free sliding it down his neck. He rolls his head on his shoulders, before taking one menacing step toward his brother. Run, that’s my first thought. Ares is dangerous in a way I can’t describe.
Coming to my feet, I keep my movements small, I don’t want to attract his focus again. I sidestep the table, making it slightly closer to the exit. I shouldn’t be here.
“Six years.” Ares doesn’t yell, he doesn’t even raise his voice. Dante drops his head, eyes cast to the floor. Milo and Ollie stand as a unit. I take a few steps closer to the stairs. “Where are you trying to disappear to cara?” I stiffen, he’s not even looking in my direction, but I know he’s talking to me.
My mouth goes dry when all four of them turn to eye me. I lick my lips. “I don’t know what you guys think you’re doing, but I’m not playing this game.” One moment I’m standing alone a few feet from my escape, the next Ares is there right in front of me blocking my path. Instinctively I take a step back, my head shakes in denial as my hands begin to tremble. No, that’s not possible, no one can move that fast.
“Why have you been hiding from me?” His words are spoken softly, contrary to the anger simmering in his brown eyes. I look to the others for help, they don’t move.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but my mom is expecting me home at any minute.” It’s a lie, one I hope he doesn’t catch. Ares’s hand reaches up and I flinch away. I feel a slight tug on the loose hair on the left side of my face. I open my eyes to find Ares staring at his fingers sliding down my hair. His lips part as he rubs his thumb and forefinger together once he reaches the end. I take another step back and my calves hit the table behind me.
Fingers intertwine with mine as Ollie steps up to my side. “You’re scaring her,” he accuses. Ares tilts his head and his eyes narrow on our joined hands. The tingle flares to life. I squeeze Ollie’s hand tighter grateful for the support.
“I believe her,” Dante mutters. “She doesn’t know what we are.” A spike of anger has me tensing.
“I don’t care if any of you believe me or not. Frankly I’m not convinced you guys aren’t trying to fuck with me.”
“Gattino has a little bite,” Ares challenges with one eyebrow raised. His eyes scan me, from my worn out sneakers to my miss matched eyes. The corner of his lip twitches in a barely noticeable fashion. Is he laughing at me? I bare my teeth in a sneer, he may be intimidating, but there’s something about him that puts me on edge. Ares eyes go wide before the throws his head back and a laugh booms free. “Yes, a bite indeed.” He slaps Ollie on his shoulder and turns away from us.
I deflate immediately. Feeling shaky, I don’t protest when Ollie tugs me over to the sofa to sit. Dante tucks himself next to me, leaving a small gap for Milo to wedge into.
Ares walks back from the kitchen with a bottle of water tipped to his lips, watching us the whole time. Seeming satisfied with what he finds, his eyes take in the space around us. “So, this is where you’ve been hold up?” His mouth turns down in a frown. I look around noticing the sparse decorations and minimalistic amenities. It’s roomier than I’m used to, but compared to the house across the driveway this must have less to offer. I eye the plush carpet and the fine leather couch, wondering what he finds lacking.
“Like you’re one to talk. We haven’t seen you in what, seven months? No, eight. It was Christmas, right?”
Ares uses the toe of his expensive looking black leather shoe to pull the leg of the table out a bit before sitting down facing us. He doesn’t meet Dante’s eyes when he responds, “I’ve been busy.”
That gets a snort from Dante. “Just don’t lecture me about hiding when I learned it from the shadow man himself.” His reply reminds me of how it seemed like Ares really did step out of the shadows. I shift in my seat looking for room to separate myself from the guys on either side of me, but there isn’t any.
“Let’s not waste time, our guest is getting restless.” Ares is