Goddess of Pain - Katie May Page 0,58

it because I know I could grow obsessed with it, and that terrifies me.

“A little murder won’t hurt anyone,” he states, that same charming smile plastered on his face. He reminds me of an angel that people on Earth worship. But instead of blinding light, he’s shadowed by death and destruction. His pretty boy looks can't hide the monster lurking underneath.

“No,” she hisses, glaring at him. I feel irrationally jealous that her attention is no longer on me. And of course, I fucking hate that. If the rumors are true, the Goddess of Pain has three committed lovers already. The last thing I need to do is get a fucking crush on her. I’ve never been a one woman type of man, and I don’t plan on starting now. Life is too short not to fuck anything and everything that moves.

Though, if she asked me to be hers and only hers, I wouldn’t refuse…

I growl at my internal voice.

“My job as your mate is to protect you from assholes like him,” Avery counters, somehow able to maintain that stupidly perfect and cheerful smile while talking about murder. “I know you love it when I use my powers, baby. I know it makes you wet.” He grabs her hips and presses her against his obvious erection. She rolls her eyes, but the delicate flush on her cheeks says that she doesn’t hate it. Not one bit.

“Aves!” She slaps at the hands on her waist, and he releases her with a petulant pout. Turning back to me, she shrugs with a ‘what can you do?’ expression on her face. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. What’s your name?”

“Tate,” I bite out, willing my cock to behave itself. “And I don’t bow to fucking any one.”

The soldiers begin to murmur, and I see more than one cast me anxious stares, willing me to shut up.

“Not even to a queen?” she asks, stopping when her breasts brush against my chest.

“Why would I bow to someone who hasn’t earned my respect?” I ask darkly, maintaining her piercing stare. Her eyes hold mine for a long moment, thoughts percolating in that pretty head of hers, before a large smile appears on her face. I fucking hate how much that smile affects me.

“I like you, Tate.” Her husky voice curls around me, and I ball my hands into fists to curb the desire I have to touch her. Claim her. Mark her. I’ve never had such a visceral reaction to a woman before. Sure, I fucked other goddesses—and even that Athena bitch has tried to get in my pants—but no one has ever impacted me as much as Emily does.

“Are you going to initiate me into your harem now?” I drawl lazily, as if I couldn’t give a damn either way.

But that’s a lie; I care more than I want to admit.

She laughs raucously, tossing her head back and pushing out her generous breasts.

“We’ll talk again,” she assures me, taking a step away and interlocking her fingers with Avery’s. He glares at me, annoyance spewing from his crazy eyes, before she tugs at his hand, convincing him to walk with her. Immediately, the scowl transforms into his signature smile, and his eyes soften. “Nice meeting you, Tate!” she calls over her shoulder.

“Fuck you, princess!”

Her giggle reaches me, caressing my skin like she’s physically touching me.

I think the real saying is ‘fuck me.’ Because already, I feel that I’m lost to this girl.

And I hate it.

The moment the footsteps reach my ears, I pounce.

Shock appears on the man’s face as I level punch after punch into his disgusting face.

“Who. The. Fuck. Do. You. Think. You. Are?” I pant, hauling him to his feet and shoving him in the lawn chair one of the homeless people left behind.

His bald head glistens in the dim, artificial lighting as he glares at me, spewing vitriol with his eyes.

This fucker thought he could shoot at my girl? Hurt her? Well, fuck him. He didn’t know what hell he was getting into when he accepted the hit on Emily fucking Lopez.

He attempts to head butt me, but I merely laugh. Does this pathetic excuse of a human being think he can take on a god?

It’s actually quite comical.

Punching him once more in the face and reveling in his pained groan, I remove the gun from the waistband of his jeans. Next, I find a coil of rope that was once used for a tent and quickly tie him to the seat.

“That was…surprisingly