Page 65 of Hades

How had he found me? My mind raced as I packed away the leftover pasta salad, ready to head up the back staircase and hide in my room when Bettie’s voice sounded behind me.

“You have a visitor. A very handsome visitor.” She moved aside as if I couldn’t see Hades’ giant, looming frame behind her.

My gaze slammed into his and my breath stopped in my chest. He was just as gorgeous as ever, but the pained look in his eyes nearly knocked my knees out from under me. Instead, I steeled myself against those soft feelings and squared my shoulders. “How did you find me?” I crossed my arms and waited.

And waited.

Hades studied me. “Did you think I was gonna let you go? Do you really think I wouldn’t look for you?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “That’s exactly what I thought.” It didn’t matter that I dreamed he might come after me, because those were just fantasies of a little girl. “What are you doing here?”

He crossed those giant arms, mirroring my defensive stance. “I’m here for you.”

I stood a little taller and rolled my eyes. “As you can see, I’m fine. Learning to stand on my own for once.”

His brows shot up and pride flashed in his eyes. A second later, his posture relaxed, his arms fell to his side and his expression softened. “You hate me now, Raven?”

I shook my head. “No,” I answered softly. “It would be a lot easier if I did.”

He got to his feet, crossing to me and trapping me against the sink between his thick arms. “Good, because I don’t hate you either. I love you, Raven. I fucking love you.”

Don’t be swayed, I told myself as my eyes slid shut. I wanted to hear those words from his mouth, but more than that I wanted those words to be true.

Hades kept going without any input from me. “I was a coward, and I’m so fucking sorry for that. Your brother is my brother, and his friendship means a lot to me, but not more than you. Nothing matters to me more than you. You never gave me a chance to explain.”

I couldn’t look at him because I knew if I did, if I saw the same emotions in his eyes that I heard in his voice, I’d crumble. I’d give in. I wanted to give in because I loved the big idiot, but I knew the truth. He felt guilty for hurting me, which was just another reason to love him. But guilt wasn’t love. “You’re here now because you talked to Falcon and he’s okay with our relationship.” It wasn’t a question.

He shook his head. “No.”

“So you didn’t talk to him?”

Hades said nothing.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” I shoved his chest, but he didn’t budge because he didn’t want to.

“No,” he said, his voice firmer this time. “I told him that I was in love with you. I didn’t ask for his permission or even his fucking blessing, because I don’t care if he gives it. I’m here because this is where you are that is always where I want to fucking be, at your side.”

I closed my eyes again, trying really fucking hard to be unaffected by the words I was desperate to hear.

“That’s what I wanted to tell you. Yes, I wanted your brother to know, and I wanted him to be happy with us being together. But if he wasn’t, I wouldn’t give you up.”

He was saying everything I wanted to hear.

He continued, “I talked to him because I needed to let him know I wasn’t just fucking around with his baby sister. That it was serious.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “The truth is that I was trying to work up my courage to talk to you when Macy came freaking out because you left. You fucking ran away.” He sounded hurt and that caused another ache in my chest.

“I needed space. I needed…” I paused. “I don’t know what I need.”

“You need me and I need you,” he insisted, gripping my arms firm enough that I couldn’t walk away. “I fucking love you and I want this to work. I want to make it work so I can go to sleep with you in my arms and wake up to your smiling face the same way.”

My breath hitched, making it hard to swallow.

“I mean it,” he answered quickly, pressing his forehead to mine. “I mean every damn word.”

“I’m pregnant.” I blurted the words out before I lost my nerve. “I figured you should know. In case it changes how you feel.”

“It does,’ he said, and kissed me with the ferocity of a starving man. “I wasn’t planning on giving up on you, on us, anyway. But now, fuck, this changes everything Raven. Everything.”

“It does?”