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I inhale her delicate scent, my hands tightening as I grip her. I missed her so damn much that it’s almost too much to admit my feelings out loud. I choose my words carefully, mindful that my brother is only a few feet away.
“Fuck, Persephone. I thought you were lost to me forever.”
She is fully weeping as she pulls me against her body and hugs me harder. “Almost.”
I feel her stomach between our bodies, pushing tightly against me. Pushing her back a half step, I rake my gaze over her body from head to toe.
When I realize that my sweet little Penny is heavy with child, my mouth opens. I blink.
Could that…
Could it be mine?
The idea that it might honestly be shocks me more than anything else.
“Fucking hell.” My gaze is riveted on her black clad stomach. “Is that… what is that?”
Persephone’s hands fly to her mouth. Her tears roll down her face and she takes a quick, deep inhale. Before she can say anything, Ares cuts in.
“She claims that it’s yers,” he grates out. “She also just threatened to kill the babe a few minutes ago.”
My heart starts racing. I swing my gaze to her, still reeling.
Penny’s eyes widen. “That isn’t what I said at all!”
“Yer a liar.” He clears his throat, giving me a hard gaze. “Ye’ve known me my entire life, Hades. I’m telling you the truth.”
Penny practically roars her disagreement.
“You kidnapped me and held me hostage! You were about to give me to some strange man who would make sure that I never bothered you again! I was trying to keep you at bay until the cops came!”
I look between Ares and Persephone, my lip curling. “And just who am I supposed to believe?”
Penny ducks her head, flushing. Ares is quick to say, “ye’d best believe me. I am yer brother, for better or for worse.”
“And ye just… what? Happened to find Penny right here, where Lazlo suggested that I start looking for her?”
He looks me in the eye and doesn’t even flinch. “Aye. I heard a whisper from a source. I came to find out if there was any truth to it before I got yer hopes up. And it’s a good thing, too, because she’s trying to run from us.”
“Trying to run from you!” Penny says, pointing an accusatory finger at Ares. “You have been quite clear in your belief that if I was made to vanish, you and your brothers’ lives would return to normal.”
Ares bares his teeth and moves toward her, clearly threatening her. “Stupid bitch.”
Instinctively, I move between them, sheltering Penny with my brawn. Ares stops, his gaze flicking to me.
“Ye can’t trust her,” he says, his voice gone to gravel. “She’s a woman, just like all the rest. She lies and tries to play us against each other. She’s damaged goods and she knows it, so she’s going to cling to ye and use yer strength in place of her own.”
Persephone gasps softly. My eyes narrow on Ares.
“That’s enough out of ye,” I rasp. “I’m going to talk to the lass and judge her tale on its own merits.”
“Yer letting her make a fool of ye.” Ares turns his head and spits on the ground. “Da would be a-rollin’ over in his grave if he heard ye talking like that against yer brother.” He thumps his chest. “I’m yer blood.”
“Yer a snake in the grass at the best of times.” I tense, feeling that at any moment, he might have the nerve to land the first blow.
First of many… and I’m fairly sure that if we start to fight, it won’t end until one of us is near death.
Penny clasps my hand, tugging me backward.
