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His eyes flashed. “Is that a challenge?”
“Just tell me what happened, Hades!” She demanded.
“You were drugged at La Rose. You’re lucky you are immortal. Your body burned through the poison fast.”
Not fast enough to prevent embarrassment, apparently.
She remembered a waitress approaching once they’d hit the dance floor. She brought them drinks and said they were on the house. Soon after she’d consumed it and started to dance, the music had sounded far away, the lights were blinding, and every move she made sent her head spinning.
She also remembered hands on her body and cold lips closing over hers.
“Adonis,” Persephone said. Hades jaw tightened at hearing the mortal’s name. “What did you do to him?”
Hades looked at his glass, swirling the whisky before downing the last bit. Once he finished, he set the glass aside, not looking at her.
“He is alive, but that is only because he was in his goddess’s territory,” he answered.
“You knew!” Persephone accused. She pushed off the bed, and stood, Hades’ silk sheets rustling around her. His penetrating gaze drifted from her face down, tracing every line of her body. She felt as if she were standing bare before him.
“Is that why you warned m
e to stay away from him?”
“I assure you there are more reasons to stay away from that mortal than the favor Aphrodite has bestowed upon him.”
“Like what? You cannot expect me to understand if you don’t explain anything.” She’d taken a step toward him, even though some part of her knew it was dangerous. Whatever Hades had gone through in the night was still racing through his mind.
“I expect that you will trust me,” he said, standing. The admission shocked her. Then he added, “And if not me, then my power.”
She hadn’t even considered his powers—the ability to see the soul for what it was—raw and burdened. What did he see when he looked at Adonis?
A thief, she thought. A manipulator.
Hades put distance between them, refilling his glass at the small bar in his room.
“I thought you were jealous!” Hades was about to take a drink, but he paused to laugh. She was both angry and hurt at his dismissal.
“Don’t pretend you don’t get jealous, Hades. Adonis kissed me last night.”
Hades slammed the glass down. “Keep reminding me, Goddess, and I’ll reduce him to ash.”
“So, you are jealous!” she accused.
“Jealous?” he questioned and stalked toward her. “That...leech...touched you after you told him no. I have sent souls to Tartarus for less.”
She recalled Hades anger at Duncan, the ogre who had laid his hands on her, and she realized that was why he was on edge. He probably did want to find Adonis and incinerate him.
“I’m...sorry.” She wasn’t sure what to say, but his distress seemed so great, she thought she might ease it with an apology. She only made it worse.
“Don’t you dare apologize,” he said, and cupped her face. “Not for him. Never for him.”
He studied her and then whispered, “Why are you so desperate to hate me?”
Her brows came together, and she covered his hands with her own.
“I don’t hate you,” she said quietly, and Hades stiffened, tearing away from her. The violence with which he moved surprised her, and the anger and tension she’d seen in him this morning returned.
“No? Shall I remind you? Hades, Lord of the Underworld, Rich One, and arguably the most hated god among mortals, exhibits a clear disregard for mortal life.”
