God of Pain (Legacy of Gods #2) by Rina Kent

Sure enough, Cecily stands in the shadows, her silver hair flying in the wind as she grips her phone tight.

Oddly, her shirt is a simple black one with no quotes on it.

“You don’t understand. I just can’t do this,” she whispers in a shaky voice and I want to reach out and hug her.

She’s been distressed for a while, and even Glyn expressed her worry about it the other day.

I must make a noise in trying to get close to her, because she faces me with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights gaze before she removes the phone from her ear and hangs up on whoever she was talking with.

“Annika?” Her tone is cold, a little bit wrong, as if it’s not the same Cecily I know. “What are you doing here?”

“Uh, I kind of couldn’t watch my brother and my boyfriend fighting. Especially since they have a grudge.” I air quote the last word.

“Oh, I see.” Her voice softens.

I approach her slowly, scared any sudden movement will make her bolt. “Are you okay, Ces?”

She nods soundlessly.

While Jeremy has been insufferable since he learned Cecily helped Creighton abduct me, I don’t hold a grudge against her.

One, she didn’t know and really thought he only wanted to talk to me before she was thrown out of the plane.

Two, she’s suffered from Jeremy enough as it is. I know how harsh my brother can be, and he’s never really liked Cecily.

It’s mutual, but still.

And sometimes, I catch them looking at each other in a way I can’t put my finger on.

“I’m always here if you want to talk,” I tell her softly. “Even if it’s about Jer.”

A visible tremor goes through her limbs and she stares at me, hard, as if trying to figure out if she should trust me.

I think she decides she can, because she takes a step forward. “Anni, you can’t tell anyone about this.”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.”

She inhales sharply, her eyes darting sideways. “I made a terrible mistake and I don’t know how to undo it.”

It’s the first time I’ve seen her so lost, so scared. Cecily has always been the most confident one, the assertive one, the crash-into-the-problem-head-first one.

But she looks so terribly confused that I want to hug her.

“What is it? Tell me and I might be able to help.”

“It’s—”

Her words are cut off when I feel a presence behind me and then my nostrils fill with his distinctive scent mixed with adrenaline and sweat.

A strong hand wraps around my waist and I shiver as I’m slammed against his side, where his body heat overwhelms mine.

“Hi, Creigh,” my friend murmurs, then slides her dejected attention to me. “I’m going back.”

“Cecily, wait,” I call after her, but she’s already gone.

I glare up at Creighton’s gorgeous face with the thick brows and busted lips, and it’s hard to be mad at him. “Ces was going to tell me something and you screwed it up.”

“Don’t get involved in Cecily’s business when she doesn’t even know what she wants.” He pushes a stray hair that the wind stuffed in my face behind my ear. “Were you hiding, little purple?”

“I didn’t want to see you guys fighting.” I swallow. “Who won?”

“It was a draw.”

“Thank God.” I release a breath.

“We’ll have a rematch next week.”

“Seriously?”

“Next time, don’t hide or I’ll draw it out more.” He flicks my forehead teasingly and I massage the spot, glaring up at him.

“Aww. And I’m so going to hide again.”

“Don’t be a brat.”

“Oh, please, you love it when I’m a brat.”

“Seems the appetizer from earlier didn’t teach you a lesson.”

“That was…just an appetizer?”

“More or less.”

“What’s the main course then?”

“You’ll find out if you’re a good girl.”

My panties soak at the promise in his voice. I love it when he keeps me in the dark about his plans and then I find myself all tied up and fucked to within an inch of my life.

Or when he introduces new toys that I swear are manufactured so he can torture me with them.

“Will you take a picture and post it on IG this time, too?”

“No. They only need to be reminded in another two weeks or so.”

“You’re so over the top, but I still love you,” I whisper. “So much, it’s insane.”

“Good, because I’ll make sure you always love me as much as I love you.”

And then he’s lifting me by the waist and kissing me.





EPILOGUE - CREIGHTON





ONE YEAR LATER





Whose idea was it for us to come here?

Right, my brother’s.

I’m left wondering why I haven’t punched him in the face as I glare at him from across the table and he smiles widely, even winking like the little twat he is.

The thing is, we’re at a family dinner, as in, with Dad and Mum. We finished eating, but there’s still dessert.

The worst part? This is only the first season. Tomorrow, in part two of this family saga, we’ll be joined by my three grandfathers—who like to bicker for sport, Nan, Uncle Levi, and Aunt Astrid. The twins and Glyn may join, too, since it’s a holiday.