Wicked Beauty (Dark Olympus Book 3)

By the time Helen and Patroclus join me in the shower, I’ve managed to get myself under control. I don’t make a habit of lying to myself. There’s no point. That shit just gets in the way of accomplishing what I want, so I accept new information as it comes and adapt accordingly.

The feeling that sprouted yesterday morning, the surety that Helen is meant to make our couple into a throuple, has solidified inside me with the completion of the second trial. She kicked ass in that trial, and I don’t give a fuck that the three of us making it to the final one continues to complicate things. It means more time together before we have to deal with Ares.

I like having her around. I like her. Yeah, she’s got a point about the politics and shit, but that just reinforces my belief that the three of us were meant to be working as a team instead of at odds with each other. Helen will make a stellar ally. She’s smart and she’s experienced, and she knows the ins and outs of this new battlefield better than we do. More, I enjoyed the fuck out of watching her shove that knowledge down our throats. There’s nothing sexier than competence, and the woman has it in spades.

I can clearly see a future where I’m married to Helen. The long, lazy evenings where she and Patroclus strategize until I get tired of all the talking and drag them to the bedroom. The irritating parties made much less so by watching Helen work the room, dressed to the nines in gold and diamonds, a warrior of words and thinly veiled politics. The early mornings where Patroclus and I are up and going through our normal workout routine and Helen wakes up in time to share a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast before we all go about our days.

It feels real. It’s just a matter of getting us there.

There’s the issue of her wanting to be Ares, but she’ll get over it. She doesn’t seem one to linger on things as they should be when she can adapt to things as they are. It might take some time to earn her forgiveness, but I already know her weakness.

All I have to do is provoke her enough, and we’ll start fighting and end up fucking. Do it enough times and eventually we’ll skip over the fighting and get right to the fucking. I don’t see how that’s a bad thing by any definition of the word. Besides, I don’t have to be Patroclus to understand that Helen’s grasp of the politics of the Thirteen is an asset we don’t want to lose.

Helen ducks underneath the showerhead next to me. When I first saw the showers in these suites, I thought they were ridiculous. I’m a big guy, but even I don’t need four showerheads and this much room. I get it now.

I watch her wash her hair out of the corner of my eye while Patroclus comes up on my other side. He’s still got that sexy little furrow between his brows that makes me want to kiss it away. He always worries too much. We have this in the bag, and now that I don’t have to be worried about him running off into the sunset with the precious princess, everything is coming up aces.

There is the final trial to consider, but none of the remaining contenders are enough to worry me. None of that matters for the next two days, though, so I hook Helen around the hips and pull her against my chest. She resists the tiniest bit, but not like she really wants to go anywhere else.

“How’s the leg?” She’s sporting a nasty bruise from where Theseus hit her. Looking at it now, I kind of wished I’d kicked the fucker while he was down.

“It looks worse than it is.” Her nails prick my chest, and my cock hardens even more in response. I like this about her, too. She’s not afraid to play rough and doesn’t seem to pull her punches. Does she understand the depth of the compliment she’s giving me as a result? Maybe. Maybe not. It’s hard to tell with her.

I grin down at her. “Shower or bed?”

Helen reaches up and slicks back her hair, pressing her breasts against my chest. “Why not dream a little bigger, Achilles? Let’s do both.”

“In that case…” I don’t hesitate. I spin her around, grab her wrists, and lift them up to pin against my chest on either side of her head. “A little help here, Patroclus.”

I take the opportunity to get a good look at his injuries, too. He’s moving okay, so he’s likely telling the truth about it just being bruising. Thank fuck. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him. His body will be a spectacular array of purple, blue, and green tomorrow, but he’s okay.

He watches us as he soaps up his body, his hands moving unhurriedly over muscles I want to sink my teeth into. He always was a fucking tease when given half the chance. Usually, I’m impatient so I get things rolling, but I don’t have that option right now. Not unless I want to release Helen, and I’m never letting her go. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Patroclus drinks in the sight of her, of us, as he finishes washing himself slowly. I don’t think he realizes his heart is in his eyes. Gods, the way this man wants. He makes me strive to be better, to be worthy of it. Knowing he feels that way toward Helen only ramps up my determination to make us work. I don’t waste time with bullshit about this happening too fast. If you know what you want, why dick around about going for it?

I want Patroclus.

I want Helen.

I mean to have them. Permanently.

“Tease,” Helen murmurs. She leans her head against my chest and arches her back, putting her tits on display. “Let go of my hand, Achilles. I’ll do this myself.”

“No.” Patroclus shakes his head sharply. “Both of you need to learn some godsdamned patience.” He steps beneath the spray and makes quick work of washing himself off.

I watch the water course over his body and my mouth waters. Yesterday was barely enough to take the edge off wanting these two. Today worrying about them in the trial has only heightened my need. We’re not doing this in the shower, though. It’s hardly the safest way to fuck even if everyone was fully healthy. With Patroclus’s injuries and Helen’s leg in danger of buckling, it’s out of the question. I want them, but I don’t want either of them harmed in the process.

Gods, I’m a fucking sap.

Finally Patroclus turns to face us fully and takes a step to close the distance. He plants his hands on her hips and leans forward…bypassing Helen’s face to kiss me. Patroclus always had the tiniest of sadistic streaks when we entertain others in our bed, but it feels different with Helen. Neither of us gave a fuck about those other people, aside from getting them off as hard as we could. With Helen, there’s…more. Jealousy or possession or something else altogether. I don’t know, but I fucking like it.

Patroclus kisses me like it’s just us, like it will always just be us. A reminder. A promise. Who the fuck knows? I kiss him back just as intensely.

And then he moves to Helen, taking her mouth with the same command he took mine. My breath comes faster as Patroclus presses her back against me even harder with the force of his mouth. She tries to reach for him, but I tighten my grip on her wrists. Helen’s strong, but I’m stronger, and I think she likes that because she moans. Or maybe what she likes is that I don’t treat her like she’s made of spun glass.

Patroclus eases down her body, finally kneeling before us. He kisses her lower stomach, just above her pussy. “Her legs, Achilles. Hold her for me.”

“I’m…standing right here.” Her breath is coming even harsher, faster than ours. “Stop talking about me like I’m a toy.”

“Don’t you want to be our toy, princess? The perks are pretty great.”

She sputters a little and rolls her hips, rubbing her ass against my cock. “Anything resembling submission is strictly confined to sex and only sex. Don’t get any funny ideas.”

Patroclus’s eyes go hot. “Noted.”

“Wouldn’t dream of expecting you to kneel unless it’s to suck my cock.” I grin against her hair. “Now be a good girl and loop your arms around my neck. You won’t be able to stand for long once Patroclus gets going.”

“Cocky.”

“Accurate.” I release her wrists and wait for her to do what I command. She doesn’t make me wait long. I like this about her, too. How sometimes she fights and sometimes she submits, and the sharp is just as sexy as the sweet. She’s a perfectly curated greenhouse rose, too gorgeous to be real and with curves that create the temptation to hold her in my hands. So tempting, it’s easy to miss the thorns until one bites deep.

Or maybe it’s easy for others to ignore the thorns, seeing only what they want to see. Not me. I like the thorns. What use is a defenseless flower except to shove in a vase and let wither until its once-beautiful petals fall off?

They want to do that to Helen.

Fuck, we want to do that to Helen.

The realization makes me shift, not liking the direction of my thoughts. Patroclus and I aren’t the same as the other champions, the rest of the Thirteen. Yes, I plan to squash Helen’s dream with my own, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch her wither away. She doesn’t have to be Ares to get what she wants. She’ll figure that out as soon as this whole tournament is over.

That’s fine. I don’t have to see every step of the journey to know my destination. That’s what Patroclus is for. I have no doubt that he wants Helen, too. He’ll find us a way forward.

I grab Helen’s thighs, careful to avoid the bruise, and spread her wide for Patroclus. He makes a deep appreciative noise, and I laugh. “Somehow, you get her pussy first again and I’m stuck here doing all the work.”

“It’s good for you not to get everything you want right when you want it.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he dips down and drags his tongue over her exposed center. I’m tall enough that I get a great view of him eating her out. She’s as perfect there as she is everywhere else. I’m not sure I believe in the gods, but if they exist, they really spent the extra time forming this woman.

She squirms in my arms, but even slippery from being in the shower, I hold her immobile as Patroclus works her clit with the flat of his tongue. He goes about it like he goes about everything in life: with utter precision and a determination to be the best. Helen’s breasts heave with every breath, and impatience flickers. “Hurry up and make her come. It’s my turn next.”

Helen turns her head and I take the unspoken offer, kissing her mouth even as Patroclus kisses her pussy. She tastes a little like him, and the realization has my cock hardening to an almost painful level. She’s not one to take her pleasure, this kiss, passively. It’s a battle the same way everything between us is a battle.

And then she’s coming, moaning against my tongue and trying to thrash. I tighten my grip on her thighs, enjoying the way her muscles flex and fight against my hands. She’s athletic as fuck. Both trials have more than proven what she’s capable of. I bet we could get into some crazy creative positions between the three of us.

Later. After the tournament is over and everyone is healthy and healed.

I break the kiss as Patroclus pushes to his feet and reaches behind us to turn off the water. “Bed. Now.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” I carefully set Helen down…but only long enough to grab her hips and toss her over my shoulder. Her screech is music to my ears, and I can’t help laughing and giving her ass a light smack. “Quiet. You’re going to have the guards busting down the door.”

“I’m going to kick your ass!”

“Nah, but if you ask nicely, I’ll let you kiss it.” I grin when she gives another screech. Patroclus and I get rough sometimes, but we don’t play like this, this fighting that turns hot and charged and morphs into fucking. I’ve never had this with anyone but Helen.

Patroclus follows me out of the bathroom, a strange look on his face as I carefully toss Helen onto the bed. She bounces, but she’s fast, already rolling before she hits the mattress a second time. I snag her calf and flip her onto her back. “Don’t tell me one orgasm was enough for you.” I dodge a kick aimed at my face. “Be a good girl and spread your legs.”

“Fuck you!” Her words are harsh, but her eyes dance and she’s obviously fighting down a smile.

I laugh. Gods, this is fun. “If you don’t play nice, I’m going to tell Patroclus to hold you down.”

Her amber gaze flicks to him, and I see the exact moment she realizes that will get her off even harder. “Oh no,” she drawls. “Not that.” When I don’t immediately move, she curses and tries to kick me in the face again.

Brat.

“Patroclus.” I don’t have to lift my voice because he’s only a few feet away. “Hold her down.”

I watch him closely as he moves onto the bed. If either of them show the first sign of their injuries being more serious than they and the doctor claim, I’m shutting this whole thing down.

Patroclus kneels on the mattress above Helen’s head and catches her wrists, pressing them to the bed. She struggles, but I can tell she’s not fighting as hard as she could. I catch her eyeing his ribs, and my chest goes warm at how she’s taking care of him without being overt about it. Good girl. I move up between her thighs and press them wide and up, spreading her obscenely.

What a picture we make.

Patroclus is breathing harder than the effort to hold our princess down requires, and his cock is so stiff, it’ll be a fucking miracle if he doesn’t come just from the foreplay. It’s fine if he does. We have all of tonight and tomorrow. I plan on tucking these two in for some rest after I fuck the worry right out of their heads, but that doesn’t mean it has to be rushed.

Every muscle in Helen’s body quivers as she tries to fight our superior strength. Her pussy, though? She’s so wet, she’s practically dripping. I lick my lips and she makes a little whimpering sound that goes straight to my balls. Yeah, I can’t wait to get my mouth all over Helen Kasios again. I glance at Patroclus. He looks turned on and conflicted about it.

First, though, a few ground rules.

“You want to stop, tell us.”

Helen blinks at me, a little frown pulling at the corners of her lips. “But saying stop can be sexy.”

“Say ‘wait’ instead,” Patroclus says slowly. “We’ll check in.”

She considers this and finally nods. “Okay, that’s fair. Same goes for you two, though.”

I don’t bother to tell them that it won’t be an issue with me. I appreciate the thought. There’s a level of caring that I’ve only experienced with Patroclus, and I’m too turned on to think too hard about it. Maybe later, when I’m not looking at the perfection that is Helen’s naked body, her pussy an invitation I have no intention of declining. “Sure.”

“Yeah.” Patroclus’s voice has gone hoarse.

I don’t give her a warning before I move, quickly sliding down and releasing her thighs. She only has a second to tense before I band my forearm across the back of her thighs and press them up. I can’t spread her as wide like this, but it’s fine. I don’t need to in order to accomplish what I want. I drag the tip of my finger over her slit. “I’ve changed my mind about you.”

“Ask me if I care.” The sharp words don’t match her breathy tone.

“You care.” I hold her gaze as I press a single finger into her. Not enough to do more than tease her, though fuck she feels good. “Do you want to know why?”

“Enlighten me.”

“Because I only play with people I like.” I press a second finger into her.

It’s entertaining as fuck to watch her expressions flicker. Desire and confusion and need. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m going to play with you, princess.” I nod at Patroclus even as I twist my wrist, exploring her until I find the spot that makes her give another of those delicious whimpers. “How many times do you think we can make her come before we crash, Patroclus?”

He blinks. “You mean before her body gives out.”

“Oh my gods.”

I keep stroking her G-spot with my fingertips and pretend to consider. “Sure. Before her body gives out or before we crash. Whichever comes first.”

“Helen comes first.” He shifts, pressing her wrists harder into the mattress. “I think you can beat our record.”

“Game on.”