Ares

Chapter 26 || Girl in the red heels

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// there haven't been many comments lately on chapters but the views are insane and I appreciate all that so much. But guys, if the comments and feedback don't start coming in again then chapters will take much longer. But thank you to those who consistently comment.

"Every night you got me in my feelings yeah yeah. I can not relate to what you're saying yeah yeah. I do not have times for games you're playing, ooh you're playing me."

– Red Heels, Dylan Matthew

Grace crossed her legs and took deep breaths to slow her rushing adrenaline in the dim living room light. She picked a piece of fuzz from her jeans, trying not to let her mind wander off on its own because it might never come back if it did. Whatever Ares had to say, one thing was for sure, he didn't want to say it over the phone, which could only mean it was bad. Probably real bad. Her heart told her they were free while her gut insisted Aphrodite had decided against letting him go.

Grace stared at a ladder bookshelf leaning against the wall, her faraway eyes running their fingers over the glossy spines of romance and vampire novels, wondering what her next chapter held, wondering if she would get her happily ever after or lose him in forever. Like Rose lost Jack on the Titanic. Grace winced with the understanding that, in real life, sometimes things just don't work out. But the sooner she came to grips with that the better. She had a new business to help run and the fallout from some crushing breakup could be devastating, not just to her but Sydney and Adrian as well. What happened to Caleb broke her heart and the thought of it happening to her sister made her sick.

When the cavernous breaths didn't work, she tried a long drink of cab instead. Her eyes quietly scoured the apartment, searching for loose wrappers or balls of tissue she might have missed. After this morning's embarrassing bombardment of unexpected visitors, she was taking no chances. Her eyes hovered on the flickering flame of a candle on the coffee table, mortification worming through her nervous system just thinking about this morning. Aphrodite must have been overjoyed catching Grace wearing old leggings and puffy eyes with her hair sticking out like Medusa. First impressions were everything and there was no going back with that one. Just the same, she was determined to try. Not for Aphrodite's sake but for Ares's. She had cleaned her apartment from top to bottom, straightened her hair, and thrown on the tightest lace top she could find. It was time to break out the big guns. Literally.

She adjusted her bra, staring down at the curvy girls inside. Her hands gave them a lift from below and let them fall back into place with a controlled bounce. A long breath escaped her, making the girls sink further. Even Aphrodite's boobs were bigger, the one arena Grace could usually compete in. In secondary school, the other kids had called her and Sydney the Bosom Twosome.

A knock on the door scared the crap out of her. She set the wine glass on the coffee table and nearly spilled it, got to her red fuck me pumps and sashayed across the living room, telling herself she looked hot as hell. She peeked through the peephole. Ares stared back, stealing her breath and confidence in one fell swoop.

She smacked her lips, shook her hair and opened the door. His cologne waited for no invitation, storming her senses and sending tingles prancing across her skin.

"You look beautiful," he said softly, staring at her with that look in his eye.

She grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him inside, shutting and locking the door behind him. "So, how'd he take it?"

Ares turned to face her and paused before speaking. "She didn't tell him."

Grace's hopes crashed to the floor, splattering around her heels. "Why not?"