Ruin (Gods, #1)

by Samantha Towle

In the early days of his career, the press dubbed him The Pretty Boy of Boxing. I remember how much he hated that nickname. Nowadays, they call him The God. I think he’s The Devil.

“You got it, Dove.” “Dove?” I blink up at him. “Yeah. Doves represent peace because they look beautiful and appear gentle and fragile. But they’re actually feisty as hell. They have more fight in them than people realize. Just like you.”

“Can I ask you something else?” He moves a few steps back toward me. “You can ask me anything.” I wrap my hand around the wooden porch post, leaning my hip against it. “Why did you come today? I thought it was because of Gigi, but you didn’t know about her.” Zeus pushes his hands into his pockets. His eyes sweep the ground before they come back to rest on mine, strong and focused but also resigned. He exhales a breath and parts his lips. “For you. I came for you, Dove.”

“I don’t need you to do right by me. Only Gigi.” Zeus stares at me, and the look in his eyes makes me start to tremble. “I don’t think you understand, so I’m just going to make it plainly clear. I want you back.” “You…what?” “I want you back.”

“I didn’t cheat on you.” I stop. “What did you say?” His eyes hold mine as he gently shakes his head. “I didn’t cheat on you, Dove.” “But you said—” “I lied.”

“But, when I came here and found out about Gigi…Jesus.” He grabs the back of his neck, tipping his head back to the dark sky. “I’d given you up, and it was all for nothing. And, even worse, I’d missed out on four years of my daughter’s life.”

“Letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” His voice is rough. “Harder than watching my mother’s body being lowered into that grave. I loved you so much, Dove. I still do. I’ve never stopped loving you. And I’ve spent the last five years missing you.”

“If you hadn’t seen me in the club that night, would…you have ever come back for me?” I have to know this. It matters a lot. His eyes lower to the ground. He pushes his hands into his pockets, the toe of his boot kicking at the gravel. “I don’t know.” His words are quiet. “I wanted to come back. God, I wanted to. I just…” He sighs and lifts his head, finally meeting my eyes. “I just didn’t know how to.” Even though I anticipated this, hearing it still hurts like a mother. A sound of expected disappointment leaves me. “And that’s the reason I’ll never believe a single thing you tell me, Zeus. Because, when you love someone—really love them—you fight for them. You fight hard and dirty, no matter the cost to yourself. And not once have you ever fought for me.”

“I fucking love you. I’ve loved you since I was seventeen years old and saw you standing at the fair, looking like the answer to a question I didn’t know I’d asked. I knew it then, and I still know it now. There is no one else for me. I’m yours. And you sure as hell are mine. We’re meant to be together. And the more you fight me on this, the more I’ll fight back—and twice as hard. And I’ll fight dirty if I have to. For as long as necessary. I’m here and ready to do this to get you back with me—where you belong. I’ve never lost a fight, Dove. And I don’t intend on losing this one. You’re far too fucking important to me for that to happen.”

“You can do better than that. Don’t forget, I know exactly how flexible you are.” I don’t get a chance to tell him that I’m also five years older and that I have had a baby since then. Because, the next thing I know, I’m flat on my back, my legs are spread akimbo, and Zeus’s mouth is on my pussy. And, apparently, I am still that flexible. “God,” I breathe. His eyes lift to mine, his mouth glistening with me. “That’s what they say, baby.”

“You just don’t get it, Zeus. There is no moving forward because I can’t forgive you!” The next thing I know, he’s in front of me, grabbing my face in his hands. “There has to be because I love you so fucking much.” The raw emotion in his eyes and voice tears at me. “I know you love me, Cam. I know I’m not alone in this. We’re the real fucking deal. Our love is what most people spend a lifetime searching for and never find. Don’t throw us away, please.”