Chapter 14
HADES
Iwanted to throttle Persephone.
She dismissed me from her dream after calling me an ass-wipe and an arrogant prick!
Her disrespect was outrageous. I would allow no one but her to speak to me in that manner.
My cock twitched merely thinking of her audacity and what I still longed to do to that impertinent mouth.
Regardless of what happened or what I thought, I would never stop craving her. She belonged to me. She was mine.
‘Thanny said you needed me?’ Hecate appeared as I poured my tenth whisky.
‘I wanted you an hour ago,’ I hissed.
‘Ugh, sorry. I was taking Persephone home.’
I spun around, my hands fisted. ‘What? Why?’
‘You told me to.’ She threw her hands up, her brow furrowing.
‘Shit. I need to bring her back before Zeus gets to her.’ I slammed my drink down.
‘What in the gods’ names is going on, Hades?’
I gave her a brief rundown on Zeus’s plans, and her brows lowered as I spoke. I could feel her simmering rage.
‘What the fuck?’ she hissed.
I released a frustrated breath. ‘I’m worried, Hecate, that if she chooses another, I won’t be able to control my rage again. The destruction could be catastrophic.’ I ran a hand over my head.
‘She’ll choose you, Hades. Stop fretting.’
‘Will she? I’m not so sure. She’s attracted to me but seems to despise me, and I can’t blame her.
I’ve turned her life upside down… because I’m selfish and want her back.
She feels the bond, I know she does, but perhaps this Persephone will never love me as she once did. As Zeus said, she’s a different woman.’
‘She’s the same person, Hades. The same person with no memories of being your wife or a goddess.’ She paused and stepped towards me. ‘Allow her to see the real you. Let her see how adorable you are under that grumpy bastard exterior.’
‘I am the god of the dead. I am not adorable.’
‘We all know you’re a cinnamon roll, Hades. A pompous spitfire with a heart of gold.’
‘Don’t push me, Goddess.’ I glared, shadows flickering, but she ignored me.
‘Listen. You must approach her like a normal person this time, Hades. You need to explain the danger she faces, yes, but it must be her choice to return.’
‘I’m a god! I’m not a normal person.’
‘For the Fates’ sake, will you listen to me? You need to court her the mortal way.’
‘I’m not courting her the mortal way,’ I said with exasperation as I crossed my arms.
‘You’re such an arrogant git sometimes!’ Hecate’s voice cracked like a whip, startling me into silence. She rarely challenged me… which meant, annoyingly, I should probably listen. ‘Fetch your limo from that ridiculous Underworld club and knock on her door, for gods’ sake.’
‘Fine,’ I bit out. ‘But it will take ages to reach her.’
‘Then go!’ She jabbed a finger at the door.
I swallowed the retort burning on my tongue, gave her a hard, steely look, and shadow-walked straight to my nightclub.
Two hours later—bloody London traffic—I finally arrived at Persephone’s house, my temper sizzling at this absurd mortal charade. I stalked up the steps, and pounded on the door.
It swung open to reveal an irritatingly attractive man, and my temper almost got the better of me. ‘I must speak to Persephone,’ I ground out my voice low and dangerous as I locked eyes with him.
The man wrinkled his brow. ‘You mean Sephy?’ I nodded, and he opened the door wider, leading me to a kitchen area. ‘Take a seat.’ He pointed to the table, but I stayed where I was, glaring at him. He ran a hand over the back of his neck and dropped his eyes. ‘I’ll, erm, get her then.’
A few minutes later, she walked into the room and froze when her eyes locked on mine. ‘What do you want?’ she snapped, arms folding tight across her chest as she scowled up at me.
My gaze snagged the faint mark marring her throat, and I ground my teeth so hard, I was surprised I didn’t splinter a molar.
Her scent enveloped me—delicate, reminiscent of lilacs, vanilla, and sun rays.
And underneath all that? The sharp, undeniable spice of her arousal.
A slow, dangerous smirk curled my lips. She could deny me with her words all she wanted—her body told me the truth.
The mortal man looked between us, a furrow forming between his eyebrows.
‘You may leave,’ I snapped at him as I turned my head.
‘Whoa, hold on, buddy.’ He puffed out his chest and scowled at me. I raised a brow, and the next second, the man was on his knees before me.
‘Do not call me buddy,’ I said in a low tone.
‘Hades!’ Persephone yelled. ‘Stop it!’
I shrugged, and the man slowly stood. ‘Hades? Like the Hades?’ He stared at me, wide-eyed, and I squinted at him. ‘Sorry.’ He dropped his gaze. ‘I work at your club.’
‘You are the miscreant who dared touch my wife?’ I roared, shadows whipping through the air like living whips. The man’s eyes became deep pools of fear, and as his skin drained of colour, he planted face-first onto the kitchen floor.
‘Oh. My. Freaking. Gods!’ With each word, Persephone shoved me hard in the chest. ‘I’m not your freaking wife!
’ I clenched my jaw… She was right; this version of her was a stranger.
But she was still mine. ‘And what gives you the right to waltz into my home and act like that? To scare my friend half to death? Why do you gods think you’re worth so much more than humans? Why are you all so damned arrogant?’
‘We are gods,’ I grumbled.
‘You’re a bunch of self-entitled douchebags.
And you’re a colossal prick!’ she hissed at me.
My mouth quirked into a slow smile. ‘Do you find me amusing?’ Her eyes darkened, and she jutted her chin up at me.
‘I’m about two seconds away from kicking you in the balls. ’ She pointed a finger at my face.
‘I’d rather you didn’t, little goddess,’ I murmured, fighting the smirk tugging at my mouth. ‘It’s just… no one but you has ever spoken to me in such a manner.’ And survived, I added mentally.
She tilted her head at me and squared her shoulders.
‘Pick up Matt and bring him to the snug. This way.’ She stormed to the door, pausing to glance back over her shoulder.
‘Hurry!’ I rolled my eyes, scooped up the human, tossed him over my shoulder, and as I followed, I watched Persephone's pert butt as she stomped down the hallway.
I laid him on the sofa and turned to find the tiny, feisty female glowering up at me. ‘You make me crazy,’ she hissed.
‘Good. Then we’re finally speaking the same language.’ I exhaled an exasperated breath. ‘You should be afraid of me, you know.’ I narrowed my eyes at her.
‘Why? Because you growl like a wolf, Your Surliness?’ The muscle in my jaw ticked at her impertinence. ‘Anyway, why are you even here?’
I briefly closed my eyes and opened them to find her scrutinising me. ‘We have a problem.’
‘What, more of a problem than you kidnapping me?’ she snapped, ‘and the gods wanting to have a competition to see which one of them is the biggest jackass? I’m not marrying any of you.’
Tension hung in the air like a fine mist as we eyeballed each other, each waiting for the other to break. I knew she wasn’t safe—not from Zeus, not from any god—and I would protect her, even if she hated me for it.
‘Tell me,’ she drawled, her tone pure venom, ‘do you always kidnap your soulmates, or am I just special?’
‘You’re special,’ I said without blinking. ‘Most of them beg to stay.’
She rolled her eyes, tossing her hair over one shoulder. ‘You’ve got to stop abducting people, Hades!’
She was infuriatingly beautiful—so mouthy. My gaze fell to her lips. Those lips, along with memories of what they could do, sent signals straight to my throbbing cock.
‘Well?’ she demanded, planting her hands on her hips like a queen ready to pass judgement.
I cleared my throat. ‘Yes, um, of course.’ Persephone puckered her brow and squinted up at me. ‘I freed you from the binding. I believed I was doing the right thing.’
‘Oh,’ she muttered. ‘Why didn’t you just ask me what I wanted?’ I stared at her blankly. ‘Never mind,’ she sighed. ‘Just tell me what the problem is.’
‘Well, Zeus is still adamant about holding this absurd competition for you.’
‘What?’ she screeched. ‘No, he can’t!’ She paced restlessly; her agitation had a citrusy, tart, taste, reminiscent of lemons.
I swore under my breath and scrubbed a hand down my face. ‘He can, and he will.’