Chapter 3
For the past two hours, Hade sat back and kept one eye on his nephew and the other eye on the woman taking care of him. He rarely allowed people outside of his family into his home, but the alternative was either delivering his nephew himself or going to a hospital. Neither was going to happen, so allowing a midwife into his house so his sister could safely deliver her baby was his only option.
Eris didn’t even live in his home. She and Cade had their own home not far from there, but anyone who knew Hades knew how much his family meant to him. They also knew not to question him or buck against him, so when he demanded she give birth and recover in his home, where he could safely watch over her, everyone fell in line.
“Get some rest,” Harley murmured. Her raspy voice was so soothing and low, he almost missed what she said, but he straightened up and tore his eyes off his nephew when he noticed her walking out of the room with her phone in her hand.
Cade and Eris were on the bed, and Hades frowned at them, giving them a warning glare, but neither of them paid him any mind. They only had eyes for Dante, their son. Harley was able to lay him in the portable bassinet on the bed, but she warned everyone to be very careful with him and to leave him in the bassinet while he had the tube in. If all went well overnight, she would be able to take the tube out in the morning.
Hades stared a hole in the side of Cade’s head as he spoke. “Y’all better not be fuckin’ in here. I’ll put a bullet in ya head, Cade.”
Cade didn’t even look at Hades as he waved him off. They had been friends since middle school, and if Cade had a dollar for every time Hades threatened him, he would be a million dollars richer. To anyone else, Hades’s threats were very real, but when it came to his family, Cade included, he would never hurt them. He might bully them, but he wouldn’t harm them.
“Hades, do you even know how a woman’s body works?” Eris snapped, her voice worn from all the hollering she did pushing out his nephew. “I can’t have sex for like six weeks.”
Hades cut his eyes over to her. “No giving head either. I’ll be back later.”
Anyone else would have more of a rection to his words, but not Cade and Eris. They simply ignored his ignorant ass before focusing back on their son.
In the hallway, Hades cursed under his breath when he noticed Harley wasn’t there. “Thought I told her ass she was staying here.”
He stalked down the long hall and saw her at the top of the steps, speaking in a harsh tone. He stopped and watched her. Her back was turned toward him, which gave him a great view of her fat ass and slim waist in the ridiculous scrubs she wore. Are those bunnies? He scoffed but continued to admire her small frame. To him, she looked like a damn fairy. Tink . That’s that lil bitch’s name in Peter Pan, right? The fairy? Hell, he didn’t know. He never watched that shit, but it was what he thought about the moment he laid eyes on her.
He watched her and noticed how tense her shoulders were. He smiled, thinking about how much more tense she was about to be after he made his presence known.
“I know, B. I’m so sorry. An emergency came up with a baby, and I have to pull an all-nighter to make sure he’s okay. I promise to make it up to you… I know, I know. Can you please do me a favor? Can you go make sure Pixie is okay after dinner?” She giggled. “Yeah, you can take her to your house. I know that’s your baby.” She paused for a few seconds before exhaling a breath. “I love you too.”
When he was sure she had hung up the phone, he advanced on her, grabbing her by her delicate arm he loved to tug on, and roughly turning her to face him. The fear that flashed across her face made his dick hard. “Come with me.”
“Ouch.” She yelped when he yanked her forward.
He fought the urge not to chuckle at her expense as he dragged her down the hallway, past the room his sister was in, and toward the end of the hallway to the guest room beside the master suit. He opened the door and pushed her inside. “You’ll sleep here. The bathroom is right across the hall. I’ll be back later.”
She rubbed her arm as she glared at him, but she didn’t say anything. That made his dick even harder. He loved a submissive woman, though she proved that she could be plenty feisty too. Something about her intrigued him. She clearly didn’t know who he was. If she had, she wouldn’t have called herself trying to put him in his place before Eris gave birth, in his own house, no less.
Just when he was about to walk away, he turned around, feeling the need to tell her ass she wasn’t dismissed from his house until he said so. The thought of instilling more fear into her when he got back excited him, and he couldn’t wait to see what she looked like when she was at her breaking point. Everyone had one, and he found pleasure in finding them for people, leaving them different from how he found them.
“If anything happens to my sister or my nephew on your watch, you’ll pay for it in blood.”
He heard her gasp, but he had already turned around and headed toward the stairs. He had to run a couple of errands before coming back and spending time with his new nephew.
“The fact that y’all ain’t call me is really pissing me off right now, Hades.”
Hades simply grunted his response as he held his finger up to the scanner at his front door. His home was like a fortress. It was his safe space. Nobody would enter unless he allowed them, and aside from the Harley chick who delivered Dante, only family had ever been to the spot he laid his head at night.
“Shit got hectic,” Hades finally said as they walked inside.
His brother, Lucifer, followed behind him as they made their way through the house.
They had just gotten back from Underworld Customs, the custom motorcycle shop Hades owned where Lucifer worked alongside him. It had been a successful night with Eris and Dante. Hades had to leave early that morning to intake a motorcycle, so he wasn’t there when Harley took his nephew’s tube out, but he was headed to check on him now.
He only felt slightly bad that he had forgotten to call his brother and let him know that their nephew had been born. He knew Eris didn’t because she was on this whole no phones for a few days after giving birth so they could bond with the baby kick. She forced Cade to go along with it, so telling his brother about their nephew really had fallen on him, and he dropped the ball. Lucifer would be alright though.
It really was an oversight. Eris knew to bring her ass to Hades as soon as she went into labor, and when they couldn’t get ahold of her midwife, Hades took matters into his own hands and snatched Harley up. Shit happened so quickly from there, he hadn’t even realized Lucifer had been left out until it was all said and done. Hades knew neither he nor Eris would ever hear the end of this.
“Too hectic to fuckin’ call me?” Lucifer barked, causing Hades to chuckle. He was about the only man on the planet who could get away with elevating his voice at him.
They had been like that since they were young. Hades was only a year older than Lucifer, and they constantly went at it. Hades had to remind his little brother who the big dawg was many times. Now, they were pretty much equally yoked when it came to size. Muscular and intimidating as hell in stature, but Hades was always a touch crazier. Well… more than a touch. Nigga was truly touched in the head, but that had a lot to do with their rough upbringing and making it his priority to make sure his siblings were straight. He was a loose cannon on any day that ended in Y, but he was much worse when it came to protecting the people he loved.
Hades opened the door to the room Eris was in, not bothering to knock and completely ignoring his brother, who pushed his way past him and walked into the room first.
Hades bit down on his back teeth and shook his head but let his brother have that. Deep down, he knew he fucked up by not calling Lucifer, so he would let his attitude rock for now. His brother knew how far he could take it before Hades lost his shit.
His eyes swept the room, and he realized he was looking for Harley. When he realized she wasn’t in the room, and neither was Cade, he allowed his eyes to fall back on his siblings. The urge to snatch his nephew from Eris was strong, but he refrained. He knew if their mama was alive, she would go upside his head because of how much of a bully he was. Every once in a while, her voice in his head offered him calming reason where he otherwise wouldn’t have any.
Eris’s eyes lit up when she spotted her two brothers. “Lu!”
“Nigga, I know you see me.” Hades barked at his sister, who simply rolled her eyes at him as she reached up to hug Lucifer.
Hades stood back and watched, a smile threatening to tug his lips up, but he kept it at bay. He loved the relationship Eris and Lucifer had. In a lot of ways, they were closer to each other than they were to him. Though he was only a year older than Lucifer, he was eight years older than Eris, who had just turned thirty. Hades and his brother were closer in age, but since Hades took on the fatherly role because their biological dad wasn’t shit, his younger siblings had more of that sibling relationship vibe going on. He was looked at more as a protector and parental figure.
Quiet as it was kept, he was glad his younger siblings could have that kind of relationship. It proved to him that he had provided some kind of normalcy in their lives, and it caused pride to swell in his chest.
“You okay, Sis? You good?”
Tears swelled in Eris’s eyes. “I’m good, Lu. Why didn’t you come last night? Dante has been waiting to meet his uncle.”
Lucifer’s eyes cut into slits as he looked back at Hades. “Ask him.”
Eris peered over at her oldest brother with her face scrunched up. “You didn’t call him, Hades?”
Hades grunted as he pushed off the wall. “You ain’t remind me to.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Hades Orion Ashford! He’s our brother. I shouldn’t have to remind you to call him when I’m in labor! You knew I wasn’t going to have my phone on me?—”
“Okay,” Hades snapped, holding his hand up. His threshold for his siblings bucking at him had officially overflowed. “I fucked up, aight? He’s here now. Better be lucky I’m letting him hold my nephew before me.”
“You were with him all night?—”
“Ain’t the point,” Hades barked. “Give my nephew to this big head nigga before I raise hell.” The grin on his face looked menacing, but neither of his siblings were worried about his idle threats.
Eris shook her head and mumbled under her breath, but neither of his siblings said shit else to him, which was exactly what he wanted. One thing about Hades… he would always get what he wanted. Even they knew exactly how far to push him.
Hades watched tentatively as his brother fell in love with their nephew as soon as Dante was in his arms, just as he had the night before. Hades hadn’t been able to hold him yet, though, which pissed him off, but he decided to pull from the tiny drawer of patience he had within him and waited.
“Nigga so small,” Lucifer muttered.
Eris reached up and smacked Lucifer’s muscled arm. “Don’t call my baby nigga, nigga.”
Lucifer turned to look at Eris. “He black, ain’t he?”
Hades watched in amusement as Eris’s mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she searched for a comeback. As brothers, their favorite thing to do was to irritate Eris’s soul. She was one tough ass woman dealing with them her whole life, but she was still no match for them.
Finally, she simply lay back in bed and released a deep sigh. Hades walked over to her and rubbed a rough hand over her head. “You good?”
She nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. “Just tired and hungry. Cade went to grab some food.”
Hades peered down at her with his brows pushed together as he thought about Cade. “Dude taking care of you, right? I don’t gotta get them boys on him?”
Eris’s eyes popped open as she shook her head incredulously. “Hades, you been knowing Cade for forever. When has he not taken care of me? You don’t need to get your lil motorcycle crew on him. He’s in the club, anyway. He’s the Sargeant at Arms.”
She had a point. Cade honestly wouldn’t be breathing if he wasn’t solid, and he did play a big role in The Obsidian Riders, but none of that meant shit to Hades, and he had to let his sister know as much.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “The stakes just got upped, Eris. He better be on his best behavior concerning you and Nephew.”
“He always is,” Eries reiterated.
Hades nodded. “Where’s Tink?”
Eris’s eyes closed again after peeping over at Lucifer, who was lost in his own world, talking to Dante. “Who?” Her voice sounded tired.
“That baby doctor.”
With her eyes still closed, Eris laughed. “You are so fuckin’ ignorant, Hades. I told her to go to the room she’s staying in to rest. She wanted to leave since Dante was off his tube, but I told her she better check with you first.”
Hades opened his mouth to speak, but a pretty ass raspy voice cut him off before he could. “Knock, knock.” She poked her head into the room and smiled tiredly. “Is it okay if I come in?”
“Come in. I thought I told you to get some rest?” Eris said.
Hades watched as Harley timidly walked into the room. Her eyes swept over Lucifer and then over to Hades. “I was asleep, but I got a call and have to leave?—”
“Aye, don’t you see my nephew right there?” Hades interrupted.
Harley’s brows pulled together, and she glanced over at Dante, sleeping in Lucifer’s arms.
“Uh… yes?” she said, but it came out more like a question.
“That nigga needs you to stay here.”
“Stop calling my son a nigga,” Eris fussed.
Hades ignored her as he glared at Harley. The truth was, he wasn’t ready for her to leave, which meant she would be staying there until further notice, whether she understood that or not.
“With all due respect, Dante is perfectly fine. He’s healthy and?—”
“Ain’t tryna hear all that, Tink?—”
“My name is Harley?—”
“You’re not going anywhere until I feel like he’s well enough to live on his own.”
“Hades, he’s living on his own right now,” Eris snapped. She was used to her brother’s ways, but she always hated how rude he was to everyone else. Their mother did not raise them to be that way, and before she died, he hadn’t been like this. Sometimes, she really missed the nice Hades.
Lucifer chuckled. “Not you holding the baby doctor hostage.”
“Midwife,” Harley corrected. “And he isn’t holding me hostage. I’m about to leave now. I have to go get my dog from my best friend’s house.”
“Bring that lil nigga here then. Matter of fact, I’ll drive,” Hades said, already walking toward the door.
Lucifer eyed her and shook his head. “Better follow him, ma.”
“It’s Harley,” she corrected. “And you are?”
“Oh, my bad. I’m Lucifer. Hades and Eris’s brother.”
“Girl, bring yo’ ass,” Hades snapped, waiting for her at the bedroom door, but Harley ignored him.
“Lucifer and Hades,” she said thoughtfully. “And Eris. Wasn’t that the goddess of?—”
“Chaos. Yup,” Eris interrupted. “Our father named us. He had a thing for evil entities.”
“Because he’s evil,” Lucifer muttered before looking back at Harley. “You can call me Lu.”
“Lu, nice to meet you.”
Hades stalked over to her and snatched her by her arm. “The fuck you need to know his name for?”
Fear flashed in her eyes, causing him to smirk. “I… I don’t?—”
“Hades, let that girl go before I get my sore ass up and beat your ass!” Eris roared.
It wasn’t often that she talked to him like that, and it caused Hades to let Harley go and take a step back. He ran a hand down the back of his neck, quickly losing patience. “Look. I ain’t comfortable with my nephew being in a space where there isn’t a doctor?—”
“I’m technically not even a doctor?—”
“So I would appreciate it if we can just go pick up your mut, grab some of your shit, and come back here peacefully.”
The room fell silent as Lucifer chuckled and shook his head while looking down at Dante. Eris rolled her eyes and laid her head back onto her pillow, seeming to give up, while Harley and Hades stared each other down. Finally, she let out a long breath before muttering, “Fine,” and stalking out of the room.
Hades smiled triumphantly and followed her out of the room.
“Aye, Hades. Bullying girls we liked is what we did in grade school. I don’t know if you got the memo, but women hate that nowadays.” Lucifer laughed like what he said was the funniest shit ever.
Hades didn’t stop his stride as he stuck his middle finger up and barked out, “Fuck you,” before closing the door behind him.
He didn’t let his brother’s words hold any weight as he took long strides to catch up with Harley, his new obsession.