Page 184 of Hades

Zeus’ hands were shaking. I could see it from where I stood.

“He’s dead now,” Atlas said into the silence. “Threat’s eliminated.”

I nodded slowly, then looked at Zeus. “We need to call the other presidents. King, Montana, Reaper. They need to know Dakota’s dead.”

Zeus’ jaw clenched. He let out a long, controlled breath through his nose. “King. You want me to call the man who put a gun to my fucking head.”

“It needs to be done.”

“I know it needs to be done.” Zeus ran a hand through his hair, grimacing. “Doesn’t mean I have to fucking like it.”

“You want me to make the call?” I offered.

Zeus looked at me for a long moment, then shook his head with a dark smile. “No. I’ll do it. Might as well hear his voice gloating about it.” He paused. “After we deal with the woman.”

“What woman?” Lettie asked.

“Carol. Claire. Whatever the fuck her name is. I had Rykard lock her up,” Zeus said. “Told him not to hurt her. She’s in a holding cell at the clubhouse.”

“She’s at the clubhouse?” Lettie whispered.

“Yeah.” Zeus’ expression was unreadable. “Figured we’d need to question her. Find out what she knows about Dakota. About the kidnapping. About all of it.”

Lettie looked at me, then back at Zeus. “I want to go home.”

“Okay, baby.” I reached for her. “Let’s get you cleaned up and⁠—”

“I want my mother delivered to my house.”

I froze. “What?”

“My mother.” Lettie’s voice was calm. Too calm. “I want her brought to my house. Alone.”

“No.” The word came out flat and immediate. “Absolutely fucking not.”

“Hades—”

“She kidnapped you, Lettie.” I stepped closer and lowered my voice. “She’s not your mother. She stole you from your family. Lied to you for twenty-five years. And you want to be alone with her?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to hear it from her.” Lettie’s eyes met mine, steady and resolute. “I need to hear the truth. Why she did it. What really happened. All of it.”

“You can hear it with me there. With the club there. With⁠—”

“No.” She shook her head. “This is between me and her. I need to do this alone.”

“It’s not safe.”

Atlas stepped forward, his voice quiet but weighted. “Let her do it.”

I turned to look at him. “What?”

“Let her do it,” Atlas repeated. He looked at Lettie, understanding in his expression. “She needs to hear it from the woman who raised her. Needs to look her in the eye and ask why. You can’t filter that for her, Hades. None of us can.”

“Atlas—”