It has chocolate frosting!” she exclaims.

Oh, to be this young and with no cares in the world, where the only thing that matters is chocolate frosting.

“I haven’t seen it yet. But I’m definitely going to go check it out. First though, where’s your dad? I want to wish him a happy birthday.”

“He’s in the backyard with Mommy and everyone else,” Thea says. “We’ve got a hugemongus tent outside!”

“Humongous,” Gigi corrects her.

“Hugemongus,” Thea says.

“Humongous,” Gigi repeats.

“That’s what I said!” Thea rolls her eyes, and I laugh.

“Okay, girls, let’s go outside, so I can wish your dad a happy birthday.”

“I need to potty,” Thea says.

“You need me to take you?” I ask her.

She gives me an impatient look. “No, Aunt Missy. I’m a big girl now. I can potty alone.”

“Right. Okay then.” I lower both girls to their feet.

“Gigi, you come with me though,” Thea says, taking hold of her big sister’s hand. “You can wait outside the door and sing me that song I like while I potty and wash my hands.”

“Okay,” Gigi says, leading Thea off in the direction of the stairs, presumably to use the upstairs bathroom.

“Adorable kids,” Aaron says to me as we walk through the house, heading to the backyard.

I’m trying not to look around to see if Kaden is here.

Because I don’t care.

Yeah, right.

“Yeah, they’re really great. I love spending time with them.”

We step outside, and the girls were right; there’s a large open tent set up in the garden, filled with people and what looks like a band in the corner of the tent, playing music, string lights up everywhere.

Aaron and I make our way down the back deck, and the second I step onto the grass, my heels sink.

“Ohh.” I wobble in my shoes. Reaching out, I catch hold of Aaron’s arm. “Sinking heels,” I tell him.

“I got ya, chick.”

He loops his arm through mine, and walking on tiptoes, I make my way across the grass, not putting my heels down until I’m on the solid ground of the tent.

“Hey!” Cam comes over, a glass of something fizzy in her hand, and kisses my cheek. “Glad you’re here. The girls have been waiting for you to get here.”

“I’ve seen them. They got me the second I stepped into the house.” I laugh.

“Where are they?” Cam looks behind me, probably expecting them to be glued to me, like they usually are.

“Bathroom,” I tell her. “Thea needed to pee.”

“And let me guess. She took Gigi with her so she could sing to her through the door,” Cam says, smiling.

“Yep.”

“So frigging cute.” She chuckles before her eyes move to Aaron.

“Cam, this is Aaron. Aaron, Cam is my sister-in-law.”

“Nice to meet you.” Aaron shakes her hand. “You’re married to Zeus, right?”

“The one and only.”

“Gigi and Thea are Cam and Zeus’s girls,” I tell him. “And speaking of my brother,” I say to Cam, “where is he?”

“At the bar with your brothers.”

“I’m gonna go see him and wish him a happy birthday. Where are we putting gifts?” I ask her.

“Let me take it for you,” she says, taking the gift from Aaron.

“Thanks. I’ll see you in a few.”

I lead the way with Aaron following me, saying hello to the people I know, heading for the bar. I immediately spot Zeus, standing at the end of the bar. He’s with Ares and Lo and…Kaden.

Fuck. Fucking fuck.

Of course I was expecting to see him, but I’m surprised at the emotions I feel: anger, annoyance, frustration, and—worst of all— want . My traitorous heart and body still want the bastard.

He looks so damn handsome. I hate that. He’s wearing a black V-neck sweater and blue jeans. His hair is tousled, like someone just ran their fingers through it.

Like I did that night.

Stop it. Don’t think about that night.

Just as I think those words, his eyes shoot up, almost like he heard my thoughts. I falter in my step, and Aaron takes hold of my arm, threading it through his.

“You really should have worn better shoes,” he jokes, thinking my falter was because of my heels again.

“Yeah,” I say, giving him a smile as I pull my eyes away from Kaden.

I can feel Kaden’s stare on me as we walk over, but I don’t look at him. I don’t know why the hell he’s staring at me. It’s not like he didn’t know I was coming. It’s my big brother’s birthday, for God’s sake.

“Happy birthday!” I sing when I reach Zeus, slinging my arms around him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks, sis.”

“How does it feel to officially be old?” I tease, releasing from the hug.

“Fuck off. I’m not old,” he bites.

I know for a fact that Ares and Lo gave him shit before I got here.

“Hey,” I say to Ares and Lo, hugging and kissing them both on their cheeks.

Then, mustering up all my energy to act normal, I turn to Kaden. “Hey,” I say to him, praying to God that my voice sounds normal.

“Hi,” he responds, his voice sounding gruff. Just like it did that night—

Nope. Not going there.

“Guys, this is Aaron.” I turn to him. “Aaron, this is my big brother and the birthday boy, Zeus.”

“Good to meet you, man.” Zeus sounds friendly and even shakes Aaron’s hand, but I know there’s big-brotherly curiosity to his tone, just as there is when I introduce him to Ares and Lo and they all shake hands.

“And this is Kaden, a family friend,” I tell Aaron.

Family friend. Who I let fuck me five ways from Sunday.

“Nice to meet you,” Aaron says to Kaden and holds his hand out to shake it.

Kaden stares down at his hand for a beat, and then he shakes it.

“Oh, I left your present with Cam,” I tell Zeus.

“I told you that you didn’t have to get me anything,” he tells me, giving me the I know you’re a student, and you don’t have any money look.

“Like I wouldn’t get you anything for your birthday,” I tell him with a roll of my eyes.

“Hey!” A slender arm goes around my waist, and I know immediately that it’s Ari.

Smiling wide, I turn to her, bending to hug her.

I haven’t seen her in a few weeks. I had dinner with her and Ares when they got back from their honeymoon in Jamaica.

I’m totally jealous. I would love to go there, among other places.

But we’ve both been busy the last few weeks.

Me with school and working at the diner and Ari with a gallery show coming up.

My sister-in- law is a really talented artist. She’s been painting nonstop in preparation.

I can’t wait to see what she’s created.

“And who is this?” Ari says with clear inquisitiveness, staring up at Aaron.

“Ari, this is Aaron. We go to school together. Aaron, this is Ari, my sister-in-law. She’s married to Ares,” I tell him.

“Nice to meet you, Ari,” Aaron says.

I’m starting to feel for the poor guy. Since he arrived here, it’s only been introductions to my family.

“Want a drink?” I ask him.

“I’ll get them,” he offers.

“Open bar,” I tell him. My brother is nothing but generous. “But even if it wasn’t, I’d have paid since you drove us here. So, I’ll get the drinks. What do you want?”

“Okay, just a light beer,” he tells me.

“Any specific brand?” I ask, unsure what they’ve actually got.

“Bud Light if they have it, but if not, anything will do.”

“Bud Light. Got it.”

I leave the group. I move down to the other end of the bar, where people seem to be getting served, and wait my turn.

“You brought a date?” Kaden’s words ghost over my shoulder and instantly get my back up.

That’s what he says to me after leaving me alone in a hotel bed and after a month of radio silence? No, How’s it going, Missy?

He might be good-looking and smell fucking great, but his question pisses me the hell off.

So, fuck him.

I turn around to face him, making sure to keep my expression neutral. I might be annoyed, but he won’t get the satisfaction of knowing that he can affect me in that way.

“And you care, why?”

I study his face, but see nothing in his expression, except for a tightening in his jaw. He’s clearly as schooled as I am in keeping his feelings in check.

“I don’t. It was just a question.”

Well, that stings.

“So, you’re just making conversation?”

“Yes.”

“Just an FYI, normal people say things like, Haven’t seen you in a while. How’s it going? Or, Party’s good. You enjoying yourself? ”

“Haven’t seen you in a while. How’s it going? Party’s good. You enjoying yourself?”

“You’re hilarious. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to get Aaron and myself a drink.”

As I turn back to the bar, his hand curls around my elbow, holding me in place. The feel of his touch sizzles my skin and angers me in equal measure.

My gaze snaps back to his. “Why are you touching me?”

“Beautiful—”

“Don’t call me that,” I snap, losing control of the emotions I was doing so well at keeping in check.

He lost the right to call me anything but my given name when he walked out on me without a word.

I tug my arm from his hand. “I don’t know what it is that you want from me, and honestly, I really don’t care. Now, like I said, I’m going to get a drink and go back to Aaron.”

I walk away from Kaden, moving a little ways up to the bar. I order Aaron’s beer and a beer for myself, along with a shot. I down the shot at the bar, then pick up the beers and head back to Aaron.

I notice that Kaden is no longer with my brothers. He’s nowhere to be seen.

Good. Because if I don’t ever see him again, I wouldn’t give a shit.

Liar .