by Anna Collins
And then the name. Ares was six years old, and he could have easily misheard the name ‘Ridley’ to ‘Ripley.'
Is it possible that Daphne was the Ridley twins’ contact? Did she illegally share information about Apollo’s transactions with the Ridley twins?
Apollo said he and Perseus were at an important meeting with a few prospective clients, and I bet Daphne was coming with them, as well. If my gut feeling was right, she’d probably turn over everything that happened in this meeting over to the twins, and that would mean trouble.
I needed to tell Apollo about this. I needed to warn him about Daphne.
I called Helen and told her to get to the diner as soon as possible. I had to get to the office quickly, and as nice as Ares was, a little kid would just slow me down. I told Helen all about my theory, and she agreed to take Ares off of my hands while I went to warn her brother.
She got here in record time, and I promised Ares I was going to come back for him before walking out of the diner.
Okay, Callie. You need something swift enough to get you to the office in...I checked my watch. Ten minutes. I only had ten minutes before the meeting started.
I stared desperately at the congested traffic and was about to cry over my bad luck when the sound of someone calling my name registered in my ears.
“Hey, Callie!”
I turned around and saw Drake with a helmet perched on his side while straddled a bike.
I was pretty sure it was a Ducati.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, and I was struck with the most brilliant idea as I stared at him.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Apollo
Why are the Ridley twins here again?
I saw them give me identical smirks from across the room and I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep a stiff upper lip. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they’re haggling every single one of my prospective clients anymore. I was starting to believe Perseus when he said that someone from my company was feeding them information.
But the question was…who was it?
I noticed Daphne fidgeting in her seat and my brows furrowed as I watched her nervously pull at the documents in her binder.
“Daphne, is something wrong?” I asked, and she looked at me like a deer in the headlights.
“What? I’m fine, Apollo. Why wouldn’t I be?” she answered. It didn’t escape my notice she failed to answer my question. But before I could probe her any further, the meeting began, and I had to focus my attention on what the client wanted.
So far, everything checked out with the research team, and I was able to come up with a proposal suitable for his needs. The panel was open for the Ridleys to talk next, and Arthur stood up to give his presentation.
It only took me a minute to realize that what happened with Reynolds’ bidding war was not a one-time occurrence. Arthur Ridley was proposing almost the same deal as mine, with very little differences.
Arthur paused for a second during his presentation and turned his head towards me, giving me a slight smirk. The son of a bitch knew I was on to him.
This was not the time to trifle with an idiot like Arthur Ridley. I needed to figure out how to change my presentation and win this deal.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I looked down to see Callie’s number flash on the screen. I swiped at the screen and read her message: Outside board room. SOS. What?
I stood up and excused myself before getting out of the room. I spotted Callie immediately, and I was about to ask her what she was doing here when I saw the person she was with. Why the hell was Reynolds with her?
I walked over to them and opened my mouth to ask her about it, but she beat me to it.
“Listen, Apollo. I’m really sorry I disturbed you in your meeting, but there’s something really important that I thought you should know,” she said, her face and tone betraying the urgency of whatever she needed to tell me.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I think Daphne has been in contact with the Ridley twins and giving them information on your deals so they can sabotage it,” she said rapidly, and Drake’s eyes widened.
“Arthur and Margaret Ridley? The other bidder?” he asked, but I ignored him.
“That’s a very grave accusation, Callie. Are you sure about this?” I asked her, and she nodded.
She told me how Ares had told her all about overhearing Daphne talking to a Mr. Ripley most of the time and promising to deliver some documents from the office. I had to admit her speculation really made a lot of sense.
“Alright. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Thank you for telling me, Callie. Are you going to be alright here or will it be okay for you to wait for me at my office? Do you need me to call someone to give you a ride home?” I asked, and Drake raised his hand.
“It’s cool, man. I took her here with my bike. I can take her home if she wants,” he said, and I looked at him coolly. I felt Callie rub my arm and I looked back down at her smiling face.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I promised Ares I was going to come back for him anyway,” she said, and I nodded.
“Alright. Be careful,” I told her, and before she could turn away, I placed my hand behind her back and pulled her closer to me before putting my lips on hers, kissing her softly. I opened my eyes and stared at Drake, almost daring him to do something, but he merely placed his hand on his lips like he was thinking about something interesting.
I pulled away and placed my lips on the shell of her ear.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I whispered hotly, and I smiled as I felt her whole body shiver against mine.
I turned around and went back inside the room, still feeling smug.
Now, what are you going to do, Reynolds? That’ll teach you to mess with what’s mine.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Callie
“Jesus, Drake. How can you stand riding this thing every day?” I cried while massaging my aching ass. I sat down on a bench with a sigh. Drake laughed and sat beside me.
“Why don’t you say ‘thank you’ like a regular person?” he asked, and I rolled my eyes.
“Thank you, Drake Reynolds. Thank you for getting me here as fast as you could and for almost getting me killed in the process,” I told him, and he shook his head.
“How insincere,” Drake muttered.
“That’s the best you’re going to get out of me,” I told him.
“Callie! We’re here!” I narrowed my eyes and turned to look at the direction of the voice.
As the figure neared us, I gasped in surprise when I finally recognized the child as Ares. I saw Helen running towards us a few feet away and my face split into a wide smile.
“Ares! What are you doing here?” I cried out, and he jumped into my arms and hugged the breath out of me. I held him just as tightly, and I never realized I could miss him so much despite not knowing him for long.
I felt so much love for this little guy already, much like the same way I was beginning to love his father.
“Auntie Hell told me you left me with her so you could rescue my daddy! Did you do it? Is he safe?” he asked, his eyes alight with worry. I turned to look at Helen, who was having a hard time catching her breath, and she waved her hand.
“Don’t look at me like that. I just told him you were going to save Apollo from danger, and he naturally came to that conclusion on his own,” Helen said in between breaths.
“Did you save him, Callie?” Ares asked eagerly, and I giggled.
“I told him about what happened, so I think he’ll be just fine,” I said, reassuring him.
The little boy nodded, but he still looked shaken up, and I didn’t know what else to do for him.
“Will Daddy be coming out soon?” he asked.
“No, I don’t think so, sweetie. Your dad is still very busy at the moment,” I told him.
Ares’ eyes drooped with sadness, and I didn’t know what to do but crouch down to the ground and hold him in my ar
ms, patting his back comfortingly.
I felt something brush against my side, and I saw Drake crouch beside me and tap Ares on the shoulder to get his attention. When the boy finally looked at him, Drake smiled.
“Your dad’s going to be in there a while, and it’s boring waiting around here. Why don’t we go somewhere that’s way more fun?” he asked, and I tried to catch Drake’s eye. He winked at me and smiled.
“Where are we going?” Ares asked.
“Have you been to an amusement park before?” Drake asked, and Ares shook his head. “Well, today is your lucky day, kid,” he said.
Spending the day at the amusement park with Drake and Ares was one of the wildest yet adorable times I’ve ever had. Helen had to bail from the trip because she said she had to get ready for her hot date tonight.
We couldn’t ride some of the scary ones like the roller coaster or space shuttle because Ares was too young to go, so we settled on the swinging pirate ship and the jungle logs. Granted, it was probably a bad idea to ride the last one when it pretty much guaranteed that you’d leave the ride soaking wet and we didn’t bring any extra clothes with us. However, Ares’ face showed he had the time of his life, and I had some money to purchase us some shirts and shorts from the gift shop, anyway.
It was late afternoon when I felt the adrenaline start to leave my body, and I had to stop and rest at the nearest bench while Ares watched these guys spit fire while walking on stilts. Drake crashed on the spot beside me, and we kept an eye on Ares from our bench.
“Thanks for doing this, Drake,” I said. He never let us pay back at the ticketing booth, saying it was his idea to go there, so it should be his treat. “You really did well in keeping Ares’ mind off of his dad.”
“Hey, it was my pleasure. Besides, waiting around back there would be a really boring way to spend the day. Helping you out was just a bonus,” he said, and I couldn’t help but blush.
We kept quiet for a while before I heard Drake clear his throat.
“So…I never knew Apollo Irons had a kid,” he started, his tone casual and unconcerned.
I suddenly remembered that Ares’ existence was supposed to be a secret and I had inadvertently just told Drake about it. I was frantically searching my brain for an excuse when he chuckled.
“You don’t have to panic, Callie. The kid looks just like him for me not to be able to put two and two together,” he explained, but I must’ve still looked apprehensive because he added, “And don’t worry. I’m not going to tell a soul. I know how harsh the spotlight can be, and putting a little kid under it would do more harm than good.”
“Ugh, I guess I have a lot of things to be grateful to you now. You just keep piling them up,” I said, rubbing my temples with my fingers.
“Hey, you know me. I’m just your regular knight in shining armor,” he said, and I snickered.
“Oh, thank you, kind sir. How will I ever repay you?” I said, mocking him.
“You can always just go with me on a date,” he said bluntly, and I choked on my saliva.
“What?” I asked, not quite sure I heard him right.
I looked at his face, and I noticed that the corners of his mouth were twitching like he was trying his hardest not to laugh.
“Don’t hold it in. You’re going to kill yourself,” I said, and he totally lost it. He lied down on the bench, holding his sides as he roared with laughter. I rolled my eyes to the sky. I did not see anything funny about what he had just done.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just…the look on your face was fucking hilarious,” he wheezed, raising his finger to wipe a stray tear from the corner of his eye.
“Glad to know I amuse you,” I told him, completely deadpan.
“I am curious though. What would you have said if I meant it? If I was actually serious?” he asked, and I stared at him.
Answering him would be a crazy idea. Telling him the truth would mean facing my feelings. But there was something strangely comforting about telling a stranger all about it, and I didn’t know why, but my gut told me I could trust Drake. That he wouldn’t judge me for it or say a word to anyone.
So I answered him with complete honesty.
“I would have said ‘no.'”
“And why is that?” he asked, tilting his head curiously, and I took a deep breath.
“Because I think I’m in love with someone else.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Callie
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you home?” Drake asked, looking at the apartment complex dubiously. I shook my head and adjusted my hold of Ares’ body, making sure I didn’t jostle him too much. The poor kid fell asleep in the cab after reciting his home address completely, and I didn’t have the heart to wake him up.
“Nah. I’ll just drop Ares’ off to his guardian, and then I’ll catch a cab home,” I replied. “Thanks again, okay?”
“It’s no biggie. Give my regards to Apollo, and tell him that I’ll call him with my decision tomorrow,” he said.
“Is it a yes to our bid or a no?” I asked bluntly, and he chuckled.
“I’ll leave it to Apollo to tell you about it himself. You be careful on your way home, Callie.”
“I will. Bye!”
I walked inside the complex and thanked God that the elevator was already there. I got out at the second floor and looked around for Daphne’s apartment, which was the third door on the left. I knocked on her door using my boot, and I heard her call out from behind.
“Just a minute!” she cried. It took more than a minute, really, but I didn’t want to be the petty girl, here, so I kept my mouth shut when she opened the door.
I think she was expecting someone else to come see her because I definitely didn’t think a night slip was the proper attire to greet guests at the door unless you were aiming to get laid.
“You,” she said.
“Me,” I replied, nodding. “Can you open the door? Ares isn’t exactly a lightweight,” I told her pointedly, and she rolled her eyes before opening the door fully.
“Just put him in the room on the right,” she called out, not even bothering to help me with him or show me where his room was and instead making a beeline for the kitchen.
I shrugged and went inside the room she indicated, and I couldn’t help but notice that the room was bare. There were no photographs or toys that gave the impression a little boy was sleeping in here. Heck, it didn’t even feel like someone used it.
I reprimanded myself for thinking this way. I wasn’t in the position to judge. Ares wasn’t my son, and I didn’t have the right to tell Daphne how to raise him.
I tucked Ares in, and I couldn’t help but give him a kiss on the forehead before finally leaving the room. I closed the door and made my way over to the kitchen to tell Daphne I was leaving.
“You must be really proud of yourself right now, huh?” she said before sipping her drink. I raised one eyebrow at her and frowned.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“Oh don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already? I’m talking about how you told Apollo that I was Arthur and Margaret’s contact within the company and that I was gathering information to hand it over to them,” she said. “Do you deny it?” she asked, and I shrugged.
“No, not really,” I admitted, and she glared daggers at me.
“How dare you accuse me of such a thing?” she whispered menacingly, and I feigned surprise.
“Are you really going to act like you’re the innocent party here? Are you really as blameless as you’re trying to tell me right now?” I asked, and the corner of her mouth turned up, smirking at me.
“You’re really getting on my nerves, Callie. I’d watch my back from now on if I were you. You never know when somebody is going to choose to strike,” she said. I scoffed and, decided I had overstayed my welcome, I walked out of the kitchen and never looked back.
I fished out my phone and realized that I had turned it off earlier. I hoped
I hadn’t gotten any important calls while it was off.
I scrolled through my call logs and saw that Apollo had called me so many times, so I dialed his number and waited for him to answer.
“Callie, where are you now?” he asked.
“I just dropped off Ares at Daphne’s place. Why? Did you need something?” I asked him.
“Yeah. Do you want me to pick you up?” and I looked down at my aching feet, wiggling my toes a little.
“That would be a great idea, Apollo. Thank you,” I prattled, and he promised he’d be there soon.
I didn’t have to wait long. I jumped into the passenger seat and gave him a peck on the cheek before fastening my seat belt. He looked surprised by my move, but the smile on his face told me he didn’t mind the kiss one bit.
“So what happened at the meeting today? Was I right?” I asked him, and he nodded grimly.
“Yes. I managed to turn the tide around before I even mentioned that to them, but your tip had helped me prevent more attacks like this one. They’ll probably lay low for now,” he said, and I sighed.
“What about Daphne?” I asked.
“What about her?” he repeated.
“Did she do it?” Apollo sighed before he answered.
“The Ridley twins admitted that it was Daphne who had been selling them information.” I shook my head, disgusted that they would resort to such underhanded tactics in order to get what they wanted.
“What happens to Daphne now?” I asked, and Apollo grew quiet.
“I’m not sure. I’m in a bind because of her,” he said softly. “I really want to fire her for what she did, but since she’s taking care of Ares, she needs the financial stability my company could provide. I take her out, and my son might starve,” he explained.
