Chapter 5

Ares.

"Yes, mum," I muttered as I stepped out of my room and turned around to close the door. My hand paused on the door knob as I watched Hera's relaxed face. She was still asleep, and it was no use waking her early this morning. It isn't like she is going anywhere.

"Ares! Are you listening to me?!" My mother's high pitched voice bled into my ears. I winced, a sigh leaving my lips as I closed the door.

"You were saying, mom?" I asked.

"I said I want a perfect dinner organized once I get back to the city with your father," she snapped. She and dad had left the country this morning for something business related. And they wouldn't be back until three days.

"Mom, let Teresa plan that," I answered, a frown forming on my lips. I'm a man. Why should I be the one to plan a god-damned family dinner?

"Teresa is pissed. Didn't Adela tell you that?" She asked with a chuckle.

"Why is she pissed?" I asked, my brow raising as I walked down the stairs.

"I don't know. You ask her," mom replied, her voice breathy. It meant she was lying.

"Mom," I called flatly.

She released a groan and a loud sigh. "Okay fine! She's mad at you guys for having to buy girls from an auction, and no, not because she actually cares about their future, but because she thinks it's low standard for you and your brothers," she replied with a scoff. "Can you believe your sister, Ares?!"

Yes, my mother is the one who birthed Teresa, but they are always at logger heads. Mom claims she doesn't know where Teresa got her bossy and arrogant attitude from, meanwhile it's as obvious as day. Mom is bossy too. I just don't know where the arrogance came from.

"She'll get over it. And I'll tell Adela to plan the dinner. But I have to hang up for now," I told her, moving the phone away from my ear and clicked on the red button just as I entered the kitchen.

"Good morning Maria," I greeted, taking a seat on one of the stools. Maria walked away from the cooker and right past me as she went to one of the cupboards, opened it, and took out a spice Jar. She walked past me again, completely ignoring me, and focusing on the meal she was preparing.

I frowned. Are we seriously doing this right now? "Maria, I just greeted you," I said slowly, my eyes watching her every movement.

"Maria!" I snapped, my irritation getting the best of me. Fine, she is like a second mother to me, but I hope she realizes that I am still her boss and I can grant her a long vacation if she really needs it.

She dropped the knife she was holding loudly, and turned to me, a brow raised. "Yes?"

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Are you being for real? I greeted you, you didn't answer me and you walked past me like I wasn't there."

"Well maybe I didn't see you there," she answered with a casual shrug. I scoffed.

"You did. You're giving me the cold shoulder because you're mad at me…or something," I concluded, folding my arms as I stared at her.

She sighed, running her hands over the silver and black strands of her hair. "Seriously, Ares. You're keeping secrets from me now? And your brothers too? I practically raised you and your siblings!"

"What do you…is this about Hera?" When she pressed her lips together and folded her arms, I chuckled. "I'm not keeping secrets, Maria. I wasn't going to buy anyone, until yesterday ni-"

"Wait. Hold on," she cut me off, holding up a hand. "What do you mean you weren't going to buy anyone? Buy?" She seemed truly confused.

"Yes, Maria. I bought her from this auction I was invited to, and mom insisted my brothers and I went. We bought the girls, and…well…were made to sign these court marriage papers. You know what that means right? It's more or less like till death do us part now," I explained, running a frustrated finger over my face.

"Well why did you buy her if you didn't want her, then?" Maria asked as she sat across from me. "Why? Do you think she's happy to be here? I saw that look on her face yesterday."

I pressed my lips together, suppressing a smile. Maria was definitely over exaggerating it at this point. Who wouldn't be happy to be married to Ares Grey? That's more money and attention that she has never had in her life. "What look?"

"Like she wants to get out of here as soon as possible?"

"Well," I said, getting up from the stool.. "That's actually not going to happen. Not anytime soon."

"What if she doesn't want to be here? What if she wants to leave?" Maria pressed on, also getting up from the stool she was sitting on. I picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and bit into it.

"Oh c'mon, Maria. Who wouldn't want to be here? Leaving this life?"

"Oh well," she muttered to herself, but loud enough for me to hear. "You're such a strong headed boy. Arguing with you won't sway your mind."

"Seriously, Maria. You're taking her side. You've known me more than you know her. She's a stranger." I probably sounded like a little girl with all this whining, but I couldn't help it. Maria is the only person I could be this free with. Even with my parents, I still have to be a little bit professional. Formal.

"Nope!" Maria raised a spatula and pointed it at me with a death glare. "She's not a stranger. She's now your wife. Mrs Grey. Respect that."

I opened my mouth to protest, but another look from her shut me up. "I'm serious, Ares. Now get out from my kitchen."

I laughed, shaking my head lightly as I walked out.

*

I closed the door behind me quietly, my eyes roaming over the room in search of Hera. She wasn't on the bed. And she didn't seem to be in the room.

I took one step further into the room, my eyes landing immediately on my wife. My heart beat slowed as I watched her. She was wearing my shirt over the polo top she wore yesterday. She was seated on the chaise lounge, staring out of the window. Her hair was made up into a messy bun.

I was tempted to whip out my phone and take a picture right there. She looked like someone made real out of a drawing.

I bit my lip, then cleared my throat. "You're in my shirt," I said plainly. She jumped, a surprised look on her face as she turned to look at me.

"What? Oh right. I'm sorry. I feel cold," she answered, her high pitched voice dropping each word as she looked at me, and averted her eyes.

It was then I remembered that I had turned on the air conditioning to the highest the previous night. I picked up the remote and turned it down. "My shirt. Give it back." I was taken aback by the iciness in my voice.

A shadow crossed over her face, followed by a look a knew too well. The kind I always got when I turn down girls. Disappointment. Only that I wasn't turning her down. Heck, I wasn't doing anything other than asking for my shirt.

If she thought this was one of those relationships where the lady gets to wear her partner's clothes as much as she wants, then she was terribly wrong. I made the first mistake when I told her to take my top yesterday night.

"Have it," she said quietly, stretching out the fabric to me. I took it from her, my fingers closing around it and squeezing for a moment before I turned back, walking to the laundry basket.

I was seriously fighting the urge to bring the cloth closer to my nose and take a sniff. I suddenly wanted to know what she smelled like.

Damn it.

I opened the basket and dropped the cloth in it before I turned back to her. Her shoulders were fallen and she still had a little of that disappointed look on her face.

"Do you have a phone?" I asked, surprising myself. "Of course you don't. Here," I took out my phone from the pocket of my blazer and stretched it to her. "Have it. I'll come back for it by lunch."

She blinked slowly. Once. Twice. At me, and at the phone. "You're leaving?"

"For work, yes," I answered with a shrug and waved the phone. "Take it."

There was this look in uer eyes like I had suddenly grown two heads. She gave a quiet scoff, the side of her lips stretching. "You're giving me a phone. Your phone."

"Yes, I am. And I will come back for it by lunch. Along with your new clothes."

"Oh, I haven't seen the clothes I wore yesterday," she said, as if she was expecting me to know where it was. I did know where it was. At my sister's boutique and she helping me to pick out clothes that are exactly Hera's size. But I wasn't gonna tell her that.

"I took it." That was answer enough. She collected the phone from me.

"Thanks A-" she caught herself before the words dropped, then closed her mouth. I raised a brow, daring her to complete the sentence. "Master," she said quietly, standing there as if she was waiting for me to give her an order or something.

"Take a shower, and a shirt from my closet," I said, the dismissal very loud even if I didn't say it.

She turned around, dropping the phone on the bed the same time she walked towards the bathroom.

"Wait." She paused, turning around with s conflicted look on her face. "Come here." She did.

I pulled her into my arms, placing a kiss on her forehead while inhaling her scent the same time. Tangerine. Another one of my favorites.

"Good bye, Kitten." I pulled her away, and turned around, walking out of the room with an urge to turn around and stare into those green eyes all day.