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Her face held none of the tough vibrato he'd always seen from her. Only the worry of a mother who loved her daughter showed.

"I'm fine," he lied before turning again.

"I'm sorry, Apollo. I'm sorry that this is happening to you and River."

He snorted. "Not Ares?"

She shrugged. "That cocky bastard can deal with it."

Apollo chuckled, and so did Cherry.

"Thanks, Cherry. Call me when the coast is clear to come back."

She nodded.

"Oh, and you probably want to move her out of my room before Ares arrives. I'm pretty sure that won't end well."

"Apollo? Thank you."

Apollo wondered how much Cherry had had to drink because, according to River, 'I'm sorry' and 'thank you' were not part of Cherry's vocabulary.

He threw her a weak smile. "The pleasure was all mine."

He walked out the door into the chilly evening air without another word. His bare feet soaked in the cool cement, sending a chill through him. He breathed deeply and then sat on the steps, waiting for Bennett.

He hung his head in his hands, and a tear dropped on the cement between his feet.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

ARES

Ares rushed up the front steps of the estate and threw the front door open wide. He dropped his coat to the floor and shrugged off his suit jacket. Loosening his tie, he took the stairs three at a time. He'd been in the middle of a Zoom meeting when his phone rang with Cherry's number. Without saying goodbye, he shut his laptop and raced to the waiting car.

The last twenty-eight hours had been the hardest of his life. About halfway through, he'd feared that perhaps Apollo and River had mated and that there would be no more need for him, but he'd refused to give in to fear. He knew River was his. Knew they were meant for each other. Even so, the thoughts of Apollo being with her had consumed him until the call. And now, as he rushed toward her bedroom, all he could think of was seeing her. Being able to look at her and know she was okay.

Even before Ares opened her doors, her scent shot straight through him and made him hard as the North Pole in the middle of winter.

His heart beat wildly as he took in the room. Cherry held a wet rag to River's head. Half a dozen empty cola cans lay strewn over the bed and floor.

Cherry looked at him and scowled. "Took your time getting here. Did you take the scenic route?"

Ares growled. "I got here as fast as the car would go."

Cherry scoffed. "Then you should have run. Can't you see the pain she's in?"

Ares stepped forward, and Strider appeared from a dark corner of the room and walked to Cherry.

"Come on, Love. You've done all you can." Strider kissed Cherry's head and pulled her hands from River's face.

Cherry grabbed him, and Ares swore he could smell panic on her. He took her in, noticing she wore the same clothes from two days prior, and her hair looked like she hadn't brushed it in a month. Even her eyes seemed puffy and sunken in.

As Strider led Cherry out of the room, it struck Ares. No matter how she appeared or acted, Cherry truly loved River.

His chest squeezed, remembering his own mother.

"Cherry?" he said softly.

She turned to him.