27. Hades

Chapter 27

Hades

I refused to look at her after what I'd just said.

I didn't want her sympathy, didn't want her sorrow. The boy that had experienced that abuse was no more. He died a long time ago in that abandoned warehouse with bruises and cuts covering his body.

And out of the flames of that torment, a demon was created. I may still be flesh and able to bleed, to bruise, but I'd built a wall around myself to where nothing and no one could touch me.

It was the only way I'd been able to survive.

"Did you retaliate?"

Her voice was soft in the darkness. I still stood by the window, refusing to get closer, to look at her.

Because I knew what I'd see. Her gaze would hold empathy. And that would just piss me off. I curled my hands tightly into fists, and felt her gaze on me, tracing every scar that covered my body.

I closed my eyes as I thought about all the times I tried to go after Zachariah. "Keep your enemies close," I murmured. "My brother was clever, the bastard. So I waited. Watched. But he started getting sloppy, careless. Cracks were showing, frays in what he did in the dark. So I dug deeper, and realized he was swindling not only his money, but the company funds as well." I ground my back molars. "I could've ended him, destroyed him with all of that. And I would have. I planned on it. I wanted him to suffer, to become homeless and destitute before I delivered that final blow."

I let those words hang between us, let them sink in. She needed to know what a fucking monster I really was.

"All that ran through my veins was revenge."

"Did you… are you the reason…" The look on my face must have frightened her, because she moved back on the bed and brought the sheet closer to her chest.

As if that would keep me away from her. As if anything on this fucking planet could keep her from me.

"Accidents aren't how I do things, baby. No, my retaliation would've been in the form of vicious vengeance. And since he's gone… you're the next best thing. Because hurting you would've ruined him."

I ran a hand over my face, suddenly feeling exhausted. When exactly had my plans changed where Persephone was concerned?

"You knew there was something not right with all of this. You're not only beautiful, you're smart. Come on, darling.' I could see her mind working as she put together the pieces.

I was growing pissed. She was too fucking good for me but I was too selfish to let her go. I hated myself, hated her for making me feel anything but rage and the darkness I'd always been comforted by.

I lashed out. It was my default. And being stripped bare, telling her things that made me vulnerable, conjured so much anger in me I wanted to tear this room apart.

"I knew but?—"

"It's easier to pretend no one wants to hurt you, sweetheart." I growled those words and came closer to her, hating myself, this situation, and being so fucking bared right now.

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"You can't pretend it's not right in front of your fucking face."

I'd been molded and shaped into the monster I was, a machine who destroyed. Even if that meant my own… happiness.

As if a creature like me could ever be happy, could ever deserve that elusive emotion.

"Your father deserved what he got. I just wish I could have watched him suffer."

Tears welled in her eyes, the moonlight reflecting in that sheen before a fat droplet rolled down her cheek.

"You're so pretty when you cry. But save those tears. I certainly don't deserve them."

"Just stop," she finally said, her voice threadbare but I could see her anger starting to cross her features.

I kept moving closer and she retreated until she was now off the bed and standing on the other side of the mattress.

As if that would make her safe. But I let her have her false sense of bravado and protection. I gave her a sadistic smile, this twinge in my chest making me feel unhinged. I may act like I was enjoying this, but the truth was, frightening her in this way didn't bring me pleasure, not like it did with everybody else.

Make her see who you really are. Let Bunny know you're not truly a monster. Not to her.

I stood on the other side of the bed, just feet separating us as I stared into her eyes. With the shadows playing over the room, and the wild energy pouring off of me, this situation appeared even more ominous.

"You forced my hand. Bought me. Used me ."

"Judge Wilcox was in my pocket. He's a slimy bastard, and does deplorable things. Or at least tries to. He's a stupid fuck and gets caught every single time. But his money and connections allow him to get away with it." I grinned broader. "But I have my ways to get what I want. I have correspondence between the bastard and underage girls. Girls from his son's school. I have videos of him trying to accost women."

I watched her face, saw the mix of expressions move across it.

"I was just biding my time, planned on going through with everything while Zachariah was still alive. But the bastard died before I could exact my revenge. At least… while he could witness it all."

She was breathing so hard, her eyes wide. Poor little thing was terrified.

"I had Judge Martin Wilcox sign over guardianship to me. Nasty fucker didn't have a choice. It was either he did what I said, or there would be repercussions to his disobedience in the form of all his dirty little secrets coming to light."

She shook her head, trying to deny any of this, as if the simple act would change the outcome. I watched her throat work as she swallowed, no doubt picturing all the deliciously dirty things we'd done together.

"All this for revenge?"

Although she phrased it like a question, I could hear in the tone of her voice she already knew the truth.

"You used me." She kicked her chin up as if she were better than me, as if she just got the best of me."You act like you don't care if my father sees what you're doing, but I know you do."

I chuckled darkly. "Oh sweetheart, I don't need anybody to witness what I do. The very knowledge that I fucked Zachariah's daughter, popped her little cherry and made her bleed all over my cock, is enough to give me immense pleasure." I didn't bother telling her about Michael. It wasn't as if she had any kind of real relationship with the asshole anyway.

"You're a sick bastard." Her voice was so soft.

"Without a doubt." I grinned to let her know I heard her loud and clear and agreed.

She took a steadying breath as if coming to some kind of resolve. "What my father did to you… my grandfather…" She sounded like she was in pain as she closed her eyes and tightened her little hands into fists. "It was heinous. Deplorable." She opened her eyes and whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Shock slammed into me. She believed me. There was no question in her tone, not her implying that I lied. She believed me just on my words alone and that had my chest tightening in my heart racing.

"I don't need your sympathy," I hissed out, my rage bubbling over.

"But you have it regardless."

No one ever gave a shit about me. No one ever apologized for what happened to me as a child. I'd never had anyone take my word for what it was, who didn't wonder what other meaning they held

"But that doesn't excuse or give you the right to manipulate things. To use me." Her voice cracked on that last part and I swallowed as that unfamiliar pain filled me once more.

But I grappled with my cold apathy, knowing it was the only thing that kept me grounded.

Until her.

I shrugged, my grin still in place. Her hating me would make this better. Easier. It reminded me why she was here in the first place.

Just a tool to use, an object to exact my revenge.

Liar.

Fucking lies.

I want Michael to see how broken I can make her.

"What can I say?" I lowered my head and made a harsh sound in my throat. "I'm an opportunist and you were the greatest fucking opportunity I couldn't pass up. But it felt good when I used you, didn't it? You came so hard on my cock as I fucked you like my little whore."

I anticipated her tears. What I did expect was the fury in her eyes as she slowly walked around the bed to come to stand right in front of me.

She still held the sheet around her lithe little body, her nipples staring through the Egyptian cotton. My cock started thickening and I grinned.

I was curious what my little Bunny would do.

"Maybe I'm the one who used you? Maybe I'm the one who fucked you?"

I started chuckling, loving this sass from her. I leaned in so we were eye-to-eye. "Nah, baby, I'm always the one doing the fucking. My cock covered in your honey after you come is proof of that." I snapped my teeth at her and growled, my dick now stiff and pointed right at her.

She was fast, my little Bunny. Her hand struck out and connected with my left cheek, harder than I thought she was capable of. I was taken off guard. My head whipped to the side from the impact.

"Fuck you, Hades."

I slowly turned my head so I was looking at her, my grin slipping from my face. My heart was thundering, my cock was throbbing.

"We already played that game, Persephone. And I won."

She went to slap me again but I reached out and gripped her wrist. It wasn't hard, but it was firm and she gasped, trying to pull her hand away. "You were a means to an end. I was going to use you, ruin you. I was going to make you dependent on me, so by the time you turned twenty-one and had access to your inheritance, it wouldn't have made a fucking difference. All you would've seen was me ." That last word was a roar from me.

I could see the fear moving back into her face, washing away her anger.

"And when that time came where you could be on your own–independent–you'd throw yourself at my feet and beg me to stay with you. But I'd kick you away, sweet girl. I'd leave you to fend for yourself a broken doll."

The tears welled in her eyes before they slipped down her cheeks. I couldn't stop myself as I leaned in and licked at that salty flavor. I hummed and said, "the only thing sweeter than your tears is your pussy."

I let her go now and she stumbled back, gripping her wrist to her chest.

"Watching your demise wouldn't be as sweet as if it were Zachariah's, but sometimes life doesn't give you what you want."

Although she cried, she looked completely pissed at me. Her anger was an aphrodisiac and I made a low sound of pleasure, letting her see what a degenerate and fiend I was.

"Your trauma isn't a reason to give that to others." She swiped angrily at her tears. I wanted to lick them off, take them into my body "One day you're going to realize that not everybody's out to get you. You're going to look back on the things you've done—the people you've hurt—and you're going to feel regret."

I chuckled low. "Doubtful, Princess. Keep thinking I can be the hero if it makes you feel better about enjoying the way I fuck you."

She shook her head slowly and gave her own humorless laugh. "Hades… I never saw you as the hero of any story." She closed her eyes and laughed again. "How stupid I was to fall for the villain."

With that she turned and left and I couldn't move, couldn't even breathe as I watched her retreating form.

The house was still and dark, and the lack of her presence was so strong I felt it in my very marrow.

For a moment I couldn't move. Everything crashed around me. The world felt like it was opening up, threatening to swallow me whole.

I looked around the room at all the expensive paintings. None of this meant anything. I mean nothing.

I saw red and started tearing through the room, breaking anything I could wrap my hand around and throwing them against the wall, hearing glass shattering.

I ripped the drapes from their rod, and tore the lamp off the bedside table before throwing it against the wall. All I heard was the blood rushing in my head. All I felt was this darkness that should've been familiar but wasn't in that moment.

When my destruction tapered off, I stood by the bed panting, huffing, my hands curled into fists.

I wanted to bring them to my nose and inhale her sweet scent. I wanted to chase after Persephone, throw her over my shoulder, and bring her back to our room so I could fuck her again.

I'd make her tell me it didn't matter how bad I was, or how she was too good for a motherfucker like me. It didn't matter because she wanted me regardless.

"How stupid I was to fall for the villain."

I stared at the door she'd just left out of, wanting to go to her. But I knew what had just happened was for the best. It was better this way… her hating me. It was good for her to see the despicable creature that I was.

But if that's the case… why did everything seem impossible now?