Goddess of Pain - Katie May Page 0,34

cackle at his own joke.

“So there’s a shit ton of gods and goddesses who could’ve done this to us,” I surmise, sighing heavily.

“I need you to think,” Helio grunts out. “Any noticeable enemies?”

“Besides Athena? None. At least, none that could do something like this.”

Fuck, I wish I could remember the days leading up to my memory loss. I just know the answers will be there, interwoven in an intricate web of lies and deceit.

“And the god or goddess who did this to us might have been hired by someone else,” Avery points out, using his spatula to emphasize his words. “You originally hired Helio as your executioner, remember? It’s not uncommon for rulers to outsource.”

“You’re right,” I agree, groaning. “I think the first thing we need to do is find the person who hired you to kill me. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re related.”

“I might be able to help with that,” a familiar, cocky voice states from the doorframe. Avery immediately grabs the closet knife, holding it at the ready, but Helio doesn’t even budge from his spot against the far wall. Obviously, my gentle giant heard and saw the intruder before we did.

Desmond—the God of Combat and my final lover—takes a step forward. Hauled over his shoulder like some sort of demented backpack is a second man.

“Goddess, meet Burke. Burke, meet goddess and friends.” His lips curl into a smile that’s both mischievous and wicked, amused and evil. “Burke is the one who paid us to kill you.”

Chapter 14

Burke is an insignificant man in every way. You would never believe he hired four men to kill me.

His face is pudgy with an abnormally large nose and too thin lips. Wispy black hair, interwoven with gray streaks, flops in front of his closed eyes. Currently, he’s dressed in a pair of tan khaki pants and a blue striped shirt, almost as if Desmond abducted him straight from a business meeting.

But I can only give Burke a passing glance, my entire attention consumed by Desmond.

He looks exactly as I remember him, down to the laugh lines around his piercing brown eyes and the jovial grin on his face. His brown hair is long, nearly to his shoulders, and is extremely full and luscious. He has thick black brows and light facial hair that only emphasizes his sexy features.

“Des,” I whisper as he drops Burke’s body unceremoniously to the ground. I race forward, arms extended, and he returns my stare with wide-eyed wonderment. But the second we would’ve collided, he stealthily sidesteps me, face uncharacteristically taut.

“You…remember?” Avery asks uneasily, moving to stand behind me. He places his hands on my shoulders and gives them a reassuring squeeze. Normally, his touch is calming, but I can’t help but cringe away, focused intently on Desmond.

And his rejection.

It feels as if he shoved his hand through my skin and ribs and grabbed my beating heart. Slowly, he begins to crush it in an iron vise, restricting all blood flow.

Desmond’s signature sly grin returns, but it’s forced. He refuses to meet my probing eyes.

“My memories returned to me last night,” he admits, shrugging once. “After…” He clears his throat and shifts uncomfortably, favoring the leg I stepped on when the man attacked me.

It suddenly occurs to me that Desmond was the man outside of my work. It makes sense, considering he’s the God of Combat.

“Anyway…” Desmond scrubs his hand through his shaggy brown hair. “I went through my contacts and discovered Burke was the one who paid us to kill Emily.”

“Did he only hire us four?” Helio asks, muscles rippling as he flexes. He lifts his gaze to stare over Desmond’s shoulder at the still open apartment door. No doubt, he’s trying to figure out if there are any more threats he needs to eradicate. Any more people he needs to kill in order to enact vengeance.

“Isn’t that twisted fate?” Sin drawls lazily, moving to jump up on the kitchen counter. He has a cigarette dangling from his lips as he offers me a crooked smile. “The men who swore to love and protect you are the ones who tried to murder you.” Desmond winces at Sin’s words, Avery frowns, but Helio remains impassive.

“Sin…” I warn, but he ignores me, removing his cigarette and putting it out on his bare arm. Immediately, a hideous red welt appears on his tan skin. In the Realm of the Gods, that wound would’ve healed in seconds. And Tate’s face? Those bruises would’ve diminished in only an