“Yes, you are.” He gives me a slow grin. “I’m feeling generous, so when you come crawling to beg for my help, I won’t even make you do it publicly.”
I can picture it all too easily. Hook sitting in that casually dominant way he does, sprawled in a chair with his big legs spread and arms outstretched. The hard floor biting my knees and palms with each movement. My body heating under the intensity of his gaze. And when I reach him …
It’s everything I can do to fight down a blush and keep my tone cool. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Hold your breath while you wait for that. At least if you pass out, the rest of us get a break from your startling wit.”
His grin doesn’t dim. If anything, it widens. “We’re going to have so much fun together, Tatiana. Just you wait.”
Chapter 3
Tink
There are times when forty-eight hours can stretch for what feels like weeks. Glorious nights spent playing the bratty submissive to my favorite Dominants followed by days working with Meg in the office and handling the various other duties that fall under my nebulous position as an assistant manager.
Not this time.
It feels like I blink and I’m in Hades’s office again, though this time we aren’t alone. Meg and Hercules stand at either side of him, a perfect little triangle of polyamorous love. It might make me sick if I didn’t like Meg and Hercules so much, mostly despite myself. Impossible not to resent the place they’ve carved out for themselves, for each other. I dislike Hades intensely, but no one can argue that he runs his territory like the others in Carver City. He doesn’t. I benefited from living under his rule.
He watches me with those cold dark eyes. “Our deal is now complete. Your price has been paid in full.”
My throat burns, but I muscle down the physical reaction just like I have countless times in the past. There are submissives who don’t mind crying in public. Or crying in general. I’m not one of them. I’ll give up control of so much during a scene, but not that. Outside of a scene? Forget about it. “I’d say thank you, but you’re kicking me out. Hard not to take it personally. I’m sure you understand.”
Hercules opens his mouth like he might jump in, but Hades anticipates him and holds up a hand. “As token of my appreciation for the time you’ve spent here, you’ll always maintain a membership here in the Underworld.”
A membership. Not a job.
People would kill to have a membership here. They have in the past. It’s outstandingly expensive, and Hades curates who he allows in, picking only the most powerful, and those who fit the tastes of the most powerful. Having this invitation extended to me is a big deal.
I still want to throw something.
“What am I supposed to do?”
Meg is watching me with her heart in her eyes, all sympathy and understanding, but again Hades is the one who speaks. “You’ve saved a significant amount of money in the last five years. You’ve started your own clothing business. The fact that you’re asking me this question proves I’m making the right decision.”
His tone is almost paternal. That is, if by paternal, I mean patronizing as shit. I glare. “If I wanted life advice, I would have asked for it.”
“Then let me lay it out explicitly. I’ve allowed you to find your feet in more than one way while you lived under my roof and my protection. Despite our bargain, I only took five percent of your clothing profits, when we both know I was entitled to a much larger slice. You have resources. You have money. The only thing you’re lacking is courage.” He stands slowly, glowering down at me. “It’s time to the leave the nest, Tink. Because these two have tender feelings for you, I am content to hold your possessions until you find a residence—within a reasonable timeline.”
He just knocked the wind out of my best argument for more time. I swallow past my suddenly dry throat. “How long are you giving me?”
“Three days. That should be more than enough time to nail down living arrangements.” He makes a show of looking at his watch. “That timeline starts now. I wouldn’t linger.”
None of them make a move as I turn on my heel and march out of the room. I won’t hold this against Meg and Hercules later, but right now the betrayal lies thick on my tongue. I’ve made Hades a shit ton of money over the last five years, and the second he has a chance to drop me, he doesn’t hesitate. For all his talk of loyalty and the like, he’s a fucking hypocrite.
I absolutely refuse to see his side of things. I’m not interested in being fair right now. Only angry.