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Zeus

CHAPTER TWELVE

It's a damn effort to pull away. It's as if the girl has cast some sort of spell over me, and that's precisely why, because I always need to be in control, I separate from Madison, even though all I want is to lay her down on this seat and devour her whole.

"A proposal?" she repeats, as if returning to the real world is just as difficult for her.

I look ahead instead of at those two bright emeralds. There's something about her—her scent, the warmth of her flesh—that drives me crazy.

Maybe it's everything about her. The woman awakens all my male instincts.

I don't usually get involved with complicated women, because my life is centered around work and when I want a woman, I seek pleasure, not fights. Lovers don't need to fight; there's nothing beyond what happens behind closed doors, so why bother fighting with someone who is a temporary aspect of my life?

In any other situation, I would have discarded her the first time she challenged me.

Ares was right—I can see that now. Madison isn't afraid to speak her mind. I've lived long enough to know this girl is trouble, but there's no going back after tasting those sweet lips.

"What kind of proposal?" She's defensive again, and it shows me that despite her young age, Madison knows the ugly side of life. It's almost disheartening that such a young girl is so suspicious and wary.

"I'm not a SIN regular. My brother owns it, so there's nothing stopping us from being together."

"Are you so sure that would be the only obstacle?"

I look back at her and raise an eyebrow in response to her bluff. We both know the desire and attraction aren't one-sided.

This time, it's she who looks away. "What does being together in your world mean?"

"Exactly what it means in yours, I assume. No-strings-attached encounters. Pleasure. Mutual satisfaction."

"No-strings-attached?" she says, seeming fixated on that and ignoring everything else, which is much more important to me.

"Exactly. Ideally, we would set a timeframe."

"What?"

"A deadline. Seems fair to me. A month together should be enough time to get to know each other."

She looks out of the window for a few minutes, but I don't press her. There's no need to. Madison will probably realize there are many advantages to being with me. I can introduce her to a lifestyle she would never otherwise have a chance to experience.

Finally, she turns to look at me. "I need to think," she says, surprising me.

"Think about what?"

"Whether this is what I want for myself. You're not proposing a relationship, Mr. Kostanidis."

"Zeus."

"Alright, Zeus. You're not proposing a relationship but rather that I become your lover."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"What does being with a man like you for a month entail? Besides the obvious, of course."

"You make it sound as if I've insulted you. I want to spend time with you. Get to know you better."

"Get to know my body , right?"

I ignore the comment. "You'll accompany me to parties and events. You'll experience places on occasional trips. And I'll make sure you have everything you need to feel comfortable in my world."

"Like what, for example?"

"Clothes, jewelry, and whatever else you desire, of course."

"Of course. Just answer me one thing: is the intention to make me 'comfortable' in your world or to avoid embarrassment by your badly dressed lover?"

For the first time, I detect a hint of emotion in her voice, and I feel bad.

Who are you, Madison Foster, that you’ve managed to make me feel ashamed of who I am, of what I've always been?

"And if I wanted something more valuable to feel 'comfortable,' like a car or an apartment? What would you say?"

I don't hesitate. "To you, I would say yes."

"An apartment for a month together? That seems a bit excessive."

"What are you getting at, Madison? I don't like games."

"No? Well, I think you've been playing with me this whole time. After all, you knew I shouldn't have danced for you in that private room, yet you let me continue."

I can't dispute that, and I'm aware that, at the moment, I don't hold the best cards, so I decide to get straight to the point. "Is all of this your way of telling me 'no'?"

"It's my way of telling you 'maybe.' I need to think about it," she says, moving closer as if she's about to touch me, but then she pulls back at the last moment. "How about a month?"

"No. You have until the day after tomorrow. Give me your phone."

I'm almost certain she wants to argue, but she ends up doing as I asked.

"Unlock it." I input my number and hand the phone back to her. "Look at me, Madison."

She does, but her face is completely devoid of emotion, making it almost like looking at myself in the mirror.

"I told you I'm honest. I'll never lie. I'm not after a romance but pleasure. To give and receive pleasure. In addition to that, I'll take you places, let you experience some of life. It's not a payment; it's an exchange."

"I told you I'll think about it," she says in a monotone, then leans her head back against the car seat and closes her eyes.

Despite the short distance between our bodies, there's an abyss between us, each of us trapped in our own thoughts.

When the driver parks on a deserted street in a very poor neighborhood, she starts to get out, but I grab her arm.

"Wait," I say.

Only after the car containing my bodyguards stops right behind us and they check the perimeter do I open my door and walk around to open hers.

She's still for a moment, surprised.

"I'll never be your Prince Charming, Madison," I say as I help her out. "I'm not made of that kind of material, but the time we spend together will be very pleasurable."

She steps closer, stands on her tiptoes, and clasps her hands around my neck. I lean down to kiss her, but the contact doesn’t last nearly as long as I'd like because she pulls away from my arms. It's enough to ignite my body, though.

"I know you're not a prince, Zeus. I've never believed in them, and even if they existed, I wouldn't need one. In my fairy tale, I'm the only one capable of saving myself."