“Does it, um.” Aaren stopped himself just in time.
Hades raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t know, we’re still eating.” Aaren squirmed. Oh gods, why did his thoughts end up in these strange places?
“Just spit it out, sweetheart.”
“All that spice you eat. Doesn’t it, um. Doesn’t it burn on the way out? I know it, um, burned me before.” Aaren buried his face in his hands, horrified at himself.
Hades laughed, long and hard. After a while, he calmed down. “Well. Remember when I said things got boring in prison? Spice sure changed things up for me.”
“Oh gods,” Aaren breathed. “You’re so... intense. Just everything about you.”
Hades grinned. He finished eating first, tucking his trash into the paper bag. While Aaren drank the last of his soup, Hades drew slow patterns all over his thigh.
“I’m glad we met,” Aaren blurted.
“Same.” Hades patted Aaren’s leg, then took his empty bowl when he was done. “Ready to head back in?”
“We still have three more minutes,” Aaren whined.
“In that case...” Hades caught Aaren’s nape, hauling him in for another toe-curling kiss. He gripped Aaren’s hair to angle him better, flicking his tongue against Aaren’s lips and sliding into Aaren’s mouth.
When they finally parted, Aaren’s face was warm, his heart racing.
“Mm. You look like you’ve been thoroughly kissed,” Hades said appreciatively. He slid his thumb over Aaren’s mouth, pausing in the middle. “Some bruising here. You bit yourself in the alley?”
“Trying not to come.” Aaren pouted. “It was hard.”
Hades smirked. “C’mon, let’s drop you off before Olson decides to threaten my balls.”
“I would protect your balls,” Aaren said as he climbed out of the car.
“What an exquisite title. Aaren Miller, Ball Protector.”
“Oh gods. Don’t let anyone hear you say that.”
With Hades close behind him, Aaren entered the bar through the back door. They hadn’t gotten far when loud voices drifted over.
“What do you mean, you won’t give it to me for free? Aaren is my omega. What is his, is mine,” Ballus said loudly. “That includes his free meals.”
Olson straightened his shoulders, his gaze flinty. “Are you seriously asking me to give you Aaren’s staff meal?”
“He doesn’t need to eat, anyway,” Ballus sneered. “He needs to lose weight.”
Aaren froze. The lack of movement must’ve caught Ballus’ eye; Ballus looked over, his face lighting with recognition.
“There he is,” Ballus said. “Tell him, Aaren. Tell him you’re too fat to need food.”
15
A CLASH OF ALPHAS
“What the everlovingfuck,”Hades growled.
Rage burned through him like a roaring blaze, threatening to erase his good sense. Who the fuck said that kind of shit to another person?
And who the fuck dared to say that toHades’ omega?
