Heart of Fire (Blood of Zeus #2) - Meredith Wild Page 0,58

mischief that perfectly match his playboy reputation.

“I was in Cabo with some friends. I needed a break.”

I laugh. “A break? Jaden, you don’t even work.”

He takes a chair, slouching casually into it. “Oh yeah? What would you call getting taxied all over town, taking meetings that Mom’s obsessed with setting up?”

He’s got a solid point. Not that I’m going to say that out loud. “Some people might be grateful to have such a dedicated agent working on their behalf to achieve maximum fame and fortune.”

He rolls his eyes. “Right. I forgot you’re the expert in gratitude.”

I wilt a little. It’s not a secret that I’ve never embraced our lifestyle—at least not to the degree that Jaden and Kell have. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to notice the nerve he’s hit with fighter-pilot precision. If he does, he pretends not to.

He nods toward the mess of schoolwork in front of me. “What’s all this?”

“Just catching up on some homework. Things have been busy, so I’m trying to catch up.”

His gaze lands on the Comedy opened in front of me. He leans in, getting a glimpse of the text. “Dante, Kara? Really?”

I close the book with a clap. “Yes, really. Why do you care?”

He answers with a bored shrug. “For someone who hates being a demon, you’re weirdly fascinated with it, big sister.”

I pause. “That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it? You’ve spent the past few years basically nerding out on our ancestry.”

“Classics is much broader than that.”

He lifts a brow in challenge.

I keep my lips pinched shut, but I’ve had the same internal discussion with myself more than once. Something drew me to the classics. The fairy tale histories. The actual histories. Like a strange puzzle of myth and truth that no one will ever be able to truly piece together. But trying to is half the allure. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so dedicated these last four years. And now I have an even better reason than most.

“So,” Jaden cuts in, interrupting my thoughts. “I stopped over at Mom’s when I got back and heard a very interesting story from Gio.”

I huff. “You can call him Grandfather, you know.”

“Uh, right. Anyway, this obviously explains why you’re getting more Page Six real estate than I have lately.”

“What?” I frown hard but finish with a huge eye roll. “That is so not true.”

“Actually, it is,” he replies. “But it’s not a competition. I hate those guys. But still…”

“What?” I prod.

“Damn, Kara.” His chuckle is dry and only half humorous. “What kind of mess are you in?”

A sigh pours out of me. “A pretty big one, I guess.”

He nods, his expression a little more solemn. “A demigod, huh?”

I twist my lips. “That would seem to be the case.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Are you implying I went out looking for this kind of trouble?”

“Of course not.” He tackles the mess of his hair with one hand, scrubbing haphazardly through it. As the strands fall back into their same artful mess, he lifts his wrist to glance at his diamond-studded watch. “Anyway, I just thought I’d check in and see how you were doing, but I’ve got to run. I have plans tonight.”

“So do I. And a ton more of this.” I wave my hand over the mountain of reading I still need to catch up on.

Jaden’s back on his feet and jabs his hands into his back pockets and shrugs with purpose. “So…are you going to be all right with all this? Can I help with anything?”

For a second, I’m not sure how to respond. His halfhearted query is more concern than he’s probably ever shown me, but it’s dripping with how much he doesn’t want to have to offer up any actual help, which would interrupt his streak of carefree living.

“I’m good.” I smile kindly, grateful that Jaden thought to stop by at all. Then I think of Kell…and last night’s friction between us. “Hey, before you go, can I ask you something?”

He slips his phone out of his pocket with a small sound of acknowledgment.

“When we were little… Do you remember when Gramps would help take care of us?”

He nods slowly, clearly taking care not to make eye contact. “A little.”

I pause, weighing my next words. Not for Jaden’s sake but so I can get the answer I’m looking for. I already know Jaden doesn’t care.

“Do you think that Gramps favored one of us?”

He snorts out a laugh, finally lifting his gaze all the way up to mine. “So now that he’s escaped the backyard bungalow, you’re getting