Not even Ares.
“Your people are specially trained,” I snap. “If they can’t take me, that sounds like a you problem.”
“Absolutely.” She agrees so damn easily. “By the way, is Orpheus still bothering you?”
Mention of Apollo’s brother makes me frown. What does Orpheus have to do with anything? It takes several steps for understanding to settle over me. She’s talking about that party where he was being an arrogant little prick, but that was months ago. I’m honestly surprised she remembered at all. “I can handle Orpheus.” He might be bigger than me, but he’s brittle. I could break him without lifting a finger.
“If you’re sure… I know it’s a touchy subject because he’s Apollo’s little brother.”
I snort. I can’t help it. “Apollo has more or less washed his hands of Orpheus.” As much as Apollo can wash his hands of anyone in his family. What it really translates to is that he’s stopped smoothing over Orpheus’s messes and cut off his money. With how their mother babies the spoiled brat, it never would have worked if Apollo wasn’t, well, Apollo. “When he shapes up, he can play prodigal son and get all the attention he’s deprived of right now. He has bigger things to worry about than chasing some woman who doesn’t want him.”
“If that ever changes, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Sure,” I lie. I know better than to trust anyone in this godsforsaken city. When push comes to shove, Ares will look out for herself and her interests before helping someone else. Expecting anything else is like expecting a fish to sprout wings and fly. “I’ll do that.”
“No, you won’t.” Ares smiles. “But the offer still stands. Here we are.” She stops in front of a large dark door with Zeus’s golden nameplate on it. The current Zeus is Ares’s brother. The last one was her father. I’d rather chew off my own arm than deal with either of the men who’ve held the title during my lifetime, but I’m here. It’s too late to go back now.
I do my best not to hold my breath—not with Ares watching—and knock.
Apollo’s the one who opens the door, and I instinctively brace myself for a whole new reason.
I hate looking at Apollo. He’s too fucking perfect, a product of his Swedish father and his Korean model of a mother. Tall, broad shoulders, perfectly trimmed black hair, and kind dark eyes. It’s the latter that always hit me like a blow to the chest.
I should have quit a long time ago.
As his executive assistant, I’ve got my fingers in an information network that spans all of Olympus and beyond. I’m the one who compiles the reports from the various sources, complete with my thoughts, before Apollo gets them. The work is challenging, and I actually enjoy it.
Not that I’ll ever admit as much out loud.
But as much as I like what I do, this attraction is getting to be too much. Better to work in an office job I loathe than to have…feelings…about my boss. Even if the feelings in question are something as simple as lust. It complicates things.
I know what happens to people who get tangled up with the Thirteen.
They die.
I shove the file at him. “You forgot this.” My voice is too sharp, too bitchy. He didn’t ask me to do this, but I’m embarrassed and it’s so much easier to snarl and snap than admit it. “I’m not your errand girl, and now I’m in overtime for the week.”
Apollo raises a single dark brow. “You didn’t have to come all this way, Cassandra. I would have done without.”
Without a doubt. He’s capable on a truly terrifying level and has nearly perfect recall of anything he’s ever read. He would have been fine relaying the contents of the file without having it on hand. He probably only put it together for Zeus’s benefit.
But he was nice to me this morning.
I am a fool.
“You’re welcome.” I turn on my heel. “See you tomorrow.”
“Cassandra.”
I ignore him and keep going. If security is the reason the elevators won’t go above floor fifteen, then I bet they’ll descend from here. They’re keeping people out, not in. My exit won’t be marred by having to take a breather on the stairwell and praying to the gods that no one stumbles on me. My pride won’t be able to handle it.
“Cassandra.” He’s closer. Damn it, I should have known he wouldn’t let this go.
I sigh and stop. It’s beneath both our dignities to have him chase me down the hall in front of Ares.
Apollo stops next to me, his longer legs having covered the distance easily. He pauses. “Thank you for bringing this. If you’ll hold on for a few minutes, I’m just wrapping up. I’ll give you a ride home.”
The temptation to say yes nearly makes my knees buckle. I’ve shared enough rides with him on the way from one meeting to another over the years. I know exactly how it will go. He’ll slump back against the seat and loosen his perfect black tie. Not a lot. Just enough to drive me to distraction. Then he’ll pull out his phone and leave me to my thoughts.
Apollo never prattles on the way some people do. He’s not one of those strong, silent types, but he doesn’t feel the need to fill quiet moments with inane chatter. The car ride will be comfortable and lovely, and I absolutely cannot say yes to it. It’s one thing to have those moments during the workday when I can tell myself there’s no avoiding them. After hours?
No. Absolutely not.
“I’m fine.”
He searches my face as if he can tell I’m being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn, but Apollo is a man who respects boundaries so he just nods. “Keep the cab-fare receipt and expense it.”
I hate how weak I get at the simple thoughtfulness he continually demonstrates. Apollo is too savvy not to know how tight money is for me—his entire job is information, after all—and he also understands me well enough to guess I won’t take charity. Not from him. Not from anyone. Not when it’s never really charity and always comes with strings attached.
But a business expense?
My pride can handle that.
“Fine.”
“See you tomorrow, Cassandra.” The warmth in his tone almost brings me up short before I forcibly remind myself that this is just how he speaks to people. He can get tense from time to time, but Apollo really took that old saying about flies and honey to heart. Especially when it comes to me, as if he can smooth my sharp edges with pure charm.
It’s nothing personal. It’s certainly not interest.
My unfortunate attraction is one-sided and that’s just fine with me.
It’s only a matter of time before I get out of this cursed city once and for all. The last thing I need is to get entangled with one of the Thirteen—another one of the Thirteen—before I do.
2
Apollo
I have to fight not to stare at Cassandra’s big, perfect ass as she stalks down the hall away from me. It doesn’t help that she favors pencil skirts and heels, which only serve to showcase her generous curves further. I can’t ask her to change her style simply because I want her. It’s my problem, not hers. If I’ve taken more than my fair share of cold showers since hiring her five years ago? Well, that’s a small enough price to pay for lusting after my employee.