Chapter 25 Persephone
Persephone
“Were ye trying to run away?”
Brows arching, I look up from my breakfast tray in the huge navy-hued bedroom I woke up in this morning, Hades is leaning against the doorway, cutting a dark figure in his dark shirt and pants. Pushing away the toast and half-eaten egg, I try to sit up.
Pain radiates from my scabbed-over wound.
“Ahhh,” I hiss, pressing my fingers over it lightly. The dressing has been changed, although I don’t know by whom.
Things just seem to happen around Hades. Unseen hands do much of the dull work.
Like magic, when I woke this morning there were dark, luxurious dresses and oversized sweaters hanging on a rolling stand beside the bed. A fire had been laid in the hearth of my bedroom.
I’m glad now that I took the time to painstakingly pull a fresh sweater over my head before my meal. I shake my head, wrinkling my nose.
“What were you talking about again?” I ask.
“I was talking about the day ye had your little run-in with Constantine’s men.” His eyes narrow on my face, but his expression gives nothing away otherwise. “Were ye trying to run away?”
“No.” I roll my eyes and lie back, the soft mound of pillows just behind me feeling as if they were made in heaven. I clear my throat. “I was looking for a bottle of aspirin. You were nowhere to be found. So… I took the initiative.”
A sour expression curls his upper lip. “I dinnae ken whether to believe ye or not.”
I pull a face. “Have I lied to you before?”
Hades shoots me a glare. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Yes, you would,” I fire back. I cross my arms, annoyed at his questions. “You seem to know everything. And I do not mean that as a compliment.”
He shoots me a look. “Get dressed. The doctor that stitched ye up recommended that ye move around, keep yer blood circulating.”
I screw up my face. “What are the chances that yer just telling me that because you think it’s true?”
He gives me a pinched look. “If ye get a blood clot out here, yer fucked. So, get dressed or I’ll drag ye outside for a walk as ye are right now.”
“That doesn’t sound appealing,” I grumble. “Get out so I can change.”
“I’ll be outside yer door.” He cocks a brow. “But it’s not like I haven’t seen ye naked, lass.”
I chuck a pillow at him, my face heating. He smirks and disappears, closing the heavy wood door.
I manage to dress myself with some difficulty.
Every time I move my arms or torso or even breathe too hard, a throbbing pain radiates out from my aching ribs.
When I pop my head out of the bedroom, Hades is slumped against the wall, frowning down at his phone.
He looks up, brushing his hair back from his face.
He hasn’t shaved recently, and his chin-length hair looks a bit wild, turning into loose waves.
His green eyes burn into me, making me very aware of exactly how handsome he is.
My tongue darts out to wet my bottom lip as he straightens and pushes himself off of the wall. He walks the couple of steps to loom over me, his mouth twitching with just the barest hint of humor.
“Stop looking at me like that, lass,” he rumbles.
I blush as red as a beet. Without breaking eye contact, I tuck my hair back behind my ears, all nervous for no reason. When I speak, my words have a breathy quality to them.
“Like what?” I ask softly.
A rueful little smile passes over his features. “Like a little kitten in heat.” He pauses, pushing his cheek out with his tongue. “If ye weren’t injured, I would strip ye, tease ye, and make ye beg to taste my cock.”
His words send a shiver of pure heat through my too-cold bones. I stare at him for a second, tempted to take him up on it. My ribs would heal in time… but how many chances would I have to seduce this man?
I lick my lips, opening my mouth to respond. But Hades gives his head a little shake.
“Dinnae, Penny.”
My brows arch. Before I can say anything else, he turns and starts walking away down the narrow hallway we are standing in. I follow him, my steps slow. Whenever I jostle my ribs too much, I feel like I might bust a stitch.
Hades makes it to the end before he realizes that I’m moving much slower than he is. He frowns and waits for me, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe.
“Take my arm,” he says, sticking his elbow out when I get close.
I purse my lips and slip my hand into the crook of his arm. “Thanks,” I say faintly.
We head out into the large main room we encountered yesterday.
With its vaulted ceilings, its worn stone walls, and its long and undoubtedly priceless Persian rugs, the room is already spectacular.
While I slept the gray dust cloths have been removed from the enormous chandeliers and they twinkle as they spill light across the room.
I notice suddenly that everything has been cleaned, from the chandeliers to the formerly dusty side tables to the deep grooves in the stone floors.
I tilt my head. “Someone came and cleaned.”
“Yes.” Hades nods as he escorts me across the chamber. “The same family has been taking care of this place for a hundred years. Even in our absence, they come and clean once in a while.”
“Ah.” I scrunch my face up as we make it to the foyer again. “It must have been pretty great to grow up here.”
“What?” A startled look crosses his face. “I dinnae ken what would give ye that impression, lass.”
Hades shoulders the massive front door open. I step outside into the bright morning sun and shade my eyes as I look at him. I’m trying to read his expression, but he just seems a little disgruntled to me.
No different from any other time, really.
“It just seems…” I wave a hand to indicate the massive manor house. “Ye grew up with all of this, right?”
Hades closes the door, a deep frown on his face. “I did, yes. But— “
He stops himself mid-sentence, poking out his cheek with his tongue. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, so I walk the couple of steps closer, taking his arm. The gesture feels cozy, intimate. My ribs are aching at this point, but I stifle a sigh.
Hades darts a glance at me, licking his lower lip. “My father was a very violent man.”
My eyes widen. I can’t think of anything cleverer to say than, “oh?”
His body language has gone rather stiff. He nods and looks away, off toward the wall. He doesn’t add anything, so after a few seconds I suck in a breath.
“Where are we walking?” I ask.
“Ach.” Hades starts walking down the circular driveway, toward the wall. “If ye feel up to it, we should walk around the house’s walls.”
“Okay,” I agree. I give him a quick smile. “But you may end up carrying me back up this hill.”
He glances at me, a flicker of warmth in his eyes. “It’s a deal.”
We head down the steep embankment and pass through the arched gateway.
It’s beautiful out here, coastal and windy, sunny yet cool.
There are long grasses and heather everywhere I look, the gray-green color blending in with the oatmeal color of the distant beach.
Past that is the stark near-black stripe of the ocean, white peaks here and there, penned in by the endless gray blue sky. It makes quite a beautiful landscape.
I turn my face up to Hades, about to remark on it. But his expression is heavy, bleak. His eyes have a faraway look, like he’s remembering unpleasant things.
“Hades,” I say, tugging at his arm.
“Hm?” He looks at me, his eyes refocusing. “I was just…” He pauses, sighing. “I was thinking of my mother.”
I squeeze his arm gently. “Tell me about her.”
“She was… complicated.” He sighs again, a forlorn sound.
“My father was in politics. He inherited most of this island from his father and ran every single business with an eye to the profit margins. He didn’t care about people.
He was only interested in amassing more power.
” He licks his bottom lip and looks off into the distance.
“He was known for being… intense, I guess.”
“You said he was violent,” I push, being as gentle as I know how to be. “Did he… did he have something to do with the scars on your back?”
A bleat of unexpected laughter bursts from his lips.
“Every single day that I lived under this roof, my father found something to be angry about. First, he’d go for my mother.
Then when he’d beaten her into submission, he’d come after me.
” A tiny wince puckers his face. “My mother could never stand up to him when he got angry.”
I run my fingers down his arm and pick up his hand. Hades looks at me, a brow arching.
“I’m sorry,” I say, pinning him with my gaze. “That must have been scary for all of you.”
“It was a long time ago.” He shrugs as if he doesn’t care, but I can see the misery in his eyes.
“Has your mom… passed away?” I guess.
“I wouldn’t know.” He snorts and starts walking again.
“She left when I was young. My father found out that she planned to go. She had been putting money aside, I guess, and had us pack bags.” His expression blanks into a mask.
“As ye can imagine, my father absolutely lost his mind. He couldn’t let people know that he beat his wife and children so badly that they ran away!
So…” He stops, his tongue darting out to wet his lips.
“He gave her a choice. She could leave without us… or stay with us. Obviously, she chose to leave.”
“Oh, Hades.” I tug at his hand, pulling him to a stop. I look up at him for a long moment, biting my lower lip. Then I slip my arms around his shoulders, bringing my head to his chest. My ribs ache as I lift my arms, but I ignore it.
For his part, he doesn’t move. His body doesn’t soften in any way. But he doesn’t actively resist my attention or try to pull away.
“Shit happens,” Hades rumbles. “People had it worse. A lot of people.”
I hug him harder, holding onto him. After half a minute, his hands gently come up to wrap around my waist. I add a little consoling rocking motion into my embrace.
And in exchange, I feel his lips graze the crown of my head.
In this moment, I can see him for what he really is. He’s a strong man, yes. But he’s also so violent and reactive to anything he perceives as bullying.
I can easily imagine him as a small child, dreaming of being exactly like this. Of needing no one, of making men tremble at the mention of his name.
It breaks my fucking heart. I close my eyes, pushing all of my care and all of my tenderness into a tight ball of energy. I feed that ball directly into Hades through my hug, my closeness.
I don’t mean to cry, but a tear slips free and rolls down my cheek.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper against his chest.
It’s an emotional moment for both of us. Hades clears his throat and straightens, easing back from the embrace. When he speaks, his tone is cool and distant once more.
“The best thing I can do now is not repeat the whole thing with a family of my own.”
My mouth starts to open, a million questions on the tip of my tongue.
“Wait, that’s what you drew from your experience?” I ask, puzzled.
He shoots me a look and starts walking again. “Come on. Dinnae dawdle.”
I frown and trail after him, wondering what to make of his revelations today.