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He put his hand to Persephone’s back casually and immediately felt the urge lessen. Thankfully, Hera was too busy talking about harems to notice his momentary lack of control. “Though, now that I think about it…” Hera tapped her lips with her pointer finger as she trailed off. A feminine growl left Persephone’s lips as if she already knew what Hera was about to say. “Oh, come now sister, Devon is probably aware by now you are no virgin. In fact, Tristan is here tonight.” She winked at Persephone, an indulgent smile on her face. Before either of them could respond to her, she simply turned and walked off without another word.
Hera waved to a group of people in the corner and passed by the waiter she had chosen for the evening. Devon watched her run her hand across his chest, causing the man to take in a startled breath as his cheeks flushed with arousal.
“Tristan?” Devon growled as he turned to look at Persephone. Persephone placed her hand
on his chest to send calming power over him.
He felt the same out-of-control feeling like he did the first night in the Underworld. Emotions too close to the surface for him to manage or contain.
“Yes, a lover. I did have them. I haven’t been with any in a while though. So, no one has been roaming the castle at night on their way from my bed.” She used a soothing voice as if to calm a wild animal.
What must she think of him? He couldn’t even understand himself at the moment.
Devon felt the tightening of his jaw, the clenching of his fists. He knew he could not, would not, guarantee any man’s safety should he catch them leaving her room at night. He would happily add to the incoming souls that day.
His urge to keep anything and everything away from the Goddess was unlike him. He knew it
wasn’t him in control right now, and that only added fuel to the growing inferno inside Devon.
This place was triggering the power inside of him. The God was far too powerful for Devon to fight. He was trying to remain in control, regardless of its futility.
“Korinna, so good to see you again,” an older gentleman greeted and Devon lost focus on his internal struggle for a moment. The stately man approached with an elegant middle-aged woman at his side. He took Persephone’s hand and bent to kiss it.
Devon could feel pulses of power coming from the older man, ones that actually had Devon’s power retreating almost as much as Persephone’s power had.
“I have been excited about discussing an upcoming investment with Cerberus Financial, but I have been unable to contact you as of late,” he said as he let go of Persephone’s hand and stepped back to his partner’s side.
The two of them reeked of old money, the kind that couldn’t imagine the grime and darkness Devon had seen.
“Mr. Murphy,” Persephone started, before nodding to the woman. “Dr. Murphy, so good to see you both. I apologize, I have been out of the office more than usual recently. I will speak with my assistant bright and early Monday morning about setting up a meeting.” Turning to Devon, she placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Let me introduce you to my date this evening,” she started but halted when a younger man
walked up to stand next to Mr. Murphy and his wife.
Dark hair, golden skin, dark brown eyes all in a dark blue suit with a white button up, the young man exuded a laissez-faire attitude, but Devon froze as they locked eyes. His entire body went rigid, and he was sure Persephone picked up on it.
Before she could finish her introduction, the young man stepped around the older man and stood squarely in front of Devon.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said. The man greeted Devon as if this was the first time they had met. He showed no inclination that he knew Devon. Had been his closest friend for years. He put his hand out in a friendly greeting, but his clenched jaw told another story as he stared Devon down.
He had not seen West since his death. He remembered the tears in West’s eyes as he worked to stop the bleeding. When he checked Devon’s pulse for the last time to feel the fading heartbeat as Devon was lost to the darkness. West screaming at him to hold on. That he couldn’t leave him, to just hold on.
Devon finally pulled his hand from his pocket and shook the hand West offered.
West used a crushing grip that promised there would be a discussion to come. And Devon better have a damn good explanation.
“Ah, let me introduce you both to my son,” Mr. Murphy stated, shocking Devon out of the stare down with his old friend.
“He just came home from a jaunt out of the country, and I am looking to finally bring him into the family business. Korinna, let me present to you the heir of the shipping and transportation empire that is Oceanus industries, Weston Murphy. I am hoping he can make some business connections tonight for when he is ready to step into my shoes.”
West let go of Devon’s hand and turned to shake Persephone’s as he gave her a smile that did
not meet his eyes.
“You can call me West.”
She released his hand as he shot another look at Devon. Anger and hurt flashed before being replaced by his signature look of boredom he had worked hard to perfect.
