She was starting to feel like she truly knew nothing about him.
After another minute of tense silence, Hades sighed and suddenly looked exhausted. He came around the table and reached for her, his fingers twined into her hair at the base of her head.
“I hoped to keep all of this from you,” he said. “Not to protect Leuce, but to protect you from my past.”
“I don’t want to be protected from you,” Persephone whispered. The air between them growing thick with a different kind of tension. “I want to know you—all of you, from the inside out.”
He offered a small smile and cupped her face, the pad of his thumb brushing her lips.
“Let’s start with the inside,” he said, and their mouths collided, his tongue twined with hers. He tasted like smoke and ice. His hands moved down her back and over her bottom, and he drew her to him so that she was cradled between his legs as he leaned against the table. Each flick of his tongue hypnotized her. The hard press of his erection against her stomach made her dizzy with lust. She held onto him, fingers digging into his tight muscles. She would be lying if she said she didn’t need this. Not only had he left her aching and empty nights ago, but the stress of work was putting her on edge. She needed release, but she also needed Hades to understand, so she pressed her hands against his chest and pulled away.
“Hades, I am serious. I want to know your greatest weakness, your deepest fear, your most treasured possession.”
His expression grew serious then, and he stared at her with an intensity that made her insides shudder.
“You,” he answered, the pad of his thumb passed over her kiss-swollen lips.
“Me?” For a moment she was confused, and then she realized what he was saying. “I cannot be all of those things.”
“You are my weakness, losing you is my greatest fear, your love is my most treasured possession.”
“Hades,” she said gently. “I am a second in your vast life. How can I be all of those things?”
“You doubt me?”
She pressed her palm to his cheek. “No, but I believe you have other weaknesses, fears, and treasures. Your people, for one. Your realm for another.”
“See,” he said very quietly. “You know me already—inside and out.”
His response made her sad because she knew it wasn’t true.
I don’t know you at all.
He went in for another kiss, but she stopped him.
“I just have one more question,” she said. “When you left Sunday night, where did you go?”
“Persephone—”
She took a step away. She knew. He didn’t even need to answer.
“That’s when she returned, wasn’t it?”
Her anger was once again renewed. He had wound her so tight she hadn’t been able to breathe and instead of releasing the tension he’d building inside her, he’d chosen to leave—to help a former lover.
“You chose her over me.”
“It isn’t like that at all, Persephone—” he reached for her.
“Don’t touch me!” Persephone stepped away, lifting her hands. Hades jaw tightened, but he didn’t approach. “You had your chance. You fucked it up.”
His reasons for keeping Leuce a secret didn’t matter right now. The fact was, he hadn’t told her. He’d done the opposite of what he’d asked of her—communicate—so the words she used against him next seemed more than fitting.
“Actions speak louder than words, Hades.”
She vanished from the lounge.
CHAPTER VII - TRUCE
Hades’ Lover Arrives at Nevernight in Rental Truck, Dressed in Sweats.
Persephone sat behind her desk at work on Monday, glaring at the article on her computer screen. She could be an oracle with the way she was able to predict headlines. If only she’d been able to predict meeting Hades’ lover, too.
Her mood hadn’t improved over the weekend. Maybe that was due to the fact that she had yet to hear from Hades. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to talk to him, but she had expected him to try to contact her—either manifest in her bedroom in the middle of the night to apologize or send Hecate, the peacekeeper.
As the hours turned into days, Persephone grew even more frustrated with Hades, and the more she wanted to write about Apollo just to piss him off.
The thought had occurred to her because the God of Music was in the news today, having been selected as the chancellor for the upcoming Panhellenic Games. His christening was no surprise, as he had been given the title for the last ten years. It was basically a designation Apollo paid for, since his money funded the entertainment, uniforms, and construction on a new stadium.
It was just another example of Apollo’s status. No one would want to believe that the god who gave them sports was also an abusive asshole.
She sighed and closed her browser, opening a blank document. She had another week to write the exclusive Demetri and Kal had ordered. This was probably not the best time to begin, because every word she thought of to describe Hades was something angry and unkind.
Frustrating, thoughtless, jerk.
After a moment, she sighed and checked her mug. She needed more coffee if she was going to attempt this article. She left her desk and went into the break room. As her coffee brewed, Helen found her.
“Persephone...there’s a woman here to see you. She says her name is Leuce.”
Persephone froze and looked at Helen.
“Did you just say Leuce?”
The girl nodded; her blue eyes wide. Persephone’s frustration burned, and she clenched her fists to keep a handle on her magic. All she needed was to sprout vines in front of her co-worker. What was Hades’ ex-lover doing here?
“Should I tell her you’re busy?” Helen asked. “I’ll tell her you’re busy.”
Helen started to leave.
“No,” Persephone stopped her. “I’ll see her. Show her to an interview room.”
Helen nodded and returned shortly after she disappeared.
“She’s in three.”
“Thank you, Helen.”
The girl hovered and Persephone took a breath.
“Yes, Helen?”
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Just peachy,” she answered.
What else was there to say? She was being forced to write about her love life—a love life that was being threatened by a woman who just showed up at her job.
Things were complicated.
Persephone kept Leuce waiting. It was the woman’s fault for showing up unannounced. When she finally entered the interview room, Leuce was standing by the window and when she turned to face Persephone, the goddess was surprised to see that she looked worse than when she’d seen her yesterday.
Yesterday she’d been exhausted.
Today she looked filthy. Her string-straight hair was matted, and she was wearing the same clothes that she’d had on at Nevernight. Persephone also noted the tear stains on her cheeks, visible because of the dirt on her face.
“What are you doing here?” Persephone asked.
“I came to apologize,” she said.
Persephone startled. That was the last thing she expected Leuce to say. “Excuse me?”
“I shouldn’t have introduced myself the way I did,” the words poured out of Leuce’s mouth quickly, almost like she was berating herself. “I was angry with Hades. I mean, I am sure you understand—”