Untouchable Fruit

Family and Laughs

Briana's POV

I watch as Art plays with the twins on the floor, her laugh infectious as she enjoys herself with the pieces of her friend that she missed out on.

Her gold eyes seem brighter than before as she interacts with everyone around her, fitting right in like a puzzle piece.

I feel Alex come up beside me as I lean on the wall by the door. "You did good." He tells me and I tilt my head to the side.

"Because I stayed or because I brought her here?"

"I was talking about because you brought her here. She needed this. Even when we were in school she had to go through the dumbest shit. One of us would have to go with her to Court every other week because otherwise her family looked down on her like she was nothing." He tells me making my heart ache more and more for my Knot. "And as for you staying? I am happy you're here, but I won't say I'm proud until I know you're happy." He tells me and I nod slowly.

"I never thought I would see the day this shit happened. Never would have imagined it." I tell him and he laughs.

"Neither did I, Toot. I thought you would end up on the other side of the world, or find your way to the moon before you found yourself somewhere that was far away from us to be happy." He says and while he's smiling, something about the way he said it makes me sad.

"I wasn't trying to run away from you guys."
I tell him and he turns towards me, one fo his eyebrows raised in question.

"Weren't you?" He challenges and I frown at the words, but before I can think on them he continues. "I'm not mad at you for doing what you had to do. I know from personal experience that sometimes you just have to let people go. But I'm glad that you're home at least for a little while." He tells me, leaning over give me a kiss on the head, on the opposite side of where Artemis' kiss still tingles.

I stay against the wall, but of course, I'm not alone for long, which I don't mind at all, for once.

"How you holding up?" Ares asks me, leaning on the wall on his side, facing me while I face the room, and I can feel my cheek start to heat up.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired. How's the babies?" I ask him, gesturing down to his three, almost four month olds belly that's starting to grow more and more everywhere. He chuckles and placed on of his hands on his stomach while he gestures towards Thomas.

"Ahhh, Kitten has had a bad week with Zion. He can't eat anything too heavy without throwing up his entire stomach. So at the moment he hates me and I'm only allowed to talk to him when we're cuddling." He tells me and though he's complaining a bit, there's still that unfiltered love in his gaze that always shines bright for Thomas even when the rest of his face is blank.

"Sounds like you deserve that one." I tell him and he snorts before narrowing his eyes.

"I don't like miss princess over there." He tells me and I frown, getting worried because if you don't have the Ares stamp of approval, you're fucked.

"Why? What did she do?" I ask beginning to get nervous.

"Nothing yet. But she claims she doesn't like me. I'm a very likable bitch. So for her not to like me, there's issues with Tinker Bell." He claims and I breathe a sigh of relief just as I laugh, shaking my head at him.

"You're mad she doesn't like you. News flash, she's never liked dick. And you're no exception." I taunt him and he glared at me.

I remember when I first saw him, with his stormy gray eyes and tattoos that crawl all over his body, two thoughts went through my head. Fuck that man is scary, and, man he's hot. Now I realize he's just a huff teddy bear that has body decorations. It's adorable really, and yes still very very hot.

"I am the fucking exception. I always am. I'm the prettiest princess in the land, the baddest bitch, and I'm hot. There are never exceptions." He says and I realize he's pouting making me snort.

An arm snakes around my back and I look up
to see Art standing next to me, her hair back into her usual ponytail, gold eyes on Ares as she asks me a question. "You okay?" She asks and I try not to snort as I realize the real reason why she doesn't like Ares.

The sweet barbie princess is territorial.

"I'm fine. Ares is pouting because he's jealous of us." I tell her and she smiles down at me, her eyes shining in amusement as Ares scoffs, his arms coming up to cross over his stomach.

"I'm not jealous of shit. I'm a grown as man and don't need any validation from anyone." He argues. "Isn't that right, Kitten?" He asks and I snort in amusement.

"Yes, babe." Comes Thomas' response though I'm eighty seven percent certain he has no clue what just came out of his lovers mouth.

"See?" Ares says with a raised brow and I just roll my eyes and pull Artemis away.

"He's just a spoiled man child, ignore him." I tell her and Artemis laughs, tugging on my hand lightly.

"I do that's to men anyway. He reminds me too much of my brother. I'm surprised half of the people in here isn't trying to get it o his pants." She tells me and my face goes read at the stories that I've heard.

"Everyone has a crush on Ares. Sometimes people like to share a little bit." I say and while I know she hears me she doesn't say anything until we get to the kitchen and grab something to drink, her eyes finding mine as I take a sip of some juice.

"Everyone?" She asks me and I tilt my head from side to side, my gaze locked onto her as I pull the cup from my lip with a ghost of a smile that I try to hide.

"It depends on who you ask. I say most." I tell her and she rounds the counter, her gait slow and predatory as she stalks towards me silently. My muscles twitch with the need to run but I stay still and allow for her to walk up to me, her body coming up to stand flush against mine.

Her breasts press against mine and I feel feel my breath catch as I feel her heart thump against mine, mismatched without our Marks.

I tilt my head up to look her in the eye and she smiles at me, blinding me for a second with the force of it along with her golden hour eyes and pink lips that make my core begin to throb in teasing need, and I press my legs together to try and lesson the growing ache.

"And you?" She asks and I have to swallow a few times before I can answer, my throat still feeling dry and right as I do, stumbling over my words a little bit.

"No." I answer and she smiles before stepping away and raising her cup to her lips and smiling at me.

"Good. That's not the direction I advise you to float in my little butterfly." She warns me with a quick flash of a grin before she turns to head into the hallway and back towards the living room.

I take a moment to calm myself, not sure what to do with this new side of Artemis.

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10 more chapters to write for this page. hopefully I can be done by 7 o'clock. Life sucks a bitvh I should have been done with this in an hour, but updates are updated.

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