A Touch of Ruin (Hades x Persephone #2)(86)

He didn’t give me the chance. He was busy, anyway.

Did you even try to stop him?

No.

They’d already been arguing. What would they have done if he’d stayed?

Had really hot makeup sex, Lexa commented in her head.

She managed to smile, despite the tears that pricked her eyes. For a moment, her thoughts spiraled. How had she gotten here? She’d severed her relationship with her mother, ended a bargain with Hades just to jump into another with Apollo. Her best friend was in the hospital, her future still uncertain, and she hadn’t really liked her job since Demetri’s ultimatum.

What the fuck are you doing, Persephone? she whispered aloud.

Your best, she heard Lexa reply before she fell into a deep sleep.

***

With no update on Lexa from her mother, Persephone headed straight to work. Antoni came to a stop in front of the Acropolis, glancing in the rearview mirror.

“Would you like me to escort you?”

She was looking out the window when he spoke, and his voice filled her with dread. Not because he was asking to escort her, but because she had to get out of the car.

She’d been trying her hardest to embrace the screaming crowd, but today, she didn’t feel like faking it.

She was sad.

She looked at the ogre. “No, but thank you, Antoni.”

Persephone left the Lexus, entering the throng of screaming fans and reporters.

“Persephone! Persephone!”

She kept her head down, walking with determined steps toward the Acropolis.

“Persephone! Have you seen the Divine?”

“Do you know the woman Hades was seen with last night?”

Her steps faltered, and she paused, searching the crowd for the person who asked the question when her eyes settled on a paper one of the mortals held. On the front page of the Delphi Divine was a photo of Hades and Leuce hand in hand. The title screamed back at her: Hades Steps Out With Mysterious Woman

She walked up to the mortal and snatched the paper from their hands. Everything around her suddenly felt distant, the sound drowned out by a rushing in her ears.

I’m late for a meeting, she heard Hades’ voice in her head.

Late for a liaison, she thought bitterly.

Gods, she’d been so stupid.

Had he been so angry with her he’d sought Leuce’s comfort? And so publicly, too. He must want to torture her. Months ago, he’d never allowed himself to be photographed, but suddenly, he was appearing on the front page of the Divine.

But she didn’t just feel betrayed by Hades.

She felt betrayed by Leuce. After everything she’d done to help the nymph, this was how she repaid her?

Persephone headed inside; the paper clutched in her fist. Helen looked up when she got off the elevator, and for the first time since she started at New Athens News, didn’t ask her if she was okay.

The goddess stowed her stuff, including the paper. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to keep it, maybe so she could shove it in Hades face when she saw him again. Maybe because she liked torture. She turned on her computer and made coffee, her mind whirling with so many emotions she couldn’t concentrate, and she felt like she was having hot flashes. One moment, she was angry, the next she could barely keep her tears at bay.

At some point, she moved onto trying to rationalize the situation.

Maybe it was all a misunderstanding.

She knew the media could deceive. One photo only told part of the story.

She pulled the paper out again and studied the picture. Hades and Leuce looked determined, their expressions were serious.

Because they knew they’d been caught, she thought.

What explanation would Hades give? Did she even want to hear it?

Her stomach was in knots, and the back of her throat felt swollen. She was going to vomit.

As she stood, there was a commotion up front, and Persephone looked in time to see Hades striding toward her. He appeared angry, purposeful, and he only had eyes for her.

“You need to leave,” she said immediately. He was causing a scene. Everyone on the workroom floor had stopped what they were doing to watch them.

“We need to talk,” he said.

His scent hit her hard, his presence harder. He was an executive of death, well dressed, handsome, and brooding.

“No.”

“So you believe it then? The article?”

“I thought you had a meeting,” she said.

“I did,” he said.

“And you conveniently left out the fact that it was with Leuce?”

“It wasn’t with Leuce, Persephone.”

“I don’t want to hear this right now. You need to leave,” she said, and stepped out from behind her desk. She started toward the elevator—she would escort him.

“When are we going to talk about this?” he asked.

“What is there to talk about? I have asked you to be honest with me about when you are with Leuce. You weren’t.”

She pressed the button to summon elevator.

“I came to you immediately after I saw Leuce home,” he said. “But I didn’t feel good about waking you. When I saw you yesterday, you looked exhausted.”

She twisted toward him, her eyes glistening. “I am exhausted, Hades. I’m tired of you and sick of your excuses,” she pointed to the elevator doors as they opened. “Leave.”