Ten minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom, the awful stench finally gone. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and, leaving my hair damp, I went over to Athena’s room. The chair was in the same place, indicating she hadn’t attempted to leave. I put it to one side and quietly opened her door.
Athena had her back to me, her long dark hair fanned out over the crisp white pillow. Her breathing was soft and even. Considering how tired I was, I briefly contemplated letting her sleep until morning but immediately discarded the idea. This conversation needed to happen tonight.
I sat on the edge of the bed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear so I could see her face better. Her cheeks were tinged pink, her lips parted. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful.
My chest tightened. “What am I going to do with you, my little goddess?” I whispered.
She stirred and then rolled onto her back. A few seconds later, her eyelids flickered then opened.
“Ryker?”
Her voice, thick with sleep, sent blood rushing to my groin. Fucking hell. Not now.
“Yeah,” I rasped. “It’s me.”
She let out a contented sigh and stretched, the movement parting the robe and giving me more than a glimpse of her breasts. I raised my eyes heavenward. Are you kidding me?
And then she shot up in bed, pinning me with an angry glare. “You left. You dragged me back here against my will and left me with that… that… oaf.”
I raised one eyebrow. “Oaf?”
“He picked his teeth,” she explained with a pout.
I grinned. “At least it wasn’t his nose.”
“Urgh, Ryker.” She slammed her palm into my shoulder. “That’s disgusting.”
I stood before she could cast her unique spell—the one that made me forget my own name.
“Get dressed. You owe me an explanation.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You want me to put on the clothes I was wearing at the club?”
Christ. I was too tired to think straight. With everything else going on, I’d forgotten she didn’t have anything to wear other than that outfit. And I’d gouge out my own eyes before I’d ever see her wearing it again.
“Just get in the living room, Athena,” I snapped. “And pull that robe closed. I’ve seen more than enough of your tits for one day, as has half of Japan, it seems.”
I left her with her mouth hanging open, my cutting and unnecessary words clearly hitting the bull’s-eye.
I hated myself.
4
Athena
I stared at Ryker’s retreating form as he disappeared into the living area of the penthouse suite, hot tears pricking my eyes. I blinked, and a couple spilled over, sticking to my lashes. I dashed them aside. Over the years, I’d cried so many tears over Ryker Stone, it surprised me I had any left. While I futilely clung to the hope that one day he’d wake up and realize we were meant for each other, Ryker showed no signs of harboring any feelings toward me other than mild irritation and disdain. Even the rare moments of light banter never lasted long.
“I’m waiting, Athena.”
I ground my teeth, garnering fury instead of hurt, resentment in place of calm, hatred as opposed to adoration.
You want my rage, Ryker? You got it.
I stomped into the living room, purposely leaving my robe hanging half open. Childish, maybe, but if Ryker wanted to treat me like a kid, that’s exactly what he’d get.
His eyes glued to my chest, then widened. A slight flush crept up his neck. Anger maybe? No one disobeyed Ryker Stone, not these days, and definitely not since he became a billionaire. Well, tough shit, mister, cuz this girl ain’t gonna bend to your will. No, sir. He might’ve forgotten where he came from, but I hadn’t. I recalled clear as day when he had nothing, when his mother was out working all the time to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, and my mom had to step in and make sure he had enough to eat and clothes that fit, especially during the years of teenage growth spurts.
Fortunately for Ryker, he had a brain the size of a planet and secured a merit scholarship to college. None of his achievements surprised me. He’d always been on the trajectory to greatness. It oozed from his every pore. He was born dirt-poor but destined to be stinking rich.
I fully expected him to order me to cover myself up. Instead, he plucked a loose thread from his jeans, got to his feet, and casually walked over to the bar area. He opened the ice bucket then popped the top back on. I guessed the ice must have melted.
He crossed over to an occasional table and picked up the house phone. “This is Ryker Stone. I need ice.”
I rolled my eyes, waiting for him to hang up. “You could fetch it yourself. I’m sure there’s an ice machine in the hallway or one floor down.”
His smirk came slow. “And leave you here all alone.” He tsked. “I don’t think so.”
I huffed. “You honestly think I’m going to walk the streets of Tokyo dressed in a hotel robe?”
He palmed the back of his head, the movement lifting his T-shirt to reveal a glimpse of toned abs. My stomach twisted, the memory of how those ridges of muscles felt beneath my fingertips as clear as if it had just happened. The seven intervening years only served to sharpen the edges, to add more definition to what had been, even at twenty-one, a damn fine physique.
“Nothing you did would surprise me.”
A knock at the door temporarily halted my cutting response. Ryker answered it, thanked the butler for bringing a fresh bucket of ice, and wandered back over to the bar. He made himself a scotch over ice. I saw no signs of a drink for me.
“Make mine a gin and tonic,” I drawled.
He glanced over his shoulder then showed me his back once more. A few seconds later he returned to the couch, a single glass in his hand.
Jackass.
I shot to my feet and marched over to the bar. Poured myself a drink. Stomped back to the chair. Stared at him petulantly.
“Well? Let’s get it over with, and then we can both go our separate ways.”
Ryker sipped his drink, his eyes fixed on mine. The ice shifted in the bucket, briefly drawing my gaze away from him.
He cleared his throat.
I looked back at him.
Still he remained silent, his hooded gaze and quiet menace tightening my throat. A sense of dread took root in my stomach. Taciturn Ryker scared me most of all.
After what felt like an age, he rested his elbow on the arm of the couch and swirled the dark liquid up the sides of his glass. “Why were you at the club?”
“Duh. Why do you think? I was working.”
“Working? Or fucking? I swear to god, Athena, you’d better have only been serving drinks because if you’ve been spreading your legs for money…” His voice dropped to a menacingly low tone. “I will lock you up and throw away the key.”
The fact he thought for one second I could ever prostitute myself sliced through my heart so deeply, I wasn’t sure the gaping hole could ever be repaired. If only he knew the truth. That my vagina was well and truly sealed up, and the man sitting opposite me was the sole owner of the key.
I breathed in through my nose, taking a moment to swallow the hurt before answering. “I was waiting tables, that’s all,” I replied sullenly.