Trevor took a step back, his head needing to angle back so that he could look into Hades’ eyes.
Hades placed his big palm on my arm, his fingers curling into my flesh as he pulled me back a fraction. My shoulder blades hit the wide expanse of his hard chest, and my breath caught.
“You’re the Wilcox kid, right?” There was a strange snap to Hades’ voice, and I watched as Trevor swallowed. His trepidation was clear.
That name sounded so familiar, and it was then I realized where I’d heard it. Judge Wilcox.
The man who’d signed my care over to Hades even though I was a legal adult. I knew there was more to that story.
And here I was, staring at his son. What were the odds?
“Yeah, my dad is Judge Wilcox.” I saw the way Trevor’s throat worked as he swallowed. “And you’re Hades Cronus.” He didn’t state it like a question.
I looked over my shoulder and up at Hades. He had his focus trained on Trevor, his expression giving nothing away.
He slowly glanced down and looked at me, and the small curl of his lips, that arrogance on his face, had certain parts of my body clenching.
“I was just telling Persephone I’d be happy to show her around school.”
“Is that right?” Hades murmured while still looking at me.
“Yes. Of course.”
Hades turned his attention toward Trevor then. “Yes, what?”
For a second, everyone was silent, and I could see the confusion move across Trevor’s face until whatever realization he came to slammed into his mind.
“Yes… Sir?”
Hades made a noncommittal sound and just stared at Trevor. It was such a long, tense glare I shifted on my feet, feeling even more uncomfortable.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Hades finally murmured. “It’s time to go home.”
I don’t know why, but I blushed at hearing Hades call me that nickname in front of people and state we had to gohome.
He curled his hand around my waist and turned me so we could walk in the car’s direction. The touch shouldn’t have felt as intimate as it did.
“Oh,” Hades said in a conversational tone as we stopped and looked back at Trevor. “Keep your fucking hands to yourself next time.” Trevor’s eyes widened. “If I see you touch Persephone again, I’ll break your fingers.”
He didn’t wait for a response, just ushered me forward and into the waiting car.
And I sat wondering, once again, what in the hell just happened and why did it make me feel so good?
Chapter9
Persephone
Ifound myself wide awake at two in the morning. I tossed and turned for half an hour before finally realizing I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.
I got out of bed and slipped on an oversized sweatshirt over my sleep shorts and tank, and put on a thick pair of socks before leaving the room.
Everything was dark and quiet, with the sound of a clock ticking in the distance breaking up the stillness. I enjoyed this. With no one around. Not having to pass any of the staff, who always averted their gazes when they saw me. I was uncomfortable enough here without that added stress.
I headed down one hallway first, the house so big that a deeper chill settled in the old bones of the structure.
I wrapped my hands around my waist and became nosy, peeking in open doorways. But everything was too dark for me to see much more than a couple of feet within the rooms.
There was one room I passed, one that looked like a sitting area with a couple of couches, a few bookcases, and a massive vase with fresh flowers sitting atop a table in the center of the room.