The Contract

chapter 16 - burning

Montana's POV

I hold Zeus' hand in mine as I place our contract in the fireplace in his apartment. He takes his copy and places it down at the same time before I lean my head on his shoulder and rub his arm watching them burn away.

He moves looking down at me when I smile. "That was easy," I whisper rubbing his big shoulders in my hands to help him release some tension.

"Do you need a new one? One kind of like a prenup but for us now? Or something like that?" I whisper to him as he shakes his head yes and rubs my back in his palm.

"It's programmed inside of me Montana. I need you to just be aware of everything. So that we can start it the right way," He tells me as I nod.

"Okay. We'll talk about it later then." I whisper to him as I rub his arm. I pull him to sit down on the couch with me as I hold myself into his arm.

"So, have you ever spoken to them again?" I whisper holding his arm. "Not him no. My mother occasionally. But my father was hurt by her so many times I can't count it. She'd walk in pretend to love him again, take money, she's done it so many times. I wish he would have just stayed with Athena's mom, she's my mom. When she learned what happened to me she didn't leave. She held me in her arms and was there for me, I think she's the only reason I stayed together." He tells me rubbing his hands together as I grip his shirt in my hand.

"What happened to her?" I whisper. "She passed away a few years before dad did. We don't really know what happened, she just fell asleep and didn't wake up. The autopsy said a brain aneurysm but we didn't know why or how." He tells me as I rub his arm.

"That's horrible. I wish I could have met her," I mumble out as he shakes it off. "Enough about me, tell me everything. Since it's official now," he mumbles while I grin.

"Okay. I don't really know where to start. My parents support me, they do, but they also hurt me in a lot of what they want and what they think is right. My sister, Georgia is a doctor and married, my brother is a lawyer and married, and then you have me. Just living my life day by day." I tell him as he nods holding my knee.

"How was your childhood?" He whispers. "It was a lot. My mom had my sister and I in pageants since before we could walk. It was her idea of making us beautiful. So when I told her I didn't want to do it anymore you can imagine how pissed off it made her." I tell him as he nods.

"Why'd you stop?" He asks. "One time at a pageant she refused to let us eat. All day. And I passed out on stage from hunger and dehydration so my stupid size zero dress could hug me so tight and suffocate my rib cage." I mumble out.

"That's why foods a thing to you?" He asks as I nod. "I never want to be like that again. So learning how to cook made me feel like I could always take care of myself, along with coffee, which is the reason I didn't pass out at another one until the year was up." I tell him.

"Okay." He whispers back as I rub my hand on his neck. "Are you okay? How do you feel?" I whisper softly onto his lips.

"I'm okay. Just-, I've never told anyone Montana. You can't tell anyone." He mumbles as I nod. "And you have no idea how happy it makes me that you've told me. I care about you so much." I whisper to him kissing his lips softly and pulling away.

Or at least I try to but Zeus tightens his grip on my still sore ass as I pull closer to him. "Can we go to the bedroom?" I whisper as he pulls me up with him. We walk to the bedroom together and I shut the door behind us as I move him to sit on the bed. I quickly hit the remote button to close his blinds and I click the lamp on.

"Can I take off your shirt?" I ask him rubbing his shoulders softly. He shakes his head no, but I grab his hands and hold them while I rub his fingers.