AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I glance over at him. “Yeah. That was like three hours ago.”
“Consider me compulsive,” he says with a husky voice. “It will never get better than you.”
I study his face, and I can’t detect a lie. It’s exhilarating, being an enigma. It’s addicting to do things that are wrong. It will never get better than me, and I can’t say it, but it will never get better than him either. Something has shifted between us, and I have a frightening revelation. If I can’t have Aedon, then I don’t want anything at all.
Chapter eleven
Aedonaeus
At first, I thought if I had sex with Josie there would be a sliver of hope that I could recover from her. Maybe she wouldn’t be the focus of my attention if I just had her. I knew it was a lie when I had walked into the clinic that David and Vivian work in, but somehow, I still told myself it was a game with an end goal.
When I laid eyes on her in the museum and stalked her through the halls, I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I had prowled around the exhibit until she had joined the group she didn’t belong to. The little devil does what she wants. When she saw the portrait of The Leviathan, the wonder in her eyes made me feel something, the thing I had been chasing after since I first met her. She is special. My own Persephone is Josie.
I was like an excited little kid showing her the Box of Tartarus. When I let the comment about Hades’ vault slip, I wasn’t sure how to cover up my mistake. A lot of people have strict opinions about the king, and they take sides. I get the distinct feeling that Josie dislikes him as much as she acts like she’s indifferent to everything, and she is a terrifying force to be reckoned with. There is no doubt about it since seeing her smash that idiot’s face into the bar. When I took her to The Alibi that night, I saw the blood permanently stained in her fingernails, and the scars on her knuckles. She’s the devil dragging me into Tartarus and drowning me in a river of blood, and I want more.
We haven’t discussed our positions, not really. I had sought out every pub in the city asking after her to see if what David said was true, but no one had heard of her. A Remnant establishment had been pretty irritated that I was asking about their staff. They definitely thought that I was trying to question their legality.
The stupid guide almost gave me up when he approached, but Josie hadn’t continued to pursue the line of questioning I knew she so badly wanted to. It would come, though. I just hoped she was too deep to care. Even if she wasn’t, I wouldn’t be able to let her go.
By the time we hit the coffee shop, I knew she was the one. I knew before that, but by then I could admit it to myself. Her exterior is rough, and I intend to peel back every layer until I can see her heart and stuff myself inside of it.
There is one question I want to ask her. When she saw the box there was some sort of recognition. I didn’t understand it until I removed her shirt and saw the scars. I was stunned, even though I did my best not to show it. This entire time I never gave a thought as to why she was constantly covered. I want to know where she got them. I won’t ask her about it now, but later when she has settled down. Once I know that she’s addicted to me, too.
At first, I just wanted to show her something interesting. Maybe impress her. She was something, but not impressed. It seemed that my impression came much later when she spilled the coffee. I don’t know what she expected me to do, but after being terrified, something I didn’t think she could be, she geared up for a fight immediately.
I couldn’t help but laugh at how fierce the woman is. I know she’s wild; everyone has confirmed that, but in that moment I saw the devil surface, ready to bite. It was beautiful and intimidating, the escort of violence. Once she laughed it was like the earth opening and swallowing me whole. I wanted to make her laugh again and again.
The agreement to go back to my apartment felt like a misstep on my part. I didn’t want to just fuck her; I wanted her to stay. I was afraid that if I did, she might disappear again and consider me a conquest of her own. I succumbed to my own impulses in her dizzying aroma.
I did some of my best work, if I do say so myself. Every time she said my name sent a rush of ferocious hunger through me. I wanted more of her. I played my cards exactly how I needed to. Josie isn’t used to submitting, but that’s exactly what she needed to skin away that first layer of defense.
In the process, I doomed myself. I will marry her, in this life or the next if there is another. She’s mine. Whether she wants it or not she will be mine to everyone she meets. Hades kidnapped Persephone in his obsession, and I’m starting to understand exactly why he did it.
“I should go.” She sits up, yet again trying to flee.
“No.” I’m not in the mood. I’m liable to fuck her again if she refuses me.
“You can’t trap me here, psycho.” With her magnificent naked form, she stands and challenges me. I love a good challenge.
“Don’t tempt me.” I sit up, resting on my elbows. Her hair has dried in thick strands, and her skin glistens with sweat. The room smells like sex. Her gray eyes glitter with darkness.
Josie is a goddess. She’s flighty, like something that’s been caged before. As much as I want to crush her body to mine and handcuff her to me, I know I can’t without the risk of losing her again. Her sister said as much to me the other day.
Jo is like the sun….It dips below the horizon at night to recharge, away from everyone and everything it touches.
Here is the sun standing in front of me telling me that it’s time to go, and I must let it. She starts to pull on her wet clothes, and I stop her. “At least change.”
I present her with the dry articles I was going to give her before I was seduced. She takes them with an eye roll, sliding my sweatpants over her hips and yanking my shirt over her head. Her nipples poke out with the chill and my cock twitches.
“Thanks for the dick.” She flashes a smile and strides out of the room.
“You sure know how to make a man feel cheap.” I can hardly breathe at the sight of her in my shirt. I throw some pants on in a hurry and chase after her. She’s almost to the elevator when I catch up. I grab her upper arm, whirl her back around, and kiss her.
“When can I see you again?”
“Soon.”
“You’re welcome here any time,” I tell her, hoping she decides to show up here again someday.
