Chapter 69

69

Persephone woke up to a splitting headache. Ugh. She clutched her head with both hands and moaned.

Gods, what was that racket? She fumbled around on the nightstand and frowned, really opening her eyes this time.

What the—? She wasn’t in her apartment.

She knifed up into a sitting position. Ow! She grabbed her head again. Okay, okay, no sharp movements. Got it. But what the hell? She’d never gotten migraines before.

She looked around. Where the hell was she?

Then it all came rushing back. The dream.

Because that’s all it had been, right? That’s all it ever was. Dreams. She shifted and winced at the soreness in her…in her bum.

Shit! Not a dream.

That meant— Persephone swiveled, looking this way and that. She was in a bedroom, decorated in cool, masculine tones.

No, no, no.

She got to her feet, wincing again, and walked slightly bowlegged to the door. She pushed it open and peeked her head out.

“Hello?” she called.

No response but the noise that had woken her up sounded again. Her cell phone ringing. She all but jumped out of her skin at the noise. “Crap!” She shrieked, hand to her chest as she made her way back towards the nightstand by the bed.

She frowned as she picked up her phone. According to her muddy recollection, she’d shown up at Hades’s door in nothing more than a sheet. So how did her cell phone get here?

She touched the button to answer the call. “Hello?”

“You up, sleeping beauty?”

Hades’s voice. He sounded like he was smiling. Persephone sank back down onto the bed. She missed the sound of Hades when he was happy.

“Yeah,” she said tentatively.

“Good,” he said. “You feeling okay?”

Persephone blinked, a thousand thoughts shooting through her head. No, I have a headache from hell and for some reason I can’t explain, I think I sorta came by your place last night accidently and screwed your brains out, had about a gazillion orgasms and begged you to fuck my backside, but ya know, apart from that…

“Yeah,” she said instead. “Feeling good. A little tired.”

Hades chuckled and her toes curled hearing the noise. Why did he always have to sound so damn sexy?

“I bet.”

Persephone felt her cheeks heat to about a thousand degrees. “Is there a reason you’re calling?”

“As a matter-of-fact, there is,” he said, continuing to sound amused. But then he sobered. “The mayor’s schedule has been reshuffled due to a ribbon-cutting of some sort, but he can still see you. The meeting has been moved to 9:30 instead of 11:00.”

Persephone’s eyes shot to the clock on the nightstand. “It’s already a quarter after eight!” she shrieked, jumping to her feet. She had no idea what she looked like, but considering last night’s activities, she didn’t even want to imagine.

“That’s why I’m calling. I had to step out to deal with some unresolved business—” he definitely sounded less than pleased about the fact “—but I’ll be by in half an hour to pick you up. We’ll debrief in the car on the way.”

“Half an hour?” she squeaked. “But I have to go shower. I have to do my hair. And makeup. And— Shit!”

“Calm down, baby. We got this. Now hop to it, see you in 30.”

“Right.” She reminded herself that she’d offered to help, convinced him to accept her help. She couldn’t start bitching about it now.

“Oh, and put on some clothes before you leave the bedroom.” With that he hung up the phone.

And Persephone commenced freaking out about how in the world she would be able to get ready in time. She was meeting with the mayor. The mayor. He was in Hades’s pocket, or at least he used to be, but still, he was one of the most powerful men in the city.

Persephone threw on one of Hades’s shirts and hurried out of his apartment. Rushing, she threw open the door to hers, and stopped short with a scream when she saw a man in all black sitting on her couch.

“Easy, Mrs. Ubeli, I’m here on your husband’s orders.” The man courteously averted his eyes towards the wall. He was identical to every other Shade—black slacks, black shirt and dark shades, sitting right in her living room. Meanwhile her hair was a mess and she was wearing nothing but one of Hades’s oversized undershirts.

“I thought you guys were supposed to wait outside.” A thought hit her and she asked with not a little bit of horror, “How long have you been in here?”

“Since about sunrise.”

Was that when Hades had left the apartment? Gods, so obviously these guys knew she’d been sleeping over at his place. Biting her lip, she warred over whether to turn and shower, or go make coffee. She didn’t have time, like really didn’t have time.

But in the end, she couldn’t imagine facing the day without caffeine. Maybe it would help with this damn headache. Ignoring the man, she crossed the room and started a pot, feeding Cerberus while it brewed.

“I’ll take him out, if you want,” the Shade offered. “I like dogs.”

“Uh, thanks. If it’s not too much trouble.”

“My partner Fats will be in to wait in the living room while you get ready,” he warned her. “You’re to have a man with you at all times.”

“Ok,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes. At least they hadn’t been ordered to wait in the bedroom.

The man waited until Cerberus was done eating, clipped his leash on and walked him outside. A tall, gangly man walked in.

“Fats?” she asked, eyebrows going up.

The man grinned. Grabbing a mug of coffee, she went to hide in the bedroom.

She showered and dressed in record time, putting on only a light dusting of makeup. When she was ready, the Shades were waiting to walk her to Hades’s car.

Hades himself got out to hold the door for her. Persephone’s breath caught at the sight of his handsome figure, broad shoulders and narrow waist with a suit tailored to show them off perfectly.

And every moment from last night came back in vivid, high-res detail. Shamelessly grinding against him right in the doorway. Begging him to fuck her. Cumming around his fingers. His cock. Begging for him in her ass?—

“You need a robe,” Hades said after they’d slid into the back seat.

“I know,” she said, blushing. The Shade must have turned in a report.

“Come here,” he demanded.

Shit. Because the other thing she remembered from last night?

Other than orgasm after orgasm after orgasm?

I’m yours, Hades. I always will be. You know it and I know it.

What. The. Hell. Was. Wrong. With. Her?

More like, what was wrong with those pills? She was never taking another one again, that was for damn sure. She should never have taken two, she got that, but damn—couldn’t Hermes have warned her about possible side effects? And what the hell kind of side effects were those anyway??

And now here Hades was, gray eyes expectant. And she had to go face the mayor and try to get him to give up information about the shipment?—

She scooted a little closer to Hades but not too close, pulling her dress down as she did so. Her outfit was professional, yet flirty, the dress a coral color with a scoop neck that skimmed the top of her cleavage. It showed off her figure perfectly and the color made her skin glow. Hades’s eyes swept over her and they narrowed, but he didn’t say anything.

“You sure you’re ok this morning?”

Now her face was really red. “Coffee’s helping the headache.” She held up the travel mug she’d brought from home, crossing her legs, reversing the movement once she realized what she’d done.

Hades mistook her unease as nervousness. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“You got a meeting with the mayor in less than twelve hours. I think it’s too late for me to back out now. How did you manage that, by the way?”

“Called in favors. Hermes helped.”

“Hermes?” Persephone wanted to ask how her friend had an in with the mayor, but of course, Hermes was a Merche. His last name carried all sorts of weight with the highest echelon, disowned son or not.

Hades started drilling her again on what to say. They spent the next fifteen minutes as they crept through morning traffic going over it.

“The mayor will toy with you. And he’s good at reading people—it’s probably his number one skill. But you, more than anyone of us, have nothing to hide.”

Persephone nodded, thinking of the phone call she made to the detective before she ran from the Estate and set all this mess in motion.Right. Nothing to hide…

Her husband was still talking. “…and relax. Stick to the script and remember, you have an advantage.”

“What advantage?” Persephone asked, worry starting to gnaw at her.

“Your legs look fucking great in that dress.”

“Hades,” she protested, and tugged at her hem.

His dark head darted close to hers. “As soon as this business is done, we’re settling things between us once and for all.”

If she looked at him anymore, she’d drown. She stared out the window for the rest of the ride, running over the script in her head.

“Mrs. Ubeli? This way please.” A young man in a navy suit motioned Persephone to go into the office.

Inside Zeus Sturm stood, the leader of the most powerful city in the world, with his short blond curls, bouncing with boyish energy.

“Please call me Zeus.” He took Persephone’s hand and kissed it, guiding her into a seat as his gaze raked up and down her body.

“Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.” She flashed him a smile.

“No trouble at all,” he said smoothly, even though Persephone knew it must have been a lot of trouble. Between nine and noon was prime time for a politician, and they’d arranged the meet twelve hours prior. If he was annoyed, though, he didn’t show it.

“Please, help yourself.” Zeus gestured to the silver coffee and tea service on the desk. She waited, but instead of going back to sit in his chair, he leaned against the desk and looked down at her.

His position offered him a perfect view of her cleavage, she realized, but his smile was mild and nothing more than friendly.

“So,” he started, “you’re here to talk me into being the guest of honor at the fundraiser for the animal shelters?”

“A fashion show.” Persephone leaned forward in her seat. She and Hecate had come up with the idea ages ago, and last night Hades and Charon decided it was a good enough cover for her to meet with Zeus. “Models and pooches. And Hermes and his team at Fortune are in charge of the designs.”

Zeus grinned. “Fashion is going to the dogs,” he quipped and she laughed.

“Exactly. Just show up to cut the ribbon for the new dog park, and a quick photo op. Your constituents will love it.”

“Never hurts to support a good cause. Alright,” he said, slapping the side of the desk. “I’ll do it.”

“Really? That’s great…Thank you.”

Zeus’s face also held a smile, but it looked wrong somehow. “Is that it? Your husband pulled every string to get you in front of me and that’s all you want?”

She flushed under his piercing gaze and he spread his hands apologetically. “I’m a busy man, Mrs. Ubeli. No sense beating around the bush.”

She cleared her throat. “He did have a question for you. Some property was collected from the docks a while ago. He’d like his personal effects returned to him.”

Now Zeus looked amused but he stayed quiet as she went on.

“He thinks the boxes have been tampered with and the contents removed.” Before continuing, she glanced into the corner, where a mounted camera fixed her with its glossy eye. Under its impassive watch, she tried to remember everything Hades and Charon had drilled her on this morning.

“She’s walking into a lion’s den,” Hades had said, almost calling the whole thing off right before she’d gotten out of the car.

“In the daylight, the lion’s muzzled.” Charon had responded, looking for all the world like he was at ease. Persephone knew better.

“Zeus does not do business in the daylight, never forget that. Most of his shit is buried deep, like an iceberg. But it’s there,” Hades said, and answered her question before she asked. “I’ve known him a long time.”

Now, staring into the mayor’s cutting blue eyes, she told herself to breathe. “Can you help us?”

Zeus paused, letting his gaze drift over her. “They were smart, sending you,” he said finally. “I like a new sweet little thing in a sundress, every spring.” He picked up a pen off his desk and pretended to study it. “How far did your husband tell you to go to soften me up?”

Persephone stiffened and, gripping the hem of her dress, drew it down.

He laughed at her. “Relax. I don’t want you.”

Lion’s den, she reminded herself.

“Good, because you can’t have me,” she bit out.

Zeus tossed the pen he’d been toying with on his desk. “Tell Ubeli that I can’t do anything to return his personal effects. They’re part of a police investigation. If he submits a claim I’m sure it will be filled in…a few years.”

She stood. The conversation was obviously over. He wasn’t going to give them anything. “See you at the fundraiser.”

He inclined his head, his blond curls falling attractively into his face. “I hear you and Ubeli were separated. Are you working something out?”

Persephone wanted to tell him it was none of his business. “We’re talking.”

He studied her with quick, cutting blue eyes. “If you want to divorce him, I can protect you.”

“Thank you,” she said politely. “I’ll let you know.” She didn’t tell him that she’d been with her husband long enough to know that protection came with a price.

“Practicing your husband’s poker face?” Zeus seemed amused and she’d had it.

“Thank you for your time. I also appreciate you giving us the use of your penthouse suite at the Crown Hotel. We do so enjoy it.”

Anger flashed on his face; she turned on her heel and hurried out, frightened and elated to have scored at least one hit.