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Two months later, when it was Kratos’s birthday, he decided to wear the same damn hat.
And that, tragically, is how cringey family traditions are born. Since then,all of ushave to wear that same goddamn hat at every single birthday party. My brothers think it’s hilarious, of course. Meanwhile, I have twenty years of birthday pictures of me glaring at the camera like a pissed-off Cat In The Hat or the world’s most aggressive Jamiroquai fan.
“Get the hat! Get the hat!”
Hades starts the chant. Pretty soon, all of my siblings and in-laws are chanting it too.
“Fine,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and smiling in spite of myself. “Fine, okay. Be right back.”
Up in my room, the hat is still sitting on the edge of my bed where Hades left it earlier in readiness for its big moment. I sigh as I put it on my head and glance dismally at my reflection in the mirror.
God, do I look stupid. But whatever. Maybe it’ll distract from the bags under my eyes.
I head back down to the party and decide to swing through the kitchen to snag another flute of champagne. But when I step in, I instantly skid to a stop in surprise.
I’m not the only one in here.
Dahlia’s eyes widen as they stab past a set of broad, muscular shoulders at me. And not just any shoulders.
Deimos’ shoulders.
Deimos who’s currently all but pinning Dahlia in place with a hand clenched on the counter to either side of her as he looms over her. I frown curiously as my friend smiles weakly at me.
“Callie…”
When she says my name, Deimos’ shoulders seem to tense a little more. But then a second later, he’s dropping his hand from the edge of the counter as he pulls away from a pale-looking Dahlia.
“I…was just looking for the bathroom,” my friend blurts. Her French mother’s green eyes glint against her father’s dark hair and tanned, Middle Eastern complexion.
“It’s, uh…” I frown. “It’s still where it was the last dozen times you’ve been over here?”
She forces an awkward smile to her lips. “Oh, right. Thanks.”
Her throat bobs, and I watch her shiver as she slips away from Deimos, shooting me another quick look as if I’ve just saved her from being devoured by a wolf before she disappears down the hall.
I watch her leave before I turn to glare at my brother. “What the fuck was that?”
Deimos lifts a shoulder, eying me cooly without blinking. “Just introducing myself to your friend, Callie.”
My eyes narrow. “Why was Dahlia scared of you?”
“Everyone’s scared of me.”
“Yeah, but why are you even talking to her?”
He smiles thinly. “I’m not talking to her. I’m talking to you.”
I have about a hundred other questions. But before I can get to them, he strolls easily past me, his dark eyes glinting as he pats me on the shoulder.
“See you out there, birthday girl.”
Um, okay. Weird much?
I make a note to grill Dahlia later about whatever the hell that actually was as I round the corner into the sitting room with the big open French doors that lead out to the gardens. When suddenly, I walk right into a massive, strong, familiar-smelling chest.
I gasp, jolting as I take a step back and then drag my eyes up to his.
My heart skips.
