“I’m sorry,” I whispered again, but she cleared her throat and shook her head. “What’s your name?”

  She hesitated before finally answering. “Bree.” She smoothed her hands down her skirt. “This school is a cesspool, and everyone in it are piranhas. Guard yourself and know that the only person who has your back is you.”

  With that, she scurried out of the bathroom, and I was left standing there in stunned silence.

  By the time I left the school, there was still half an hour of last period left. My mind replayed what she’d said.

  At first, a small part of me had felt a little bad that Trevor had gotten the shit kicked out of him. But now? Fuck him. I hoped he didn’t make a full recovery.

  I was lost in thought when motion in front of me had me stopping and glancing up.

  A dark luxury SUV pulled up to the curb. Everything happened so quickly as the passenger front door opened and a beefy man came out.

  The back passenger door was already open, and another large man dressed in a suit stepped out. I retreated, instinct in me screaming something was wrong.

  And then they grabbed my arm and started pulling me forward.

  “Hey, what are you doing?” I struggled, about to yell for help, when I was shoved inside. I let out a gut-wrenching scream just as the door shut.

  “Shut the fuck up, you little bitch.”

  The venom in his voice was tangible.

  “The glass is soundproof. You can scream all you want. It’ll only accomplish pissing me off more.”

  The locks clicked into place, and I pressed myself against the back passenger side door to see an older man staring at me with hatred.

  He was overweight, his suit stretched across his body so his potbelly stuck out. His salt-and-pepper hair was slicked back and thinned at the top.

  He watched me as if he knew me, as if he hated me.

  “Who are you and what do you want?” I reached behind me blindly and tried to pull on the door handle. He exhaled in exasperation and ran a hand over his lapels. Was he going to kidnap me? Would he do something heinous to my body?

  But the car didn’t move. It just idled at the curb in front of the school, which was a slight consolation that maybe I’d actually get out of this vehicle in one piece.

  Faster than I expected, he reached out and grabbed my wrist, tightening his hold so hard I cried out and started pulling back.

  “You’re hurting me. Let go.” But his grip was iron.

  “I don’t know what kind of hold you have over Hades to where he bites the hand that feeds him, but my message needs to be heard loud and clear.”

  He leaned in and the rancid scent of his overpriced cologne filled my nose.

  “I’d say maybe he actually cares about you as family. But my guess is it’s your young golden pussy he can’t deny.”

  “The hell,” I whispered. “I don’t even know who you are.” The words were a hiss as I kept trying to tug my hand back, but he just gripped it harder. The pain became unbearable, like he was crushing my wrist.

  “I want you to tell Hades that if he doesn’t fall in line, there will be repercussions. And those are going to be in the form of making you hurt.”

  He tightened his hand so hard on my wrist I felt my eyes water.

  “He hurt my boy, so I’ll hurt something that he holds precious.”

  “Oh God. You’re… you’re Trevor’s father?” He bared his teeth, not in a grin, but in something wholly sadistic.

  “Make sure you pass my message along.” He let go of my hand so suddenly that my body banged against the car door. The locks were disengaged, and I scrambled out. Just as I shut the door, the SUV was peeling away and speeding off.

  I stood there stunned as I stared at the departing vehicle.

  It was then when I looked down at my wrist, at the angry bruise forming on my flesh in the shape of his fingers. He wanted me to tell Hades. I wasn’t going to.

  Because if I knew anything about Hades and my short amount of time with him, it was that things would escalate to where everyone and everything would drown in violence.

  Chapter 23

  Persephone

  I’d been thankful Hades hadn’t been home when I got back from school, and even more grateful that he’d sent me a text saying he wouldn’t make dinner, that he’d be home late.

  At the end of the night I found myself in his bathroom under the spray of water so hot it nearly burned my skin.

  I didn’t know how long I stood under the water, but I heard a rhythmic thumping come closer a second before there was a knock on the bathroom door and it opened.

  “Sweetheart?” Hades’ voice was deep and smooth, like the whiskey he drank.

  I closed my eyes and pressed my bruised wrist to my side. I cleared my throat and said, “H-hey.”

  He was silent, and a moment later I pushed the glass shower door aside and forced a smile. He stood in the doorway, his expression impossible to read.

  He cocked his head to the side as he eyed me—examined me. “What’s wrong?”

  I made my smile bigger, which I knew looked uncomfortable as hell and totally forced. I shook my head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

  Still with a stoic expression, his gaze traveled along my body—what he could see, anyway. He was silent for a long while… too long.

  And then he was stepping all the way in, pulling the glass door aside all the way, and his gaze immediately—instinctively—landed on my bruised wrist.

  “Who did that to you?” His voice was dangerously low, and I shivered despite the hot spray of the shower.

  I wasn’t fooled by his relaxed posture or even his tone. He looked powerful standing before me, watching me with this unrestrained violence that I knew could be unleashed.

  He cradled my hand in his. His focus was trained on my arm, as he slid his fingers along the edge of the bruising.

  “Who did this, Bunny? Tell me.”

  I shook my head, although I knew I couldn’t lie to him. Not for long anyway. “I can take care of myself.”

  He smiled, but it was harsh, cold, and didn’t reach his eyes. “I know you can, baby. But I still want you to tell me.” He cupped the side of my face, water soaking the sleeve of his suit. “I want you to tell me so I can take care of it.”

  I shivered, staring up at his face with wide eyes and my heart in my throat. And as much as I was terrified of what Hades would undoubtedly do, a darker part of me wanted Martin Wilcox to hurt the way he’d hurt me.

  I wasn’t strong enough physically, didn’t have the means to handle this situation, but what I had was Hades.

  The man I’d fallen for. My dark angel. The devil at my side.

  So… I told him everything.

  All night I tossed and turned, dreaming about Trevor having his hands on me, then his father doing the same.

  They shouted at me, called me horrible things. They hurt me. But then Hades came in, and there was blood everywhere. It was their cries of pain that drowned everything out instead of mine.

  I woke up in a sweat, the spot beside me cold and unused. I tried to come back online, my mind fuzzy with sleep, my heart racing from the dream.

  I pushed myself up just as I heard the bathroom door open. The light kicked off, steam billowed out, and Hades walked into the room, a towel draped around his waist, all that hard male physique and tattooed flesh, causing my heart to beat faster for another reason.

  “Go back to sleep, baby,” he said in a low voice as he approached the edge of the bed, pulled off the towel, and got in beside me.

  When he pulled me close to his chest I shivered, feeling the beads of sweat that dotted my brow from the dream cooling.

  “You’re shaking,” he whispered against my ear, the heavy band of his arm keeping me close to his chest.

  “Just a dream.” I closed my eyes and let his heat surround me. His body was warmer than normal from his recent shower. “Where did you go?” I slid my fingers between his and he buried his face in my nape, inhaling deeply.

  “Nothing. Just work, baby. Go back to bed.”

  I felt my eyes grow heavy with sleep, but glanced down at his hands, seeing his knuckles broken with fresh wounds.

  “Just work?” My voice was soft as I slid my hand from his and traced the edge of the wounds. He’d hurt someone, and I knew who. I knew why. My gaze landed on my wrist, the angry, ugly bruising seeming darker in the shadows.

  He inhaled at the side of my neck before placing a kiss there. “Just work. I had unfinished business I had to take care of. It’s all good now.” He slid his hand over my belly and spread his fingers.

  I could feel how hard he was, and a second later he slid my panties off, lifted my leg so it was dropped over his thigh, and slid into me.

  He groaned, “Fuck yes, Bunny. That’s it. My good girl.”

  I was already wet just from his closeness, my body opening up and accepting him with ease.

  And just like that, he washed away those bad dreams and replaced them with his arousing brutality.

  Chapter 24

  Persephone

  The next morning, I felt Hades’ dark menace. Although he’d showered last night, I swore I could smell the blood that surrounded him.

  I wanted to ask what he’d done, but fear of how he’d answer was strong in me, so I kept my mouth shut.

  Besides, my imagination was vivid enough about the reality of who and what Hades was, that I knew if he hadn’t killed the judge, he absolutely brought him to the brink of death.

  I pushed around the scrambled egg on my plate, my appetite nonexistent. Going back to school was the last thing I wanted to do.

  At least I was thankful the cardigan I wore covered my wrist, hiding the bruise. I certainly didn’t need anyone remarking on that on top of everything else they wanted to throw at me.

  I glanced up at Hades, not surprised he was staring at me. I felt his gaze like a brand on my skin. It burned me from the inside out.

  He watched me like he was hungry, like the breakfast in front of him wasn’t nearly enough to sate his need for sustenance.

  I tried to focus on my food. But suddenly all I could think about was what we’d done the night before, how he’d made love to me thoroughly, as if he knew it was what I’d needed the most right now.

  I was still sore, and every time I shifted on my chair, there was that slight twinge of discomfort. I swore I could still feel him deep in me.

  He ran his thumb back and forth over his bottom lip, his eyes growing hooded the longer he watched me.

  “What?” I breathed out. I placed my hands in my lap, pulling at the sleeves of my cardigan, feeling my body heat. God, I felt like a nympho around him.

  “I’m just thinking about how sweet your pussy tastes.” He leaned back in the chair, the wood creaking slightly. “I keep picturing spreading you out on the table and eating out your cunt.”

  I heated, grew wet. The sound of the staff just in the other room should have made me dryer than the desert, but knowing anyone could walk in and hear the obscene things Hades said turned me on.

  “What happened last night?” My voice cracked.

  “I fucked you, baby. Real good, didn’t I?”

  My face grew unbearably hot. “You know what I mean.”

  “Hmm.” He sounded so self-satisfied as he made that sound.

  Dropping his arm to the table, he started smoothing his fingers back and forth over his linen napkin almost seductively.

  “Do you really wanna know, or are you just stalling?” The corner of his mouth quirked up, and I licked my lips. “You really want me to tell you?”

  I felt like I was on autopilot right now, but I had to know. Did he kill the judge? Just maim him like he had Trevor? I knew I would feel at fault even though I hadn’t committed the act. But Hades would’ve done it because of me, to protect me.

  “Did you kill him?” He stayed silent, and with each passing second, my heart beat harder and faster.

  “I hurt the one who hurt you.” He grabbed his cup of coffee, taking a long sip, his focus never wavering from me. “But I didn’t kill him. Not this time. I made my point clear. Broken jaw. Shattered kneecaps. And his hands…” He ran the tip of his tongue over the rim of his mug. “I took a hammer to each digit until his bones became powder. If he so much as breathes in your direction, if his bastard offspring looks at you the wrong way, I will rip both of their throats out.”

  I felt shock and horror claim me. The visual of what Hades had just described was abhorrent. But then I thought about what the judge had done to me, said to me. And any shock seemed to take a back seat to my… satisfaction.

  He set the mug back on the table and called out to the staff. A second later, an older gentleman came in. And the entire time, Hades watched me.

  He reached down, grabbed his briefcase off the floor, and set it on the table. A quick pop-pop and the locks were undone, and he was opening the lid. I couldn’t see the contents inside from my position, but it was only a second later that he was closing it and holding up a knife.

  I felt my eyes grow large. The knife was sheathed in black leather, and I could tell the blade wasn’t enormous, maybe the length of my palm. Hades set the briefcase back on the ground and unsheathed it, the silver catching the morning sunlight.

  “What’s that for?” My mind immediately went to images of him dragging that blade along my skin. Not hurting me. Not cutting me, but the threat would be there. As if he heard or read my thoughts, he slowly grinned.

  “Another time to play like that, baby. This is for you to protect yourself when I’m not around.” He held the blade out, handle toward me, and for a second I didn’t take it.

  But then I reached out and curled my fingers around the hilt.

  “That’s a fixed blade from William Henry.”

  I didn’t know what that meant, but nodded regardless.

  “The Damascus blade has an HRC rating of sixty for optimal sharpness and consists of sixty-seven layers of three alloys.”

  I lifted my gaze to his. “Impressive.” Again, I didn’t know what the hell that meant.

  “The Kingman turquoise is compressed with a zinc matrix that looks wonderful with the G-10 composite handle and black leather lanyard with sterling silver accents.”

  There was a gorgeous turquoise inlay in the handle, and I ran my fingers along it.

  “A motherfucker comes at you, I want you to use that, Persephone.”

  “W-what? I can’t stab someone.”

  “You can and you will. You stab that fucker repeatedly until they stop.”

  My heart was racing at the thought of using this on a person. I opened my mouth to tell Hades again I couldn’t do that, but then I thought of Trevor, and of his father. What if someone like them came to hurt me? What if Trevor wanted payback?

  So instead of denying anything, I said, “Okay,” in a soft, but firm voice.

  “That’s my girl.” He snapped his fingers.

  “Sir?”

  “Carlisle.” He addressed the servant. “I want you and the other staff to stay out of this room for the next hour.”

  I felt my eyes widen at the dark promise I heard in Hades’ voice.

  “No matter what you hear.” He glanced at the staff member. “You don’t come in here. Understand?”

  Carlisle nodded, cast a quick glance at me, and left us alone.

  “Come here, Bunny.” His voice was low and even.

  My heart beat three times before I finally did as he ordered. My legs felt like rubber as I walked toward him. When I stood a few feet from where Hades sat, I held my breath.

  “Closer, sweetheart,” he purred.

  I couldn’t move, and I didn’t know why. Excitement and anticipation mixed with my unease at what he had planned.

  “I won’t repeat myself, Persephone.” His voice hardened.

  He lifted his arms and gripped my hips in his enormous hands.

  I was so much smaller than him that the width of his hands seemed to nearly encompass my waist. I tensed when his fingers pressed into my flesh harder. And when I glanced down at his lap, I could see he was already so hard.

  “Are you wet right now, baby?”

  I shook my head.

  “Pretty liar,” he murmured, his thumbs moving back and forth along my sides. “Let’s see how much of a liar you are.”

  My heart beat overtime.

  “As much as I love that little schoolgirl uniform… undress.”

  My mouth dried, and I darted my gaze to the door that led out of the dining room. “Here? Anyone could walk right in.”

  “I told them not to. Unlike you, they obey me.” His hands tightened against me. “Actually, how about I take it off of you, sweet girl? How about Daddy takes control because I know how much you like that?”

  “I have to go to school soon.”

  “Not for another hour. I want to get you off before I send you off.”

  I shouldn’t have gotten aroused when he referred to himself as “Daddy.” It was such an obscene thing, filthy… in the best way.

  He smirked and slid his hands up, pushing up the loose shirt I wore until my flat belly was on display. He leaned in and dragged his tongue over my stomach and along my navel before pulling away.

  “So sweet.” He kept pushing my shirt up until I was forced to lift my arms. My gaze kept going to the door, expecting someone to burst in, but we stayed alone.

  He pushed my pants down and I silently—obediently—stepped out of them.

  “I want you to strip all the way.” He leaned back in his chair, waiting for me to do what he said.

  When I stood totally nude before him, I noticed the way his pupils dilated, how his breathing increased. “Perfect, Princess.”

  I didn’t know how long I stood totally naked, bared for him like a piece of art in a museum.

  He snagged me around the waist and jerked me forward so swiftly, a startled sound left me and I had to brace my hands on his broad shoulders to steady myself.