Goddess Bared: Goddess Series Book 5 (Young Adult / New Adult) (12 page)

“Orange and blue.” Another step. “Unless you’re referring to your underwear—that was just blue,” he murmured, taking the last step to reach her. “Your dress was stuck, and I had to unzip it for you.” He leaned his head down, putting his lips to her ear. Her body was shaking. “We almost had sex right there on your bed, and I taped the condom I had in my pocket that night to my journal entry,” he whispered.

Gods, he seemed so real. She felt weak in the knees. He even smelled like Adin. She missed him so much. She really wanted this man to be her love. He didn’t touch her. He stood still, face still by her ear. She could feel his breath hitting her neck. He was waiting for her to say something or do something. She didn’t know what, but he was waiting for some kind of sign from her. She had to think to remember how to use her mouth.

“O-obviously, I want t-to believe you,” she muttered shakily.

“Can I hold you?” he whispered in her ear. “I-I’ve missed you so much, princess.”

Her breathing hitched, and she started to cry, her will gone. She took a step, pressing herself against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

“Oh God. I’ve missed you,” he said again, rubbing is arms up and down her back.

She slowly slid her arms around him, and he buried his head in her hair while she cried softly. She heard his breathing become jagged. “I love you so much,” he whispered as he started to cry too.

They both cried, holding onto each other. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to think about what was actually happening. She knew if she thought about what was happening, what she was doing, she would hope that he was telling her the truth, but even worse, she would feel bad that she wasn’t strong enough to resist.

Then he slowly pulled way, walking her over to the bed. “It’s late,” he said as he pulled the covers back. “We can finish this in the morning.”

She nodded, her thoughts in a jumbled mess. If he wasn’t really Adin, she could at least pretend for now. It was a big gamble to take, but right now, she just couldn’t fight the need inside of her. In the morning, she would have renewed clarity to be objective. That was what she told herself at least.

She took off her robe and got in. He walked around, pulled off his shirt, took off his jeans, and climbed in beside her. He drew her up against him, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head, and she looked up at him. His eyes were red-rimmed, pale blue. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t need to lose all objectivity. As she thought about that, she realized she wasn’t really objective anymore. She wanted him to be her Adin. She started to cry and dug her head into his chest at the realization she was now desperately clinging to that hope. He cried too, wrapping an arm around her head, crumpling her hair and kissing the top of her head repeatedly through his own sobs.

And they fell asleep in each other’s arms, just like old times.

Chapter Thirteen

When Legacy awoke, she felt the man in bed with her gently rubbing her back. It felt just like she’d remembered, soft, warm. Not a forced imposter with signs of deceit. No, this felt like her Adin. She looked up at him, and he smiled gently at her. Every detail was exact.

“How’d you sleep?” he asked, the voice spot-on to Adin’s.

“Better than I have in months,” she answered honestly.

“Me too,” he breathed.

She needed to know once and for all if he was really Adin, and she finally realized how she’d be able to figure it out. It was a fool-proof plan, but it’d require others knowing about him. Well, one other person. But it would work. It had to. She sat up and looked at him.

“We need to go talk to River about some things.”

He didn’t know that River could read his energy. She’d only discovered that he could read other people’s energies after Adin had left for his dad’s. River would be able to tell her if this guy was really Adin. She doubted he’d want to go see him since they’d been fighting when he’d died. The reason for that fight was still valid. She’d long ago forgiven River, but she wasn’t sure where Adin…or this man…stood on the issue.

“You’re right. We do,” he agreed. She gaped at him. That was unexpected. She stared, waiting for an explanation…or the punch line. “When I told you last night I only saw Hades on the day that I died, well, it was long enough for him to discover the truth about you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, standing up. He sat up, watching her.

“I mean, he knows about your true abilities. Lissa was right. You never should have told me that. In between my death and the start of my rebirth, he had possession of my soul, and my knowledge. It was a very brief possession, but it was long enough. He knows everything.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So if he knows everything, then he could’ve told you everything Adin knew.” So he could’ve very easily answered those personal questions last night. She shook her head, walking to her closet and putting on her clothes. She should’ve been mad at being tricked, but she wasn’t. She was devastated he might not actually be Adin. This morning didn’t bring any new objectivity because she’d already started believing that he was
him
.

“No, Legacy, that’s not what I meant,” he said, standing up and putting his clothes back on. “You have to believe it’s really me.”

She knew she was going to find out for sure anyway, so she wasn’t going to press it now. “If Hades knows about my abilities, why do you want to tell River?”

“Because he’s a god too. Now that I’m a god, I can think a little more objectively about him,” he said a little sheepishly, looking down. “You know I was jealous about his immortality. Now that I actually get to spend eternity with you, I don’t feel threatened by him anymore,” he explained, meeting her gaze again. “And we need his help to keep Hades from getting to you.”

She nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

She tossed the keys to him, then wondered if she should drive. This was Adin’s car. He’d given it to her. Legacy giving this man the keys was a sign she believed he was Adin. Plus, he could very easily drive her somewhere else. She ignored that thought as they walked to the car.

When he got in, he had to move the seat back, and he smiled. “How’d you like driving it?” he asked as he backed out.

She shrugged, looking out the side window and pulling out her cell phone. She called Calli and told her to meet her at River’s house because she had some news for them.

They pulled up to River’s gate, and she gave him the code to get in. He gave her an odd look because she knew the code, but he didn’t voice any questions.

Once he parked, she opened the door and started up the porch, not waiting for the man she was with. He followed closely behind, though.

She didn’t knock. She opened the door and walked right in.

“In here,” Calli called out.

They walked into the kitchen, and River and Calli were standing beside each other, leaning against the counter, laughing while River touched her shoulder. Legacy thought it was odd, but she didn’t have time to process it because as soon as the man she was with stepped into their view, they both stood up with audible gasps.

“Don’t say anything,” she said to them, putting her hand up. She turned to face her company. “You stay right here.” Then she walked up to River, who was staring intently at her. “I need you to help me with him like you helped me with Olive,” she whispered.

River’s eyes flashed to the man she was internally hoping with every bone in her body was Adin. Then he looked at Legacy. “Okay.”

She nodded and took a deep breath. She walked back to the man she’d brought with her and looked into his eyes. “Tell them what you told me last night. About why you’re here, I mean.”

Her body shook while he watched her closely. This was it. “Umm.” He looked at River. “I’m a life-death-rebirth deity. Legacy saved me from a mortal death, and I’ve been spending this time away ascending to my godly status.”

“Are you here under Hades’s order to abduct me? Or are you working for him in any way?” she asked him.

He looked at Legacy. “No, sweetheart,” he whispered sincerely.

“So you’re saying you are Adin Sheppard,” she clarified. Gods, was she shaking so badly that everyone could tell? What if ignorance really was bliss? Would the truth be too devastating to accept?

“Yes. I’m Adin Sheppard,” he said slowly.

She turned to look at River. He smiled softly but warily. “He’s, er, telling the truth.”

Those words of confirmation brought life back into her barren soul. She slowly faced Adin, feeling her body still tremble as she reached up and stroked his face. “Adin,” she whispered, caressing his cheek. It was really him. It was really, truly him.

He nodded. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” he murmured, sliding his hands onto her face.

Her breathing hitched as she rubbed her hands on his face, his neck, his chest, and back up to his face. He gently stroked her face with his hands, tilting it up to his. When their eyes met again, she cried, clinging to him.

“Shhh. It’s all right, sweetheart,” he whispered, pulling her up against him, burying his head into her hair.

She didn’t want that. She wanted to see his face. She pulled away just enough so that she could look at him, and his forehead came to rest against hers. They both caressed each other’s face rhythmically as their breathing sped. Adin lifted his head and looked over her at River and Calli. Then he spun her around so that he shielded her from their view. He leaned down, bringing his lips to hers. He rubbed them gently, and she moaned softly, waiting for him to kiss her.

He didn’t. He wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up, and with two quick strides, they were out of the kitchen, alone.

He crushed his lips to hers, kissing her urgently while she cried. When he pulled away, she clung to him, and he continued to stroke her face, her back. They spent several minutes relearning all the shapes, textures, scents of each other. Then he walked them back into the kitchen, her face buried in his chest while she tried to control her crying.

It took her a while before she was coherent enough to continue. She finally took a jagged breath and pulled away from him. Taking a deep breath, she looked at River. “We have something to tell you.” The goddess secret she’d tried hard to keep from River was about to be spilled. She wasn’t sure how to even start. She looked at Adin, at a loss for words, and back then back at River, hoping those words would come to her.

River’s brow furrowed. “What?”

Adin kissed her forehead. “I’ll do it, sweetheart.” He took her hand and walked them toward River. “Legacy told me several months ago about her
true
abilities.” Calli gasped, and Adin looked at her. “She told Calli before she told me.”

River looked at Calli, and then looked at Adin again, waiting.

“Legacy isn’t just inheriting all of Persephone’s abilities. She’s inheriting all of Zeus’s and Demeter’s abilities. She is going to be extremely powerful. More powerful than Zeus.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me this?” River asked Legacy.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, but I just had to tell Calli. Lissa didn’t want me to tell you or Adin. I wasn’t going to tell Adin about it, either, but it sort of slipped out.”

“She shouldn’t have even told me,” Adin confessed.

“Why?” River asked.

“Because now Hades knows. I’m sure he’s even more eager to abduct her now. Not only does he want her to be his queen, but she’ll naturally ascend to her father’s throne. That just leaves your father to contend with.”

“Not if he’s dead,” River mumbled. Adin gave him a puzzled look. “My mom was working with Hades to get to Legacy. In return for her help, he was going to kill Poseidon, leaving me to ascend to his position. She’d hoped I would form an alliance with Hades once Poseidon was out of the picture.”

Adin nodded. “I see. Well, anyway, I thought you should know about Legacy’s abilities, so you can help us keep her safe.”

River nodded reluctantly, stepping closer to them with an unfathomable expression. “You do realize since you’re not dead, I’m destined to be with Legacy.”

Ugh! The dang prophecy again. Why did it everything always come back to that?

Adin smiled at him. “No, you’re not. The prophecy was that she’d be with you as long as I stayed alive. I died. It didn’t specify how long I had to stay dead. But according to my dad, the meaning of prophecy wasn’t really addressing my life. It was addressing my immortality. It meant that you’d be with Legacy if I stayed mortal. I’m not mortal anymore. The prophecy is broken. And as for unwanted bonds,” Adin continued, glancing at Legacy. “Since you were the one to save me, and not Venus, like Aphrodite did for Adonis for those original Greek gods, she and I aren’t bonded together anymore either.”

“You’re serious?” River asked, briefly glancing at Calli, trying not to smile and not doing a very good job of it. Legacy cocked her head to side as she stared at him. Why was Calli the first one he looked at when he realized he was free to move on with his life? And why had he been stroking her shoulder when they’d first walked in? Oh gods. River liked Calli! Legacy couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen this one coming! She chuckled before she could suppress her surprise.

“What?” Adin asked, wrapping his arms around her and smiling at her tickled demeanor.

She shrugged her shoulders, smiling back at him. “I need to have a word with River.” She glanced at Calli. “Alone.” Oh yeah, she needed to have
several
words with him.

Adin nodded and whispered, “Okay.” Then he kissed her forehead and escorted Calli out of the kitchen.

She stared at River, salivating for details. Details she was definitely going to get! They were not leaving this room until he spilled his guts.