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Troy pressed his lips to my head, as he’d done before, the chaste way he liked to give me affection but didn’t care to do so in public.
Except with Kase…
“Want to share what you’re thinking?” Grant asked, that quirk to his lips that said even if he hadn’t been reading my mind, he probably didn’t need to.
“Maybe now isn’t the time,” Troy said, coming to my rescue.
“Right.” I frowned, then pointed my finger at Grant. “There aremuchbigger things at hand. What are you even doing here?”
Hunter gestured at me. “You’re here.”
“I mean why are you in the competition? Nowhere in our plan did it include become a gladiator.”
“The bridge was down and the path through the dead zone would have taken too long,” Grant explained.
Hunter continued the answer. “Quickest way to get here was to enter. The second I saw the announcement about the competition and the party, I figured Lucifer was doing it for your benefit.”
“But you could get hurt,” I said as I leaned in.
“Small risk,” Hunter whispered back with a smile. “Besides, when we win, we get a favor from Lucifer. Pretty sure that might just come in handy.”
The fact that Hunter didn’t appear worried in the least helped, but I doubted he’d admit even if he were concerned. He was the sort to fake it even if he knew he was fucked.
“You do like to make a stir, don’t you?” Persephone came up, a big smile across her lips. “I haven’t seen everyone quiet like that in…” She paused, as if her history were a very long one.
Then again…it was at least as old as Greek mythology.
“Well, in a very long time.” She stuck her hand out to Hunter. “I’m Persephone. I remember watching you fight that monstrosity, the one with the acid breath.” When Hunter shook hands with her, she came up closer, looking like a fangirl with a celebrity. “That was amazing.”
Hunter chuckled, turning a charming smile on Persephone that was like the one he’d given Mella. Not the same one he gave me, though.
There was a tension in this smile, one that said he was playing a part.
Some of the jealousy lessened when I realized that, when I saw how the smile didn’t reach his eyes, how the heat in his gaze was absent. I guess this was just the part he played… Looking back, it seemed familiar. He sure turned that charm on when he needed to.
“I remember that one. Took a hit to my shoulder.”
She touched his shoulder. “Oh, I saw that! I was sure you were out of the game then. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone came back from something like that.”
He smirked. “I’m tougher than I look.”
I snorted at the display. Knowing it wasn’t real didn’t quite soothe all my annoyance at Persephone fawning over Hunter, and him puffing up his chest like it was the best thing he’d ever experienced.
Bastard.
Kase gave me a chiding look, but I rolled my eyes in response.
Like he would act any differently if I were flirting with random men.
In fact, I recalled how he and Troy had gotten into an actual fight because of jealousy.
“So, do you have any hints for me?” Hunter asked.
“Oh, I couldn’t say. That wouldn’t be fair.” Even as she said it, she smirked and set a hand on his bare chest.
“Certainly, you could,” Hunter argued. “Just a little something? I’d hate to die in round one and not get to see you tomorrow night.”
Persephone giggled—actually giggled, which I wasn’t sure women really did after ten years old—before leaning in until her lips were almost on his ear. She whispered so quietly, I couldn’t catch it, but Hunter lifted an eyebrow.
