I wasn’t strong enough physically, didn’t have the means to handle this situation, but what I had was Hades.
The man I’d fallen for. My dark angel. The devil at my side.
So… I told him everything.
* * *
All night I tossed and turned, dreaming about Trevor having his hands on me, then his father doing the same.
They shouted at me, called me horrible things. They hurt me. But then Hades came in, and there was blood everywhere. It was their cries of pain that drowned everything out instead of mine.
I woke up in a sweat, the spot beside me cold and unused. I tried to come back online, my mind fuzzy with sleep, my heart racing from the dream.
I pushed myself up just as I heard the bathroom door open. The light kicked off, steam billowed out, and Hades walked into the room, a towel draped around his waist, all that hard male physique and tattooed flesh, causing my heart to beat faster for another reason.
“Go back to sleep, baby,” he said in a low voice as he approached the edge of the bed, pulled off the towel, and got in beside me.
When he pulled me close to his chest I shivered, feeling the beads of sweat that dotted my brow from the dream cooling.
“You’re shaking,” he whispered against my ear, the heavy band of his arm keeping me close to his chest.
“Just a dream.” I closed my eyes and let his heat surround me. His body was warmer than normal from his recent shower. “Where did you go?” I slid my fingers between his and he buried his face in my nape, inhaling deeply.
“Nothing. Just work, baby. Go back to bed.”
I felt my eyes grow heavy with sleep, but glanced down at his hands, seeing his knuckles broken with fresh wounds.
“Just work?” My voice was soft as I slid my hand from his and traced the edge of the wounds. He’d hurt someone, and I knew who. I knew why. My gaze landed on my wrist, the angry, ugly bruising seeming darker in the shadows.
He inhaled at the side of my neck before placing a kiss there. “Just work. I had unfinished business I had to take care of. It’s all good now.” He slid his hand over my belly and spread his fingers.
I could feel how hard he was, and a second later he slid my panties off, lifted my leg so it was dropped over his thigh, and slid into me.
He groaned, “Fuck yes, Bunny. That’s it. My good girl.”
I was already wet just from his closeness, my body opening up and accepting him with ease.
And just like that, he washed away those bad dreams and replaced them with his arousing brutality.
Chapter24
Persephone
The next morning, I felt Hades’ dark menace. Although he’d showered last night, I swore I could smell the blood that surrounded him.
I wanted to ask what he’d done, but fear of how he’d answer was strong in me, so I kept my mouth shut.
Besides, my imagination was vivid enough about the reality of who and what Hades was, that I knew if he hadn’t killed the judge, he absolutely brought him to the brink of death.
I pushed around the scrambled egg on my plate, my appetite nonexistent. Going back to school was the last thing I wanted to do.
At least I was thankful the cardigan I wore covered my wrist, hiding the bruise. I certainly didn’t need anyone remarking on that on top of everything else they wanted to throw at me.
I glanced up at Hades, not surprised he was staring at me. I felt his gaze like a brand on my skin. It burned me from the inside out.
He watched me like he was hungry, like the breakfast in front of him wasn’t nearly enough to sate his need for sustenance.
I tried to focus on my food. But suddenly all I could think about was what we’d done the night before, how he’d made love to me thoroughly, as if he knew it was what I’d needed the most right now.