Aaren stopped breathing. “It’s possible?”
If it was, if he could spend a whole year with Hades and have that count for the contract instead... Why, oh why, did his stupid self waste all that time with Ballus?
“We don’t know for sure if it’s possible, until we get a lawyer to review it,” Hades said.
Aaren sighed, deflating. Hades had a point. “Maybe I can use my inheritance to pay for the lawyer’s fees?”
Hades shook his head. “I’ll pay for it.”
“I can’t ask you to do that, it’s so much money!” Aaren said, horrified.
Hades was pensive for a while, his thumbs rubbing circles into Aaren’s hip. “How about this. We split the cost equally, 50-50. I’d much rather pay more, since I’m the alpha and I have more resources than you—”
“50-50,” Aaren said mulishly. “I will have money after I get my inheritance.”
Hades watched him. Then he huffed, leaning in to kiss Aaren softly on the lips. “Okay. We’ll split it evenly. But if you need any help at all, I’ll be happy to do 70-30, or 80-20, or all of it.”
“That’s a bigif,” Aaren grumbled. “This is my fuck up. I will do my part to fix it.”
Hades grinned, brushing his fingers through Aaren’s hair. “You’re already doing plenty, just by being you.”
“That’s kind of hard to believe, but okay.”
“You are,” Hades said firmly.
He was so earnest about it that Aaren believed him. He bowed his head, giving Hades his submission.
Hades’ gaze grew warmer than before. He trailed his wrist over Aaren’s forehead and down the side of his cheek, marking Aaren with cherrywood.
“Mine,” Hades murmured.
“Hopefully soon,” Aaren said.
The next fewdays passed in an odd mix of fast and slow moments.
Hades searched for a lawyer that matched their needs. Aaren did his shifts at the Wine Shack. In between, Hades dropped Aaren off at Ballus’ house to check that he was still alive.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Ballus growled when he caught Aaren at the front door. “You’re supposed to be in my bed, offering me your ass.”
“I got a second job!” Aaren said. He and Hades had agreed that he wouldn’t end this thing with Ballus prematurely, at least not until the contract had been legally changed.
“Oh?” Ballus sniffed, somewhat mollified. Then he looked greedy. “Does that mean you’re going to contribute more to the rent?”
Ugh,Aaren thought, trying not to roll his eyes. “They’re not paying me yet. Maybe when I get paid at the end of the month.”
Hopefully that was enough time to get the contract straightened out.
“End of the month? What kind of crap employer does that?”
“It is what it is,” Aaren said with a shrug. “But it means I won’t be around as much. I’ll make you enough food for a few days at a time.”
Ballus curled his lip. “What do you mean, I have to eat the same thing every meal? That chicken soup was bad enough. I had to eat it forthree straight days.”
Aaren wrinkled his nose. “Don’t you have to go to work?”
Ballus unzipped his pants. “Yeah, but bend over first. I want to get off.”
Ugh,Aaren thought again. “I’ve been having diarrhea. I shat myself five times today. I can feel another explosion coming.”
