11. Persephone

Chapter 11

Persephone

Several weeks later

I was staring out the passenger side window when Hades came to a stop in front of the school I'd be finishing my remaining year at. The rest of the summer had passed in a blur, and I hoped the rest of the year did, too.

Although my previous school had been private and most of the students came from wealthy families, Emerson Mann Private was in a league all its own.

I'd done some research before my first day, finding out that the main student body were children of politicians, attorneys and doctors, foreign dignitaries, even some celebrities.

I could smell the money pouring off of them as their chauffeured drivers held the doors open of their luxury cars.

"Well, sweetheart?"

I turned and looked at Hades.

He rested back against the cream-colored, leather seat, one arm resting on the steering wheel lazily, and his dark sunglasses perched over his eyes. He wore a signature three-piece suit, and his short, black hair was styled in a way that looked like he'd run his fingers through it.

Once again, I hated how attractive he was and felt a flush move through my body at the remembrance of what he looked like in those gym shorts—all sweaty, hard, male flesh covered in tattoos.

Then my face grew even warmer as I remembered how he'd had me over his lap. I squeezed my thighs together as wetness settled right between my legs.

And when his smile slowly grew, I had a feeling he knew exactly where my thoughts had gone.

He reached out before I knew what he was doing and brushed a strand of my hair away. I didn't miss how his finger lingered on my cheek a second before he pulled back, curling his fingers into a tight fist.

I was so stunned by that gentle touch I couldn't move.

"I hope you have a fantastic fucking day, darling." At my silence and still wide-eyed look, this satisfied expression covered his face. "Make Daddy proud."

My face was on fire. "Stop calling yourself that."

"Mmm," he hummed and leaned closer. The scent of his cologne was so good. Too good. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and glanced to the side to watch as he ran his thumb back and forth over the leather of the steering wheel. So slowly. Suggestively. When I focused back on him, it was to see him smirking.

"No." I sniffed in indignation and lifted my head. "It's just weird. You're practically an old man." That was a lie, of course. Hades wasn't old. But compared to me? Hell, he was two decades my senior. And that should have had any kind of attraction I felt toward him shriveling up and dying a slow death.

"An old man, Bunny?" He chuckled again and ran his palm over his jaw. I assumed he didn't shave this morning as he had a dark shadow of scruff covering his cheeks and chin. "You and I both know that's not at all true."

"And stop calling me those things." I saw a dark eyebrow lift over his sunglasses.

"And what things are those, Bunny?"

"Sweetheart. Princess… Fucking Bunny." I snorted and shook my head. "That last one is the worst, by the way. I don't even know what it's supposed to mean."

He was silent for a long moment before he responded. "You're just so soft-looking, so little and vulnerable. I feel like the big bad wolf wanting to devour you." His grin reminded me of a shark. "I just want to pet you, Persephone. See if you're soft and sweet on the outside, as I know you'll be on the inside."

The way he said that was so suggestive. I felt my pulse beat between my thighs.

My body was so damn traitorous.

"You're a sick bastard," I hissed and got out of the car, slamming the door as hard as I could, but not before I heard him laugh.

I didn't look to see how long he sat there. I just entered through the front doors, not sure where the hell I was supposed to go but knowing I needed to get away from Hades. But I could still smell him, that rich cologne he wore that did funny things to me.

I found the front office easily enough, and after getting my schedule, the admin had me take a seat and told me she'd find someone to help me get to my classes.

I sat there for only a few moments before I felt this thickness fill the air. It was a tightening of my skin, that sensation that tingled along the back of your neck. I glanced up and looked down the hall just to see Hades striding forward.

He had a hand in one of his suit pockets, the other arm swinging slightly as he walked. The students scattered around him like they were water and he was oil.

He towered over everyone, and the surrounding air made him look like the very devil himself. The girls stopped in awe, and the guys knew better as they made a wide space for Hades to get by.

But he paid them no mind, this perpetual scowl on his face as he came closer. Right before he entered the office, his gaze locked on mine. That ultra-sexy smile curved his full lips, and he gave me a wink as he walked into the office.

"I forgot to give you this," he drawled in a deep voice and reached inside his suit jacket to pull out a cell phone.

"May I help you?" the office admin said and pulled her glasses down the bridge of her nose to stare at Hades. I liked her. She gave sass to him when it was clear others didn't.

"No." That one word sounded bored as it came from him. He didn't even bother looking in her direction as he addressed her. "For you." He held the cell out.

"I have one," I whispered and licked my lips, still sitting down, which caused me to crane my neck back to look at him.

"That service is getting shut off."

My brows rose to my damn hairline. "Excuse me?" I reached into my bag and pulled out my cell phone. And sure enough, the asshole had cut off the service. I clenched my jaw and narrowed my eyes. "You bastard."

He hummed, clearly enjoying that I insulted him.

"I need everything under my name, and the easiest solution is just to get you a new number. You can transfer any of your friends' contacts into the new phone. But this is more convenient for me."

Of course it was.

He held out a brand new smart phone, and I narrowed my eyes at him, which just had Hades smiling wider.

"That's it, Princess. Show me how pissed off I make you." He leaned in close and said in a voice that was only loud enough for me to hear, "You know how much I like it when you fight back."

Before I knew it was happening, he gripped my wrist and lifted it toward him, slipping the phone into my palm and forcing my fingers to curl around it.

"I already programmed my number in." He chucked me under the chin and gave me a wink as he stood.

And then he was gone.

I sat there fuming, frustrated, and hating—but loving—every second I was in his presence.

I was watching him retreat when I heard somebody calling my name. When I looked over to the front desk, the older woman looked at me expectantly.

I looked to the side, and I could see Trevor standing there, looking sheepish.

It was very clear by his positioning he tried to stay out of sight from Hades. I understood the sentiment, especially when Hades had threatened him the way he had.

I grabbed my shoulder bag and made my way toward him. We headed out to the hall, and a few of the guys slapped Trevor on the back, and some girls fluffed their hair and puckered their lips for him.

"How are you?" he asked as we took a turn and kept walking.

"Good. You?" I could sense this awkwardness coming from him. I stopped, which had Trevor doing the same and looking over at me, his eyebrows raised.

"Everything okay?"

"Listen," I said and smiled. "Hades can be an asshole. Please know I don't agree with how he acts and don't want that to affect our friendship."

He gave me that lopsided smile. "So we're friends?"

I felt my face heat and grew embarrassed. "I just assumed?—"

"I'd like that." He full-on grinned now, and we started walking again.

"So, are you ready for your first day?"

I glanced up at him but only for a second, as I had to pay attention in front of me.

The halls were filled with students bouncing from locker to locker, the noise steadily rising the longer they congregated.

"It's too early to tell," I joked, and he grinned while staring straight ahead.

"It's not so bad here. Just gotta know which groups to stay close to and which ones to stay away from."

It had been the same at my old school. Money didn't make things easier. It just made people bigger assholes.

That initial awkwardness faded as he started pointing out the classrooms, and I noticed he held my schedule in his hand.

"So you got stuck on babysitting duty, huh?" I teased again, and he laughed deeply.

"Even if this didn't get me out of half of homeroom, believe me, there are lot worse things I could do on a Monday morning."

The way he looked at me and smiled, his eyes softening, told me he was trying to flirt. I glanced away quickly, my face heating as I focused ahead.

Trevor took me all around the first level which held the gymnasium, the library, and most of the classrooms. The basement held the swimming pool, and on the second floor was the cafeteria, several admin offices, and a few more classrooms.

The third level was basically the roof which they'd converted into a greenhouse. Picnic tables, benches, and beautiful landscaping covered the area.

There were clusters of students on each level, and Trevor pointed out the ones to stay away from because they were "bad news," although I was pretty sure he wanted to say something more colorful.

I took that with a grain of salt, but when we passed a group of girls giggling, I didn't need Trevor to warn me they were probably part of a bitch squad. The way I got eyed up and down by the three of them told me enough.

"Listen," Trevor said and paused, turning to face me.

He looked pretty uncomfortable at that moment as he ran his hand over the back of his hair, looking anywhere but me.

"The other day… if I offended you, that wasn't my intention."

The only time I met Trevor was back at the boutique, where he steadied me when I bumped into him. That's what he was talking about? At the apparent confusion on my face, he continued.

"If I offended your uncle?—"

"He's my adoptive uncle. No blood relation," I corrected him again. Surely he hadn't forgotten when Hades had told him as much. But I didn't know why I bothered to mention that. "And everything annoys him, so don't take it personally." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"He's…" He glanced away, his cheeks turning red. "He's pretty intimidating."

"He's a lot of things," I murmured too low for him to hear.

"What?"

I glanced at him and smiled, shaking my head. "Nothing. Yeah, he's intense for sure." That was putting it mildly, but to be honest, I wasn't thinking about all the wrongs that made up Hades. I was thinking of the way he made me feel, at how he could look at me with just a glance, and I felt like I was a puddle on the floor.

I hated him, but I also craved him like I'd never desired something or someone in my life.

By the time I made it to homeroom, I was only about twenty minutes late, and thankfully, Trevor and I had the same class. It was nice seeing a familiar face.

The rest of the morning passed quickly, and by the time lunch rolled around, I grabbed a sandwich, some fruit, and a bottle of water before heading out to the courtyard. I wasn't ready to brave the cafeteria on my first day.

I'd just sat down underneath a large tree when I heard my phone chime with an incoming message. I didn't even need to look at the screen to know it was Hades. I just ignored the call.

When my phone started buzzing again, I ignored it as I read over a chapter in my English textbook for homework tonight. I leaned against the tree and started eating the grapes I got from the cafeteria, telling myself things weren't so bad. They could always be worse.

But the ding of an incoming text interrupted me. I should've ignored it. I knew it was Hades. But I also knew if I didn't answer, he'd be persistent and just keep calling me until it drove me insane.

With an irritated huff and a roll of my eyes, I fished out the cell phone and looked at the screen, only to have my eyes widen. He programmed his number in there, all right. As Daddy .

Bunny, when I call you, answer.

I went into the contacts, clicked his name, and promptly changed it to Asshole.

I'm at school. Leave me alone.

I was just about to toss the phone aside when it chimed with another incoming text.

Did I ever tell you how pretty you are when you sass back?

I shouldn't have liked that praise.

Are those little fuckers at your school leaving you alone, or do you need Daddy to come and break their kneecaps for looking at you?

God… this man. He was insufferable.

Don't you have actual work to do or, I don't know, stealing souls and delivering them to hell? Or maybe you get off on harassing high school girls? And stop calling yourself Daddy. It's nasty.

But it's not my body whispered.

Mmm, call me Daddy again.

I made an exasperated noise and tossed my phone into my bag. Fuck him. He was so annoying. Could you get high blood pressure at my age?

Thankfully, he left me alone, but I knew he'd be laughing in that arrogant way of his if he were here.

When the bell rang and school was let out, I gathered my books and put them in my bag as I walked down the hallway. The noise was deafening with everybody talking at once and eager to get out. I felt this strange tightness in my body the closer I got to those doors, knowing Hades would be waiting for me.

I was adjusting my bag and not paying attention for a split second when I ran into someone. Textbooks scattered across the floor, and I bent down to pick them up, muttering an apology.

"We just keep running into each other. It must be destiny."

I glanced up just as Trevor crouched down and started helping me pick up my books. I gave an awkward laugh because the way he looked at me after he said those words meant a little something more than I was comfortable with.

When I had all my things straightened, we both headed toward the doors, which Trevor held open for me. I stepped out into the warm, September air.

"Thanks for helping me back there," I said as I scanned the front of the school, where all the overpriced cars were lined up.

I was about twenty feet from the curb when I stopped, realizing Trevor was still right next to me. I glanced at him expectantly, his expression telling me he had something on his mind.

"Listen," he said and lifted his hand to shield the sun from his eyes. "I'm throwing a party this weekend. It's kind of like a back-to-school thing. I do it every year. The entire school comes. You should, too."

"I'll be honest." I adjusted my shoulder bag and felt this discomfort filling me. I hadn't talked about my parents' passing, and as the weeks had passed and I was getting into this new routine, I didn't want to risk opening up that fresh grief again.

"Oh shit. I'm sorry. Did I overstep? I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, and it looks like you are."

And now my face was on fire because he'd noticed how awkward I made things.

"No, you did nothing wrong. It's just… I lost my parents not that long ago. That's why I'm living with Hades. It's a long, complicated situation. And as much as socialization sounds great, I don't think I'd be much fun to be around." I was also pretty sure Hades would not be agreeable about me going to some party. He was a strict asshole on the best of days.

"I'm really sorry to hear about your parents. I lost my grandmother last year. I know it's not the same thing, but I was really close with her."

No, not the same thing, Trevor. But thank you for trying to empathize with me.

Instead of saying all that, I just smiled.

"But the parties are really low-key. We just hang around, eat a lot of shit that's bad for us, and sometimes there are drinks." He winked. "It might be good for you to meet other people from school?" He held out his hands, almost in surrender, and grinned. "Of course, no pressure. But the offer stands if you change your mind."

My skin tightened again, and I realized it had nothing to do with the awkward situation of telling someone my parents had died and everything to do with being watched.

I rubbed the back of my neck but refused to look around because I knew who watched me.

I was sure Hades was lurking somewhere in the shadows, glowering at me for not being punctual and in the car. I was pretty sure I pissed him off because he had to wait.

Well, let him.

"Thanks again for today and showing me around."

Trevor gave me a lopsided smile and shrugged before shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. "My pleasure."

The apples of his cheeks turned red, and I felt a little strange to be on the giving end of making someone blush. My phone vibrated in my bag, but I ignored it as I listened to Trevor talk about the party more.

I wasn't interested, but I listened and smiled at the appropriate times, trying to push out of my mind the fact I knew Hades was watching. Was making him wait immature? Probably. Justifiable? Absolutely.

My phone chimed with text messages, which I kept ignoring. It was on the fifth ring that I exhaled in exasperation and said, "Give me one second, Trevor."

"If you keep harassing me with the back-to-back phone calls, I'm gonna have to block your number," I said in a singsong voice.

I knew deep down I was playing with fire.

"That smart, bratty mouth is going to get you bent over my knee and my palm reddening your ass, Bunny."

My body heated, but I noticed his tone was different. Harder. More controlled than I'd heard before.

Pissing off Hades was the last thing I should do, but I was so annoyed about the whole phone situation, then the text messaging and how uncomfortably hot I felt reading them. I felt like this was payback.

He got under my skin, and now it was my turn to get under his.

"Get your ass in the car, Bunny."

I curled my hand tightly around the cell phone. I probably would've talked back if not for the fact his tone was icy. Dangerous.

"If you're not in this car in the next twenty seconds, I'm going to go out there and beat the shit out of that little bastard for checking you out."

I snapped my focus to Trevor, and sure enough, he was staring at my chest. I lifted an arm and covered my breasts, and he glanced up at me before he looked away quickly. But he didn't look ashamed that I'd caught him.

"Now, Persephone."

I said a quick goodbye to Trevor and spotted Hades' car right away. He'd parked under a large tree, his sleek, dark Mercedes idling in the shadows. I tossed my bag in the backseat and climbed into the front, sinking into the buttery soft leather and refusing to look at him.

I could feel his gaze on me, and I hated that being so close to him affected me so much.

"Look at me."

I did just that, unable to disobey him. His voice was like a force of nature, the electricity in a storm, the reason magnets were attracted to each other.

The look in his eyes had goosebumps popping out over my skin.

"I don't want you talking to the Wilcox asshole anymore."

I opened my mouth to tell him he couldn't dictate who I spoke with, but the indistinct sound that vibrated out of his chest had my lips snapping closed.

"Listen to me, little girl. When I say don't speak to Trevor Wilcox, I mean just that, Persephone. You don't want to test me, not with this."

"And what's this ?"

He ground his molars. "With me keeping you close. Not listening to me is going to get somebody killed."

He put the car in drive, and we were pulling away from the school, the silence heavy and thick, his words rolling through my mind like a broken record.

I had no idea what he meant, and I didn't think I wanted to know.