“Think what you want,” I say with all the contempt I can muster. “I only came to get my necklace. Otherwise, believe me, I wouldn’t be here. Give me my necklace so I can leave.”
Ares stares at me with an intensity that leaves me defenseless. I don’t know how I gather the strength not to throw myself into his arms. He looks so handsome: his naked torso, all wet, and his black hair stuck to the sides of his face.
He looks like a fallen angel—beautiful but capable of doing so much damage.
Ares turns around, and I struggle not to look at his ass. He reaches for something on one of the tables behind the couch and walks back to me with the necklace in his hands. “Just answer one question, and I’ll give it to you.”
“Whatever. Let’s just get it over with.”
He runs his hand through his wet hair. “Why are you so angry with me? You knew what I wanted, I never lied to you. I never tricked you to get it. So why the anger?”
I look down with my heart in my mouth. “Because I . . .” I laugh out of nervousness. “I was expecting more, I thought that . . .”
“That, if we had sex, I would like you and take you seriously?”
His blunt words hurt, but they’re true, so I just give him a rueful smile. “Yeah, I’m an idiot, I know.”
Ares doesn’t seem surprised by my confession. “Raquel, I . . .”
“What’s going on?” the redheaded girl asks as she enters the room, surprising both of us.
It’s going to be a long night.
NINETEEN
The Girl
My dignity is grateful that his maid showed up and spared me this painful conversation, but my heart is dying to know what Ares was going to say before she interrupted him.
Was he going to break my heart again? Or was he going to say something else?
“Nothing is happening, Claudia,” Ares answers her sharply. He hands me my necklace before leaving the room.
I smile at her as I follow him out. I shiver and blame it on my dress, because it’s a little wet. Ares is leaning against the wall in the living room, his arms folded across his chest. His eyes meet mine, and I struggle to figure out his cold expression without any success. My gaze falls on Apolo, who is sitting on the couch, using his phone.
I’m about to go sit beside him when the girl who was with Ares in the pool comes out of the kitchen, carrying what looks like a sandwich. Her wet hair looks dark and her eyes are black as night. She has a delicate, pretty face, and her body is well proportioned. She’s wearing a see-through beach dress with her bathing suit underneath, and she walks with confidence. She’s hot, and she knows it.
Her eyes turn to Ares when she speaks. “I made you one. Chicken and ham.”
“Thank you. I’m starving, and it’ll take a while for the barbecue to be ready.” Ares smiles at her, and just when I think my heart can’t break any more, it does. They look so comfortable with each other.
The girl turns toward me and her eyebrows knit together. “Oh, hi, I didn’t see you there.”
Apolo introduces us. “Samy, this is Raquel, our neighbor.”
Samy offers me her hand, and I take it. “Nice to meet you, Raquel.”
“Likewise,” I say.
She smiles. “Ready for the pool?”
“No, actually, I was just leaving.”
“No, stay! I’m dying to know more about the girl who’s been a neighbor to these fools all her life.” She grabs me and drapes her arm over my shoulder, giving me a half hug. “I can’t believe I never met you until now.”
Everyone is waiting for me to respond. I can’t stay here, not again. But Apolo waits anxiously for my answer, and he looks vulnerable, so I decide to stay for him.
“All right, just a little while longer.”
We go back to the pool, and my eyes travel over to where Ares’s friends are sitting. Ares moves next to me to whisper in my ear. “Stay away from him.”
I know he’s referring to Marco. “I don’t have to do what you say.”
“Pool time!” Samy shouts, taking off her dress. She dives into the water, splashing us all, and I take a step back. Apolo follows her lead and takes off his shirt, diving in after her.
Samy emerges from the water. “Come on, Ares! What are you waiting for?”
I stare at him like a fool, at those lips that have kissed me so deliciously, that abdomen that I touched while he was taking my innocence, that back that I clung to while feeling him inside me. For God’s sake, Raquel! The blood flows to my face. I feel my cheeks burn and I look away.