A Game of Retribution (Hades Saga, #2)

by Scarlett St. Clair

Two of the three had never interfered with his routine, had never provided enough of an escape to be called a distraction. But Persephone was more than that—she was an addiction.

“Nothing is ever insignificant when it comes to you.”

Did he trust Persephone? He supposed he did not trust that her love for him meant she could overlook his past, and admitting that was both painful and embarrassing.

“Then how do we make up for hurt?” she asked. “With time,” he said. “If we can be comfortable being angry with each other for a little while.”

“You think so little of her love?” Hecate asked. Hades flinched. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it once more. “If you continue to project your doubt on her, then you do not deserve a future with her.”

“Fucking cake,” he said, glaring at it. “You better be delicious.”

because love did not end when life did. It carried on in the absence of it.

“I always want you with me. Even when I’m angry.”

Despite their proximity, there was still so much distance between them. He would take this for now, though, her closeness and her presence in his bed. At least for this night, she would be home.

I love you—deeply, endlessly. If you walked away from me today, I would love you still. I will love you forever. That’s what Fate is, Persephone. Fuck threads and colors…and fuck your uncertainty.”

“I love you. Even if the Fates unraveled our destiny, I would find a way back to you.”

He wanted to touch her, at least hold her hand, but he recognized that he was seeking comfort, seeking confirmation that they were okay, and he could not expect her to be ready for that.

“I wanted you to watch me dismantle your world. I wanted to dismantle you.”

“What’s done is done. There are no decisions that can take us back in time, only ones that move us forward.

“No more talk of what you should have done. What is, is. There is nothing else to be done but move forward.”