“Koronis,” I whisper.
“Mmm, hum,” he looks up at me. “Which is one of the reasons he and I have never seen eye to eye.”
“I don’t blame you for that, but the fact that he misses you and wants to see you…”
“He didn’t raise me, Elise,” he cuts in. “Even after all this time, I don’t know him, not like Eric. And for centuries, he swears our father has changed and regrets the day he killed my mother,” Ascot looks away. “Eric swears a lot has changed, even with Zeus.”
I look down at my hands. “Yeah, the part about Apollo not being around when you were growing up, I read that too.”
“So, you see?” he lifts my chin with his forefinger. “I’m not sure I even want a relationship with my father or anyone else in my family for that matter. Not unless I see the change for myself, anyway,” he pauses with a soft chuckle. “And as for Eric, I only tolerate him because this is what he does. Shows up after a decade or two, never really leaving me alone,” he smirks and shakes his head. “And after years and years of it, he eventually wore me down. He always knows where to find me, the asshole made me love him.”
I smile, giving him a side eye. “I’m pretty sure it’s mutual.”
Ascot nods. “Eric’s always had my back and I will always have his.”
“You may want to see if Eric is right.” I whisper.
His lips twist. “You mean about my father?”
I nod, glancing up at him. “What if it’s true? What if it’s true about your grandfather, too?
His brows go up. “I don’t know,” he runs a hand through his hair. “I’ve never given Eric or anyone else a chance to prove me wrong.”
“Well, maybe it’s time you start?” I whisper, giving him a soft smile.
“I don’t know,” he sighs. “Maybe,” he looks away.
“Can I ask you another question?”
His eyes come back to me. “Of course.”
“Were you really,” I swallow, “married?”
“Yes,” he draws in a breath, “I was,” he admits in a low voice. “Her name was Epione. We had five beautiful daughters and three amazing sons,” he explains. “I also had a son with Aristodama.”
I swallow again, my heart sinking. “Yeah, that sounds exactly like what I read,” I suck in a breath. “Do you still...”
“Still what, Elise?” he whispers, taking my hands. “They were all mortals and I vowed to never do that to myself again.”
“I-I didn’t get that far,” I glance up at him, “it was too painful,” I fixate on his deep green eyes. “So, you’re not like, hiding a wife and kids somewhere in the suburbs? Or anyone named, Amber?”
He rolls his eyes and chuckles. “No, sweetheart,” he takes me in his arms, kissing the top of my head, “Amber was the daughter of one of my patients. We would often bump into one another at the hospital and well, one thing led to another,” he trails off. “She was a mistake and I should have known better, but I was lonely, I guess.”
“I can understand that,” I whisper. “Hopefully, she got the message.”
“I haven’t spoken to her since I met you if that’s what you’re wondering.”
I give him a silent nod.
“And as for my wife and children,” he sighs, tightening his arms around me. “They are all long gone,” he whispers with a certain longing in his voice.
“Do you ever miss them?” I ask, staring up at the ceiling.
His chest heaves in and slowly out. “Sometimes, yes,” he reaches down, pulling the blankets over us. “But enough about them, that was a very long time ago.”
I give him another nod, letting his words linger in the air. His fingers begin to run through my hair and I close my eyes, savoring his touch.
“You should probably know,” he whispers, “my father will be arriving around dinnertime, tomorrow.”
“Oh,” I shift, glancing up at him, “should I be nervous?”
He raises a brow, slightly tilting his head. “He’s just a man, Elise,” he shrugs. “A man who happens to be a Greek god, but…”
“Not helpful, Ascot,” I lay back down, closing my eyes.
“Sorry, I’m just not used to introducing anyone to my family, especially him,” he pulls in a long breath.
“Wow, you’re really struggling with this.”
“I’m not gonna lie, Elise,” his voice vibrates against my back. “He may be a man, but he’s not exactly your typical, ordinary guy.”
“Well of course not,” I swallow. “But it would be nice to know what to expect.”
“Humm,” he clears his throat. “My father is definitely arrogant and narcissistic, yet you’ll probably have a hard time believing it.”
“How’s that?”
“Because he’s charming as hell and doesn’t look a day over thirty-five,” he blurts out with a certain bitterness in his tone. “Apollo is the master of bewitching women, a real-life Casanova…only on steroids.”
I glance up over my shoulder and grin. “Are you afraid I’m going to have a crush on your dad?”
He shakes his head. “I’m certain of it.”
“Ascot, gross!”
“Hey,” he shifts, lifting up his hands, “it wouldn’t be the first time.”
“C’mon,” I lock eyes with him, “you don’t have to worry about me, I…”
“Oh, I’m not,” his smile widens. “I know you’re totally in love with me.”
I suck in a breath and playfully knuckle his shoulder. “Happy to know you’re so confident.”
He laughs, pulling me close again. “All you have to do is be yourself,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head, “but remember this conversation.”
I stiffen slightly. “Okay, I’ll keep it in mind,” I lean up and he loosens his arms. “How will he take,” I swallow, “my being newly immortal?”
He shrugs and looks away in thought. “I honestly don’t know, but now, accident or not, you’re my responsibility…” he trails off, eyes widening as he sits bolt upright.
“What?” I pull away, giving him more room. “Are you okay?”
“Holy shit, that’s it,” his feet fly over the edge of the bed and he stands, a huge smile brightening his handsome, chiseled face. “No matter how it happened, I made you this way, and now, I’m responsible for you.”
“Okay,” I say, confused. “Glad we dig each other…”
“Don’t you see?” he starts to pace. “You’re immortal, so now, you’re basically a part of the family.”
“I am?”
“Yes!” he clasps his hands. “How did it not come to me until now? Probably because it never happened before,” he answers his own question, glancing down at me. “You were healed by the water of Poseidon, Zeus’ brother,” he blinks. “Which means I’m no longer in danger…you actually saved me,” he leans down, clasping my cheeks with both palms. “I-I’m free of him,” he whispers, dropping to his knees.