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“No,” he agreed sadly. “But you haven’t chosen to be born a thief-taker’s sister either.”
“Pardon me?” She looked up, startled.
“You didn’t choose to be born a thief-taker’s sister,” he repeated. “If you could choose, is that how you’d be born?”
Eloise tapped a forefinger against her lower lip in thought. Then she let out a chuckle. “Well, I know for certain I wouldn’t choose to be a harlot. I wouldn’t choose to be born in the criminal world.” She shook her head for emphasis.
“But if you could be born the queen of the criminal world, would you?”
Eloise studied him carefully as if trying to read his thoughts. “No,” she finally said. “I do not think I would. Because as much as you boast of freedom, the queen would never have the same luxury. She would always be under lock and key, afraid that someone would come after her. There really is no freedom for a woman in this world.”
“Better a queen than a servant,” Hades pointed out.
Eloise took a deep breath. “I can’t imagine living a different life now. I think… I am lucky to have been born into a family that loved me. I had both parents in my childhood who looked after me. I had a brother who would sell his soul for my safety. I love him. I do not think I’d change anything from my past.”
“What about your future?”
Eloise turned away as if the future was too painful to contemplate. But Hades insisted. “If you could, would you choose to stay here?”
She looked up sharply. “What for?”
For me.“Is there nothing in this mansion worth staying for?”
She opened her mouth as if to answer but then closed it again. She repeated the action again, but no words came out of her mouth.
“Right. Good night, Eloise,” Hades said. He turned to leave, but she grabbed him by his arm.
Nobody ever dared to reach for him. Especially not from behind. His reflex took over, so he grabbed her by her waist and slammed her back against the wall. She staggered, then looked at him, her eyes wide, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.
“I told you, no touching,” he growled.
“Why not?” She raised a hand and slowly reached for his face.
He caught her hand mid-air and pressed it against the wall. “You will regret it.”
“I doubt it,” she whispered boldly, looking into his eyes.
“You don’t know that you’re playing with fire,” Hades whispered.
“Then scorch me.”
Hades closed his eyes briefly. “As you wish.”
He dipped his head and took her mouth in a hard, open-mouthed kiss. He kissed her savagely, devouring her mouth, licking at the silky corners of her mouth. She was so warm, so soft, and so wonderful.
Eloise moaned into his mouth, and he groaned. He took her by the waist and picked her up, anchoring her body with his. Eloise hooked her legs behind his thighs and ground her pelvis against him.
Hades tore his mouth away with a growl. His body was rock hard, his cock pulsing and straining against his breeches, but the familiar feeling of disgust and revulsion pulled him away from her.
He disengaged her from his body and stepped back.
Eloise reeled and caught herself against the wall. She didn’t look up. Her breaths were labored, her chest heaving.
She brought the back of her hand to her lips and held it there as if her mouth was bruised. And perhaps it was. He’d kissed her like a ravaging beast. He truly could barely control himself with her.
He needed to stay away from her. He needed her gone.
So he gave a sharp nod and left the room.
