despise her captivity.
âSucking myself would probably elicit better results than when you did it,â he retorted.
The handful of gods and goddesses around him snickered.
âWhatever,â she said, as if the taunt didnât bother her. Except, her cheeks did flush. She was the epitome of strengthâor she was supposed to beâand sheâd always been more mannish than feminine. That was why Atlasâs attention had so surprised and delighted her. That gorgeous man could have won anyone, yet heâd chosen her. Or so sheâd thought. And sheâd fallen for his act because heâd somehow made her feel like a delicate, beautiful woman.
Just then, Atlas strode into the guardâs station. She didnât have to see him to know. She felt him. Always she felt his heat. When her gaze found him, she discovered that he had his arm wrapped around a leggy blonde. A blonde who cuddled  herself into his side as if she belonged thereâand had rested there many times before.
The thought angered Nike. It shouldnât have; she despised Atlas with all of her being and didnât care who he slept with. Didnât care who he pleasured. And yes, he would have pleasured the blonde with those talented hands and seeking lips. He was an amazing lover whose touch still haunted Nikeâs dreams. But there it was. Anger.
She didnât mean to, but found herself striding to the bars and gripping them for a better, closer look at him. Three other guards stood around him, all talking and laughing. While prisoners wore white, guards wore black, and he wore that darkness well. It was the perfect complement to his dark, chopped hair and sea-colored eyes.
His face had been chiseled by a master artist, everything about him perfectly proportioned. His eyes were the perfect distance apart, his nose the perfect length, his cheeks the perfect sharpness, his lips the perfect shape and color and his chin a perfect, stubborn square.
She should have known he was playing her the moment heâd turned those dangerous eyes on her and they lit with âinterest.â Men just didnât look at her like that. Not even Erebos had, and he had loved her.
âBastard,â she muttered, the curse for both the men in her past.
As if he heard her, Atlas lifted his gaze. The moment their eyes met, she wanted to release the bars. She wanted to step away, out of sight. But she didnât allow herself that luxury. That would have been cowardly, and this man had seen her weak one too many times.
Just to taunt him, and hopefully make him feel as out of control as he always made her feel, she allowed her attention to fall to his chest, exactly where her name rested. She smiled smugly before raising her gaze and arching a brow. Score. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
What does your lover think of your mark? she wanted to shout. What does the blonde think of my name on your body?
He jerked the stupid blonde deeper into his side and, without breaking eye contact with Nike, planted a lush, Â wet kiss on her mouth. Of course, she reacted as any other woman would have. She wrapped her arms around him and held on for dear life. As Nike well knew, that man could make a woman come with the expertise of his kiss.
Nikeâs anger intensified. Had she been able, she would have stomped down there and ripped them apart. Then she would have killed them both. Not because she wanted Atlas for herselfâshe didnâtâbut because he was clearly using yet another woman. Passion did not glow from his expression. Only determination did.
Nike would be doing the female population a favor by snuffing him out.
âErebos,â she called. âCome here. I want to kiss you.â
âWhat?â he gasped out, his shock clear.
âDo you want a kiss or not? Get over here. Quickly.â
There was a rustling of clothing behind her and then her former lover was beside her. He was a prisoner, and sex was a