Haunting Hephaestus (Gods of Olympus Book 9)
Page 16
The image shifted from the loving couple planning a future, to a sobbing Amina and a handsome man with skin as dark as night. Amina, the beautiful, bold, and honorable woman walked away from Vulcan to save both her family’s and Vulcan’s life.
Destiny bit down on the meaty part of her thumb to keep from crying out. She could never be that good, that loyal. She’d burn and scorch the earth to keep Vulcan.
Which was why she didn’t deserve him.
“What’s going on?” Vulcan kneeled in front of her.
Destiny shook her head, unsure she could talk. What the hell was she supposed to say? Oh, I figured out that I’m a pale version of the woman you once loved?
“Bullshit. You’re pale. Do you need a doctor?” He reached for his cellphone.
“Stop, I’m fine.” Except for the fact that she was either going crazy or the reincarnation of the woman who broke his heart. No big. She uncurled her body and sat up. “I… had a really bad Charlie horse. It just caught me by surprise.”
“Bad enough to make you cry?” He sounded more doubtful than he looked, which was saying a lot.
“I haven’t had one in a while.” She wiped the tears away with the heels of her hand. “It caught me off guard.” She exhaled and gave him a small smile. “Let’s go out to eat.”
“We can do that.” He sat next to her on the bed. “But it stops tonight. I’ve been trying to give you space, waiting for you to come to me, but enough is fucking enough. When we come home you’re going to tell me what is going on.”
“And you?” She wrapped her arms around her bent knees. “What will you tell me?” He started to speak, but she shook her head. “No, sweetheart, it doesn’t work like that. When it comes to your body and your time, you must be one of the most generous men I’ve ever met. But you are stingy with your life. Until you’re ready to really be open, we’ll stay here in limbo.”
Was it awful that she hoped he refused to share, refused to put up with her demands and ultimatums? Because as much as she loved him, she knew deep in her heart that being a runner-up would never be good enough. She would never be Amina.
Chapter 24
“Where are we going?” Destiny looked around the darkening street, finally noticing they weren’t headed out of town before glancing at Vulcan.
“Sweetheart,” he began, parking the truck in front of her house, “no more delays. The conversation is happening tonight. No more secrets.” When she looked like she was about to argue, Vulcan placed a finger to her lips. “Including my own.”
Dinner went about as well as could be expected. Oh, she’d put on a brave smile, but it wasn’t enough to erase the memory of the tears she’d failed to hide earlier. However, he’d learned at an early age that there were two occasions when it was wise to postpone a conversation with a woman and her hunger was one of them.
“What about taking me to your place. I want to see it.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been waiting for you to come to me. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to watch you suffering? I waited for you to come to me, but tonight was the last straw. Wasn’t it you who told me a secret was just as bad as a lie?”
Destiny nodded.
“Well, we’re done with that.” Her phone rang, but she sat unmoving. “Aren’t you going to answer that?’
“No, I’ll call them back.”
As soon as they walked through Destiny’s front door, her phone rang again. Vulcan switched on the Tiffany lamp beside the sofa. “Why don’t you take care of that while I get us something to drink.”
“Okay, I’ll take sweet tea.” She locked the front door and met him in the center of the room. Destiny placed her hand on his chest and smiled. “You’re a good man, Vulcan.”
Unable to resist, he bent and gave her a quick closed-mouth kiss. “Make your call,” he whispered just before he walked away. As he poured their glasses of tea, he once again wished he held the gift of foresight. Because the last thing he wanted was for Destiny to freak all the way out when he exposed his identity.
But when he stepped into the room, he knew no such conversation would happen that night. Not when she stood in her living room looking lost and alone with tears filling her eyes.
“Is he going to be okay?” she asked with trembling lips. Destiny listened for a few minutes, nodding.
He had no idea what he did with the glasses he’d been holding, but Vulcan soon held Destiny in his arms. Of the many ways he’d expected the night to end, watching his woman’s heart break wasn’t one of them.
“Yes, I can be there in an hour.” Destiny wrapped her arm around Vulcan, her short nails digging in his lower back. After listening for a few more seconds, she exhaled, then answered her sister, “I love you too.” Then she hung up.
“I’m going with you.” Vulcan stared at the air traffic control tower looming in the distance.
“It’s not necessary.” Destiny stared out the passenger side window of his truck. “You have a life. Not to mention a business to run.”
“That wasn’t a request.” He was three seconds from willing them both to Denver, but that probably wouldn’t go over well.
“This is me telling you no. It’s better that I do this alone.”
“Okay.” He pressed his lips together. But the longer they sat beneath the parking lot’s halogen lights, the angrier he became. To think that earlier, he’d been seconds away from sharing everything. Now she’d all but slammed the door on their relationship. “So it’s like that?”
He shifted his body, prepared to give her what she apparently wanted most—distance. Such is life. He smoothed his beard. The relationship—if one could call it that—had been fun while it lasted. What was wrong with him that he continued to choose women incapable of commitment? He clenched then released his fingers and attempted to force himself to relax.
This might be his last time alone with Destiny. He needed to capture it all. He turned to her. The thick brows, the short curly lashes, even the swoop of her nose equaled perfection. And those lips… Remembering how they’d felt against his just hours ago, he stared and witnessed the tiniest of trembles.
Damn.
“It’s…” she pursed her lips and exhaled a long slow breath before speaking again. “My father might be…” Her voice and the levee holding back her emotions broke, and she slapped her hand over her mouth and caught her sob.
“I’m sorry.” He unbuckled his seatbelt first, then hers, and pulled her into his arms. “I’m an ass. This isn’t about me.” He rubbed her upper back, until her trembling subsided. “Have faith that he’s going to be okay.” Allowing Destiny to walk away from him—from them—was going to suck. But at least he could give her this comfort as she destroyed what was left of his immortal heart. “Tell me about him.”
She dabbed beneath her eyes with her index finger then settled against his chest. “He always seemed so invincible. I don’t know what I’ll do if I—”
“Don’t think about that right now.” He kissed the top of her head. When her breathing steadied, he asked, “Are you coming back?”
She jerked and looked up at him. “Why would you ask me something like that?”
“Because I need to brace for the blow if you’re not.”
After pulling out of his arms she lowered her chin and held his gaze. “I don’t mean to sound like a bitch, but I can’t think about any of that right now.”
This was neither the time nor place for the conversation they needed to have, but his gut told him if it didn’t happen tonight, they were done. And it was as clear as the nose on her beautiful face that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to return to her gallery, her friends, or him.
So be it.
“What time is your plane supposed to be here?” he asked.
Destiny looked down at her watch. “In a few minutes.”
He hopped out of his truck. The cool air and distance from her pain eased some of his own. Maybe being around some of the people who loved her would give her some
perspective.
And if it didn’t?
That was something he didn’t want to consider. He grabbed her suitcase, opened the passenger door, and helped Destiny out of his truck.
“You don’t have to come in.” She reached for the hard-sided rolling bag covered with sunflowers.
“I know you just didn’t say that.”
“You win.” She raised her hands, palms facing him, then held them over her chest. “I’m not doing a great job conveying it, but I’m grateful you brought me to the airport. Thank you for helping me through the night.”
“I’m honored that I could but wish it wasn’t necessary.” He wrapped his arms around her and held on tight. “I’m here for you.”
“What if I don’t deserve it?” she whispered into his chest. “What if I’m not the woman you think I am?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know anything right now.” Her short nails dug into his lower back.
The way she held him, almost made him believe she never wanted to let him go. But that was a lie. “If you believe nothing else, know that what I feel for you is true.” And it was. He cared for Amina, even loved her, but she’d been a mere girl. The woman currently in his arms and in his heart had already lived a full life, experienced its pains and sorrow, joys and disappointments, and had managed to remain kind.
The question was would she remain his?
“Come on, let’s get to the terminal.” He released her from the hug, grabbed her bag, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Your family know about the new look?”
“I didn’t bother to tell them.” She rolled her eyes. “They’ll just think it’s another phase I’m going through.”
“Is there anything you need taken care of while you’re gone?” He guided her toward the tiny terminal. Jackson wasn’t large enough for a commercial and private airport, so both types of flights flew from the small airfield.
“Beverly’s got the store covered. If you or one of the pack could see her out at closing.”
“I’ll make sure she has my number. If she shows me how to work the register, I can free her at lunchtime, and she can handle the deposits.” She laughed, and he frowned. “What’s funny?”
“You’re going to scare my customers.” She nudged him.
“Oh, you have jokes, huh?”
“I guess everything is going be okay. Especially if I can still laugh.”
“Yeah if you can laugh, you can hope.” He looked over at the small plane on the tarmac. Luckily, her family had arranged a private flight. “I think your chariot is here.”
“Yes, looks like it,” she said, but stopped walking.
“Destiny, it’s hard to let you go right now.”
“It’s hard to leave, but we do what we must.”
“Call me. I want my voice to be the very last one you hear before you fall asleep.”
“Vulcan, I don’t—”
“It wasn’t a request.” He pulled the door open and followed her inside the terminal.
“Fine.” She scrunched her nose at him. “So are you gonna be quiet and kiss me goodbye?”
“This isn’t goodbye,” he said, but he kissed her anyway. He made sure to give her something to remember, something to keep her warm at night. Although, he’d rather it was him. “Text me when you land.” He wrapped one of her tiny curls around his finger.
“I will.”
“And what else?”
“I will text you before I go to bed tonight.” She tapped his arm playfully and looked around the empty building.
Vulcan watched the lines form between her brows then bent and whispered, “You bring that toy with you?”
“Are you kidding me?” She stared at him wide-eyed.
“Hell no.” He chuckled and pulled her against him again. He’d never been a huge fan of public affection, but with her he didn’t care. “I like the way you sound when you come.”
Then he realized if she had her way, he may never hear that sound again.
He kissed her again, and this time it was soft, tender, and a sad attempt to show his feelings. He wanted to beg her to stay, to tell her that he loved her, but no. Until she decided to be all in or all out, he had no choice but to protect himself.
Vulcan stood by as Destiny spoke to the woman at the counter and watched through the large windows as she boarded the plane. Until the small plane took off, he’d held out hope that she’d reconsider. Love made a man weak, and that was one thing he could no longer afford.
“I can’t believe you allowed her to leave,” Oshun said, appearing at his side and bumping her shoulder against his.
Vulcan stared out at the departing plane and pressed his hand against the window. “What was I supposed to do?” The plane was now a speck in the sky, but still he watched. Maybe it was him. Perhaps his fate in life was to remain alone. To find love and lose it. Seemed to him like love was his Sisyphean task.
Well, either she returned or they were done.
He turned away from the window and all thoughts of Destiny, pushing the terminal doors open and heading outside, Oshun at his side. Walking through the dark parking lot he pondered where to go next. Even if she returned, something told him it wouldn’t be to his bed. Not for long.
“Fight for her,” Oshun pleaded.
“Don’t.” When he arrived at his truck, he leaned against the hood and stared into the night sky. This felt like a serious case of déjà vu.
“If you love her as much as I know you do, move heaven and earth to make sure you don’t lose her again. She’s worth fighting for.”
“I’m not going to beg.”
“You know, Vulcan, now’s the time to decide which is more important to you love—or pride.”
Chapter 25
All through the flight to Denver, Destiny’s sole focus was her father. Because each mile farther from Vulcan, she realized that compartmentalization was the only way she’d make it through her current personal hell. She had hurt him, and seeing it in his already sad indigo eyes twisted her stomach into knots.
But he was better off without her.
She dashed out of the elevator at Mercy Hospital and into the family waiting area of the surgery ward.
The first face she saw was her mother’s, and for the first time in Destiny’s life, the unflappable force that was her mother looked tired. “Mom.”
“Sweetie.” Her mother stood and opened her arms, and Destiny rushed into them. “Thank goodness you’re here.”
“How is he?” Destiny tried not to cry, but the familiar Channel No. 5 perfume conjured up more than a few tears.
“It’s okay, darling,” she said, pulling her youngest child into a long hug. “Look at me.” She cupped Destiny’s cheeks. “He’s strong, and he’s going to be fine.”
Vulcan spoke identical words at the airport. No. She couldn’t think about him right now. Her already ragged emotions were at their limits. “I’m supposed to be comforting you.”
“We’ve had each other. You’ve been alone.” She patted Destiny’s cheek. “Plus, no matter how old you get, you will always be my baby.”
She’d missed this—the connection. Maybe she should consider returning to Denver. Her parents weren’t getting any younger. Unfortunately, moving back to Denver meant walking away from the life she’d so lovingly created.
Focus. Destiny shook herself and stood taller. “Okay, so where are we at now?”
“He’s still in surgery. One of his arteries was blocked, and they’re going to try to place a stent.” Her mother led Destiny to one of the couches. “And if that doesn’t work, they’ll have to open him up.”
“The stent will work.” Destiny fell into the surprisingly comfortable chair and her mother sat beside her. Her mother was far more graceful. “He’s the healthiest person I’ve ever met. When was the last time a piece of meat passed dad’s lips?”
“Tell me about it,” her mother said, squeezing Destiny’s hand.
“They were getting on my nerves.” Her mother shook her head. “So I sent them to the cafeteria.”
“You gave them jobs to get them out of your hair?”
“Of course. It works, so why deviate?”
“You’re sneaky.”
“No. I’m a mother.” She scrutinized Destiny for a few silent seconds. “Speaking of sneaky. You know I’ve always thought you beautiful, but I am liking the new look.”
“Thanks. I’ve gotten so used to it, it feels strange when someone comments.”
“Just tell me you didn’t make all these changes because of some man.”
“It was past time to mix things up. This was all about me.”
“Good. So, where does this man fit into the sudden decision?” Destiny’s eyes widened, and her mother raised a perfectly manicured hand. “Don’t even fix your mouth to lie.”
That was just… scary. Top interrogator positions worldwide should immediately be filled with mothers who had raised children into adulthood. They’d suss out the tiniest lie while completing ten other tasks. The poor criminals wouldn’t have a clue they’d been had until it was too late.
What would Destiny say? That she’d finally met the man of her dreams, but she was his version of a nightmare? Oh, but he didn’t know that yet. Yeah, that would go over well.
“A man? What’s going on here?” said her sister Cassidy as she walked into the room carrying a tray of coffee.
Her smiling wife, Pasha, followed, carrying a white bag with small grease stains on the bottom and laughing at something their brother Fleming said as they walked into the small waiting room.