God of War: Chapter 11

Anni and I spend the entire morning shopping in Bond Street, gushing over all the exclusive beauties we get our hands on and boosting each other’s confidence through the roof.

Creigh is bored out of his mind the entire time and he lets us know that with his constant sighs of disapproval and “Are you done yet?” His attitude only changes when Anni walks out of the fitting room wearing a purple spaghetti-strap dress that hugs her petite curves.

He definitely isn’t bored then, and judging by the heated, dark look in his eyes, I’m surprised he doesn’t undress her then and there.

Talk about fiery chemistry.

The type I’ll never have.

I ignore the images from this morning and even last night because that’s the wrong type of person to have that chemistry with. Once upon a time, my fantasy was being whisked away by a dark knight, but now, I want to have a normal Prince Charming, thank you very much.

Besides, I’m pretty sure I stopped breathing a few times when Eli touched me, so it was more of a hazard than anything enjoyable. Which is why I’m content being my friends’ third wheel today. I’m willing to try anything to escape Eli’s orbit and my own head.

After we fill the car with shopping bags, Creigh drags us to a sushi place owned by a famous chef in South Ken.

The restaurant is situated downstairs and we’re given their best table, across from the colorful Japanese mural art. The bright pink of the sakura flowers slithering around a black dragon makes me swoon.

So I take a selfie of the three of us, then make Creigh take a dozen pictures of Anni and me as we pose and air-kiss. He gets bored after five minutes and forces us to sit back down and order.

Pretty sure Uncle Aiden owns part of this place and delegates its management to a different company. Creigh only had to give his name to get in, while people normally have to book months in advance to secure a spot.

And while the King name can open any door, Creigh doesn’t use it much. His brother, however, throws it around whenever possible to force people to their knees in front of him.

But then again, that devil has an obnoxiously terrific sense of making money. Might have to make do with his unfeeling nature.

“So.” I take a sip of my yuzu water and smile at Creigh and Anni, who are sitting across from me. “How long are you guys staying in London?”

“Maybe a week.” Anni gathers some of her sashimi with her chopsticks and places them on the plate in front of Creigh, who, in turn, shares some of his sushi with her.

“Stop being so sweet. I’m swooning, you guys.”

She grins and blushes, then attempts to fill her mouth with food.

Creigh raises a brow. “Get used to it.”

“So now you can speak?”

“Only when my Annika is involved.”

“Creigh,” she squeals, then quickly kisses his mouth.

Apparently, that’s not enough for him, because he traps her lower lip between his, and she barely manages to push him away.

“Get a room.” I pout. “Some of us live a life that’s as dry as the desert, you know.”

“With Eli around?” Anni asks after she swallows a bite of food.

“Especially with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named around.” I scowl at my rolls.

Anni laughs. “You’re back to calling him that? I thought you stopped after…”

She trails off and I think I see Creigh’s arm moving under the table.

“After what?” I ask.

She grins, but it’s a bit forced. “After you married him.”

“It’s worse now.” I stuff my mouth with my straw to stop from blurting out everything. Pretty sure no one knows about my arrangement with Eli, and I’m not ready to face their questions, as valid as they may be.

Also, something tells me there’s a big chunk missing from the story he fed me. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I take his word for anything. Though I haven’t given up on finding the truth, I know I have to do this carefully.

My husband is a scheming, manipulative sociopath. If he feels I’m snooping where I shouldn’t, he might shut down any available routes to find out the truth.

So I have to do this carefully.

“But aren’t you glad you can stalk—” Anni clears her throat. “I mean follow his movements in person instead of creating fake profiles and stuff?”

I nearly choke on my water. “Anni!”

“Creigh knows,” she says apologetically.

“Everyone knows,” he supplies.

“Including your brother?”

“Everyone,” he enunciates.

“That prick Landon is horrible at covering tracks. Two out of five, would not use again,” I mutter under my breath.

“You’re the one who sucks at concealing your plans, if we’re being honest,” Creigh says. “You’re rubbish at hiding your emotions around him.”

“He makes me angry.”

“Uh-huh.”

“He does, and you’re channeling his energy right now, which I don’t appreciate. Talk some sense into him, Anni.”

“He’s not wrong.”

“I can’t believe this.” I gasp. “Friendship is dead these days.”

“Don’t be like that.” Anni takes my hands in hers. “We’re just worried about you.”

Great.

Every single one of my friends thinks I’m a clusterfuck they probably wouldn’t trust to watch a goldfish.

“I’m fine.” I pat her hand and pull away. “Now, tell me stories about the time I forgot. Did I make his life hell more than he made mine?”

“By miles,” Creighton says, his voice uncharacteristically darkening.

Anni pinches his bicep. “He meant you got back at him.”

“Good. What type of things did I do?”

“You know. This and that.”

“Like?”

She spends longer than usual chewing on her sashimi and even takes one sip of her purple-colored mocktail, and then another.

“You’re familiar with your shenanigans,” Creigh says instead. “You don’t need us to remind you of them.”

“So I drove away all of his girlfriends and started a small fire in his designer shoe room?”

“Something like that,” Anni says. “Though you guys are exclusive, so there were no girlfriends. Only admirers.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling mixed with triumph shoots through me. “And I kicked them to the curb?”

She nods.

“I crashed his car the other day and spent a small fortune on strangers.”

This time she laughs. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

“It’s his favorite car, too. Once he gets it repaired, I’m contemplating scratching the hell out of it, and when the paint is done, I’ll chuck it over a cliff and film it in slow mo.”

“Badass.” She clinks her glass with mine.

“More like foolish,” Creigh supplies like the worst sidekick. “If you believe these childish attempts will sway Eli for the better, then you’ve learned nothing from the past.”

“Let her blow off some steam, Creigh.” She strokes his shoulder. “She doesn’t remember the last two years.”

“That doesn’t give you the green light to act like a spoiled brat, Ava.”

I swallow, his words hurting me more than they should.

“Creigh!” Anni scolds.

“You’re channeling too much of his energy today, Cray Cray. If I’d wanted to be chewed out, I would’ve stayed with him.”

“I’m just saying you’re lost and that’s understandable.” His voice softens—as much softening as Creigh is capable of. “But you’re going about solving this situation the wrong way. Over the past few years, whenever you’ve caused trouble, he’s made it his mission to retaliate tenfold worse. Don’t you think it’s time to try a different tactic, especially since you tied the knot?”

I purse my lips before I say I don’t know any other way. It doesn’t help that the last few interactions have left me with a mountain of confusion and a morbid yearning.

For what, I don’t know.

“Knots can be untied,” I mutter instead.

Creigh watches me for a beat before he shakes his head. “I highly doubt that.”

“You said you wanted to marry him,” Anni says.

“People change their minds all the time. If I think I want to be out of this game, I can simply retreat.”

“If you believe this is a mere game to Eli, then you’re sorely mistaken,” Creigh says between bites.

“He’s always playing games, not fairly, might I add. Why can’t I do the same?”

“You certainly can, but we both know you’re unable to handle the consequences.”

I stab my sushi as I glare at him, and the worst part is that I have no comeback, because he’s right.

My battles with Eli have no goal or aim. It’s as if I’m floating in the air, hoping to find a port somewhere.

“So, Ava. In the group chat, you said you’re practicing the cello,” Anni changes the subject not so subtly. “Are you thinking about participating in any competitions?”

“Nope. I’m just having fun on my own.” If I put pressure on myself again, I’ll lose my newfound connection with the cello.

And with reality.

That’s probably why I’ve been religiously taking my meds and didn’t order a drink even when I had the chance to.

I’m here, and I want to be here for as long as possible.

Dr. Blaine said my amnesia is not forcibly related to my mental condition, but I highly doubt that.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” Anni beams, then goes back to fawning over Creigh and sharing her food.

Third-wheeling sucks.

Thankfully, they soon realize I’m still here—or more like, Anni does. Creigh seems to shut out the entire world when she’s around. We talk about life, her ballet shows, and Creigh’s MBA at Princeton, which he’s only pursuing so he can be with her in the States.

It’s weird hearing how all of my friends’ lives have moved forward and I’m stuck in two years ago.

No, it’s much worse.

I’m stuck several years back, in a muddy swamp of lethal emotions, numb awareness, and sudden breakdowns.

The thought that one of those episodes will sneak up on me and engulf me in a silent white cloud haunts me day and night. In part, that’s why I don’t want to sleep.

The other part is that I’ve starved my body of sleep so much, it now refuses to knock itself down.

“Ava?”

I lift my head and pause when I’m met with a familiar face. He’s taller now, more muscular, but he’s still the same guy. Shiny blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, chiseled nose—the epitome of a European prince.

“V?” I ask.

“I’m honored you remember me,” Vance says with a blinding smile.

“Of course I’d remember, you silly oaf, come here.” I stand up and hug him, and then point at my company. “This is Creighton and Annika, my friends. Vance is a school darling.”

“Your favorite darling, pink princess?”

“You know you are.”

Creighton stands and shakes his head not so gently. “Nice to meet you, Vance. I’m Ava’s brother-in-law.”

Prick.

Is he getting paid by Eli today or something?

“I’m aware. No one in this country missed the infamous marriage that could only be rivaled by a royal wedding.” Vance’s cordial tone doesn’t change, letting Creigh’s peacock behavior fly past him.

In an ideal world, I’d be married to someone like Vance right now. Beautiful, respectful, and would worship me like a queen.

Instead, I’m stuck with a psycho.

“Wrong.” Creigh releases him. “We’re much wealthier than the royal family.”

“Creigh!” Anni tugs on his sleeve.

“So I’ve heard.” Vance keeps the perfect polite smile. “Might I join you?”

“Certainly.” I usher him to the seat beside me before Creigh indulges in his rare dickish behavior.

I’m thankful Vance doesn’t seem to let it affect him as he orders some food and I get more yuzu water.

We catch up about the past few years we haven’t been in touch. He went to study at Harvard after school and then went to Australia to help manage a branch of his family’s business. He’s now back in London at the headquarters of their company that manages this restaurant and a few other places in Chelsea and Belgravia.

The entire time he speaks, Anni and I try to be amicable, but Creigh seems to be possessed by his brother’s demonic soul.

It’s actually challenging for Vance to say a word without Creigh either mocking him or being passive-aggressive for no apparent reason.

“You’ve been doing so well.” I smile.

“Not as well as you, obviously.” He points at my hand. “That ring is a blindness hazard.”

“And yet you can still see. Looks like I need to up my game.” Eli’s deep, dark voice rushes beneath my skin like a shot of adrenaline.

My pulse spikes and a shiver crawls down my spine as I look to my side.

There he is.

The bastard.

There’s masculine beauty, and then there’s Eli in a black suit, powder-blue shirt, slicked hair, and a jaw so chiseled, it has the capacity to cut people in half.

I’m people. People is me.

It’s tragically unfair that the devil looks mouthwateringly tempting. No wonder people sell their souls.

I’m dangerously close to offering mine up for pennies.

His big palm lands on my nape beneath my hair, and he strokes the skin there like a doting husband before he leans over and brushes his lips on my cheek.

My breath stutters and a fiery warmth explodes where his mouth touches my skin.

As he rises to his full height, I feel the redness spreading on my face.

“You have company, beautiful.”

Even though I recognize he’s putting on a public persona, a shiver crawls into my belly whenever he calls me by that nickname.

“Vance Elliot.” My friend stands and offers his hand to Eli above my head.

If I thought Creighton was unnecessarily rough, I’m scared my husband will break the poor man’s bones with how firmly he squeezes.

“Eli King,” he says in a tone that doesn’t betray the darkness in his eyes. “I see you’ve been keeping my wife company.”

“We met by coincidence.”

“I’m sure. She has a lot of coincidences in her life.”

“V is an old friend.” Whom he’s met countless times, including the night he broke my heart. But to expect Eli to remember people is beyond absurd.

“I hope I’m not intruding,” Vance says with his usual gentlemanly smile.

“You perfectly are,” Eli says without missing a beat.

“In that case, I’ll take my leave.” Vance buttons his jacket and smiles again at me. “Let’s meet up sometime, Ava. Don’t be a stranger.”

He leaves and, immediately, the waiter clears his plates. Before he disappears, I stand up.

Eli tightens his grip on my nape and whispers in my ear, “Sit the fuck down.”

“No,” I murmur back, then, armed with the knowledge that we’re in public, I elbow him and run after Vance.

I catch up to him by the steps leading upstairs and touch his arm. He turns around with his usual welcoming expression. “Everything okay?”

“I’m sorry about Eli. He can be…”

“Territorial?”

“I was going to say a prick.” I smile. “Please don’t be offended, V.”

“It’d take more than that to offend me. Especially when it comes to you.”

“That makes me so happy.”

“Which can’t be said about your husband, I suppose.”

I swallow. “I am happy.”

“You don’t even smile anymore.”

“I’m smiling.”

“It’s not as cheerful as before.”

“There’s that thing called growing up. It sucks.”

He pats my hand. “I’m always here if you need a shoulder to cry on, pink princess.”

“Rude. Ladies don’t cry.”

“My offer still stands.” He chances a look behind me. “Should I leave before your husband shoots me with his eyes?”

“You know what?” I wrap my arms around his neck. “Play a game with me?”

“Always.”

Maybe this is my chance to watch Eli lose control for once in his life.

Just once.

Because of me.

I angle my head as if I’m about to kiss him. I don’t even get on my tiptoes properly before harsh fingers dig into my waist and I’m hauled back with a force that leaves me breathless.

My back slams against Eli’s harsh chest, and I swear I can hear the animalistic breaths rumbling behind me, but when he speaks, it’s annoyingly, disappointingly calm. “Forgot something, Mr. Elliot?”

“Not really.”

“Think again, because I can see your soul leaving your miserable body the next time you put your hands on my wife.”

“I meant no disrespect.”

“On the contrary.”

Vance pauses, his eyes squinting, but then he nods at me before he silently takes the stairs, leaving me in the company of a dangerously boiling Eli.

I steal a glance at my husband. His nostrils flare, his eyes narrow, and his face closes off with a speed that prickles my skin.

I know I was playing a little game to ruffle his feathers and provoke him, but I’m beginning to regret it big time.

My intuition is proved right when he brushes his lips to my ear and whispers in dark words, “You’re so fucked, Mrs. King.”