Page 45 of Hades

“You’ll stay at her side,” Rocky instructed, with more than a little sympathy in his tone and his expression.

“Well that’s definitely no fucking hardship, right?” Hollywood flashed that pretty boy grin at me and I wanted to punch it off him.

Falcon frowned at him. “What the fuck, man?”

He shrugged. “I’m just saying. Whatever man.”

“I think we should use Raven.” Gio’s tone was straightforward, not one ounce of hesitation.

“Shut your fuckin’ mouth!” Falcon was more riled up than he needed to be, but Maverick put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in his seat.

“Hear me out,” Gio said with his hands up in a gesture meant to placate the angry brother. “The one advantage we have against these fuckers right now is that we know exactly what they want. So we use that, Raven, to bring him out into the open. Then we pop him.”

Falcon fumed in his seat, ready to let his anger explode wherever it came out.

I sat, feeling helpless as I listened to my brothers discuss hypothetical plans for using my woman as bait. I didn’t like it. Fuck that, I hated it, but it was out of my hands even if I did have a better plan.

Which I didn’t.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Raven

“What’s going on?” I stared at Hades sprawled across my bed looking amazing even if he was fully dressed. Just watching him walk and move was a panty melting experience and seeing him in my bed only made me want him more. But clearly something was going on. I had a feeling I knew what it was, but he needed to be a man and say it outright.

“What do you mean?” He had one arm flung over his eyes like he didn’t want to see me.

“I mean it’s been days and you’ve been tiptoeing around me like I’m some fragile fucking flower about to wilt if the temperature shifts too dramatically. Tell me what’s going on.” Whatever he said, I promised myself I wouldn’t react. I would accept it and shove it away for later, where I would then grieve it.

He inhaled and exhaled several times like he needed to summon his courage along with his words. “There’s something I need to tell you, but I’m not sure how to say it.”

I swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat and nodded. “Just say it, Hades. Rip off the band-aid.”

He grunted and sat up on his elbows, watching me carefully. “What exactly do you think I have to say?”

I uncrossed my arms and fisted my hands on my hips. “I think that now we’re back in the real world you’re having second thoughts and if you are, just tell me. Don’t prolong it.”

“Come here, Raven.” He sat up in one smooth move and crooked a finger at me. “Don’t make me tell you again.”

I pushed off the desk and slowly crossed the room until I stood between his long, powerful legs. “Okay, I’m here. Talk.” I wanted to stay strong, to keep my emotions buttoned up tight, but when he touched me, I lit up. My body was finely tuned to his touch and we both knew it.

His lips pulled into a crooked grin and his eyes lit up with masculine appreciation, so satisfied that he could get a reaction out of me. “This has nothing to do with you and me, Raven. We’re solid. This is business, well sort of.”

“I’m still listening.” The words slipped from my lips on a breathless whisper while his fingers danced along my spine.

“There’s a plan,” he began. “And I’ve been trying to work my way up to telling you about it.”

“You’re hesitating. Why?”

“Because.” He pulled back and scrubbed one hand from his forehead to his chin. “Because I don’t fucking want you to do it and I know the minute I give you the details you’ll offer yourself up like a lamb to the goddamn slaughter.”

My heart hitched in my chest, and I swallowed down my worry. “Tell me the plan.”

I listened patiently as he outlined the plan for me to be dangled as bait to catch Viktor. He finished up with, “It’s risky as fuck. No matter how much we plan, shit can go sideways and you’d be out there without us. Without me.”

“It does sound risky, but I’m guessing this is the most efficient way to end things for good?”

He nodded.