Page 17 of The Deception: Hercules Valentine and I

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I shower as soonas I’ve made it back to the penthouse. As the water pours down from the top of my head and over my face, I process my conversation with Lilith about Achilles. The way she saw him is not the way he is. She said he was rude, cold, and not a good listener. That’s not my brother. Then she asked questions about our parents, and somehow, I ended up talking a lot about Achilles instead. She latched on to every word I spoke.

Shit, she likes him.Her need to understand the nature of our relationship wasn’t about me at all—it was about her and Achilles. Standing in the shower, I erupt in thunderous laughter at the thought of two of them together.

At one point, she tried to fish an answer out of me about the kind of woman Achilles likes.

“Hell if I know,” I said. And that was the truth. He’s secretive as hell.

“You never met any of his girlfriends?”

I thought long and hard, trying to recall one that he was serious about. “Damn, no, I haven’t.”

She looked cute, the way she tilted her chin and narrowed her eyes to slits. “Is he gay?”

“No,” I said with an adamant shake of my head.

Her eyebrows flitted up. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” I said as the waiter asked if we were ready for the check. I said yes and then told her I’d had a good time, changing the subject. I didn’t want talk about Achilles anymore.

I turn the shower off, step out, and dry off. I’ve heard Achilles on the phone with women. I’ve listened to him make plans to see them later. Orion swears Achilles pays for it just so he doesn’t have deal with the headache of being in a full-on relationship. I don’t see him doing that either. However, he’s not above having a woman he’s involved with sign an NDA to keep their relationship private. He believes that anyone who gets close to us could be weaponized, so we have to be careful about who we let into our sphere. I think he’s relieved that I stayed single after being freed from Natasha.

I couldn’t disclose everything I know about my brother to Lilith. If he likes her back, she’ll learn more about him than I know.

Before hitting the sack, I go to the office and do another Internet search on Paisley Grove. A lot of time goes by before I stop to rub the inner corners of my eyes. I’m sleepy, and the photo I found of her yesterday is gone. I can’t even find the link in my history.

“Damn it?” I whisper.

I squint at the doorway and then check the camera to see if anyone came into my office today and messed with my computer. Only Lara, the housekeeper, was here, and all she did was dust the screen and keyboard.

For some reason, Max Grove comes to mind. Mason may be onto something. Max has to be the one who’s been tinkering around in my computers.What does he want? What is he looking for?

I yawn. I’m really tired. It’s been a long day. Frankly, I can’t wait until tomorrow, when I can see Lark Davenport. She’s who I want, point-blank. And I have to figure out what to do about it.

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