Ares

Chapter 33 || Watch me, baby. I've gone crazy.

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I was gonna post this next weekend but fuck it because YA GIRL GRADUATED and GOT HER FIRST DEGREE WÖÖP WÖÖP, I'm in love with this chapter for some reason so I really hope you guys enjoy this sad chapter ohohoh.

"Please, believe in me, take a chance on me. I will make you see, who I am. And you, you never believed in love, till you saw it in me."

-  Love Lost, Harbour.

Grace cleared her throat and got right to the point, wanting to get out of this office as quickly as possible. Her stomach was already in a constant state of turmoil and Zeus's potent cologne wasn't helping. "If I back out of the picture, will you stop?"

She wasn't sure if it was the words themselves or her voice cracking when she spoke them that made her grimace. Zeus's grin spread like the flu, showing off perfect rows of white teeth. He reclined in a high-backed leather chair that matched the dark wood framing the book cases around the office. He studied her through discerning eyes, lightly tapping a pen against the desk. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I mean Daisy-Chains, my family, my friends. If I...remove myself from the equation with Ares, will you leave all of us alone?"

Zeus narrowed his blue eyes and thought on it for a bit, tapping the pen against the desk. Finally, he leaned forward and scribbled something on a yellow pad of paper. "I'm not sure I understand your question, Miss Sinclair, but I do appreciate you stopping by like this. We always welcome input from trusted members of the community."

Grace's frown deepened, leaving shadowy wrinkles around her eyes. "Listen, I don't know what kind of crap..."

He smiled and held up the notepad, the word YES scrawled across it in large curling letters.

Grace slowly shut her mouth, struggling to hang onto a tear building in the corner of her eye. She had promised herself no more tears, especially in front of this asshole. He would not get the satisfaction, no matter how much she was trembling. Zeus rose and extended his hand. "I'm very glad to hear your place of business is doing so well. Let's hope this is just the beginning of even greater things to come." That million dollar smile resurfaced, turning Grace's stomach.

"I feel sorry for you," she whispered, shaking her head instead of his hand. "It's too bad your daughter's not good enough on her own."

Zeus's smile faltered, crumbling to the desk in worthless pieces.

The ghost of a grin pulled at one corner of Grace's lips. "Maybe someday she'll find someone who actually wants to be with her for who she is, not for who you are." She didn't dignify a response and left the office without looking back, her heels clicking down the hallway to the front desk.

// ***** //

Grace slammed her car door hard enough to rattle the windows. Everything was a blur, the dashboard a fuzzy rectangle without detail. She covered her mouth and fought back the tears, telling herself this was the only way, forcing herself to believe that love should come easy. Not like this. Despite her best efforts, a tear broke the barrier and slid down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, done crying. But Ares's face popped into her head and before she knew it more tears had won their freedom. She wondered what she had just done and quickly pushed past it. It was too late for thoughts like that. Now it was over.

A soft knock on the window scared her half to death. She looked up to see a female police officer standing there with a friendly smile and a small notepad in hand. One horrid thought ambushed Grace's senses like no other as she rolled down the window: Zeus was having her arrested.