A Scent of Greek: Out of Olympus by Tina Folsom Read Free Book Online Page A

barely recognized her, the tears forming in her eyes making her vision swim.
    When Gabrielle moved out from behind the bar, Ari took a few tentative steps and would have fallen, had Gabrielle not reached for her in time.
    “Let’s go to my office. I think you need to sit down.” She allowed herself to be pulled toward the door that said ‘Private’, intent on escaping Dio’s presence before she broke down completely.
    ***
    Dio had never felt this low. But he hadn’t been prepared to face Ariadne. He’d felt like shit ever since he’d hightailed it out of her bed the night before. Again, he’d taken the easy way out and dismissed her because he was a coward who couldn’t admit that maybe, just maybe, there could be something between them. Because the thought that he was capable of emotions deeper than the superficial feelings he doled out to everybody scared him shitless. And why? Because he didn’t want to be at the mercy of his feelings. He’d seen his mother Semele pine for Zeus after he’d lost interest in her, and the heartache he’d felt rolling off her had pained him. He didn’t want to love a woman the way his mother had loved his father—an emotion that had not been reciprocated.
    Mortals believed in the rumor that Semele had died after seeing Zeus in his godly form. It was far from the truth, but maybe it would have been better that way, rather than watching her waste away because of unrequited love.
    His mother had been miserable for years, hoping against all hope that Zeus would come back. But his jerk of a father had already moved on many times.
    What if Dio was just like him? What if he wasn’t capable of love? Just like his father wasn’t. Wouldn’t that mean that the woman who fell for him was doomed to a broken heart? And while Dio had never much cared whether he broke a heart or two, for some reason, he couldn’t stomach the thought of that heart belonging to Ariadne.
    It was better if he finished things now, when they’d barely begun. Ari couldn’t possibly be in love with him yet, and would get over him in a heartbeat. And the infatuation he had with her? He was sure it was only temporary and nothing to worry about. A few glasses of wine and some flirting with some willing mortals would hasten its disappearance along.
    Dio trained his gaze back onto the two girls he’d been talking to but couldn’t get his spirit back. He didn’t want to flirt with the two silly girls who had dirt for brains and were ogling him like he was their next meal ticket. Had they not understood anything from his conversation with Ari? Had they still not realized what a cad he was? That he couldn’t be trusted?
    “Excuse me,” he said and turned away.
    His eyes scanned the bar, but Ariadne was gone. He should try to talk to her and explain his reasoning. She was a smart woman. She would understand why they couldn’t continue their relationship. If he could only make her understand that he was no good for her, then maybe she wouldn’t hate him. Why that mattered to him, he wasn’t sure. For Hades’ sake, he wasn’t sure about anything lately.
    Only one thing was certain: he owed Adiadne an explanation, and she’d get one, tonight. And if she was still hurt after he’d made it clear to her that she was better off without an asshole like him, he’d wipe her memory.
    Dio headed for the bathroom, wanting to dowse his head with cold water. Before he could push the door to the restroom open, two guys grabbed him from behind and shoved him out the back exit, into the parking lot.
    “What the fuck!” Dio shook off their hold and swiveled on his heels.
    He stared at the two thugs as they glared at him. They weren’t the usual kind of guys he got into bar fights with. For starters, they were older, not the young kids who couldn’t hold their liquor and subsequently started an argument. The two were well dressed and seemed fairly sober. He recognized them. They’d occupied the table next to him. And he