Page 39 of Hateful Prince

Hook shifted from foot to foot in my periphery, muttering something that sounded like, “Careful, mate, he’ll burn your soul to cinders.”

Kai remained silent, but his eyes were watchful as Dahlia broke free of his hold. She moved until she was sandwiched between Hades and me and then placed one hand on each of our chests. Her concerned expression faltered and turned to something resembling wonder. Tentatively she dug her fingers into my pec, murmuring to herself, “I wrote a scene that started this way once.”

“Quite a few, if memory serves,” Kai finally said.

She blushed but ignored him, seeming to remember what she’d been intending to say when she came between us. “You two need to stop this. We’re a team, like it or not. All five of us. Something brought us together?—”

“The Fates, baby doll. They’re fucking with me.”

“Is that how you ended up here?” Caspian asked. “The Fates?”

Some of Hades’s bravado faded. “I’m not sure. Something... someone, stole my memories and sent me here.”

“But you remember who you are now, obviously,” Hook pressed.

Hades’s lips curled up in a smug smile I was desperate to knock off his face. “Dahlia brought them back. Didn’t you, baby doll?”

“Can you please stop rubbing it in? We all get it. She fucked your memories back into your thick skull. Congratulations.”

“Well, you asked for it, pirate. Don’t ask the question if you don’t want the answer.”

Hook frowned. “It wasn’t technically a question. More like an observation, really.”

“If your memories are returned, shouldn’t you know who was behind stealing them?” Kai asked.

It was the same question I’d intended to ask, so I simply lifted a brow, waiting for the god’s answer.

“Wouldn’t that be nice? But no. I must’ve been unconscious when they were stolen.”

“Well, what’s the last thing you remember?” Dahlia asked.

I guess sharing what he remembered hadn’t been part of their pillow talk. A little growl built up in my chest at the thought of them sharing intimate moments until I remembered that I fucked my mate so good she could never stay awake long enough to get to the pillow talk.

“All right, this seems like a very important sharing moment. Shall we get some chairs and make this into a real group session?” Cas tossed a glance at the remains on the floor. “Or can we at least get away from that?” He flinched, and his gaze darted to the corners of the room. Apparently the ghost had frightened him more than he was willing to admit.

At first no one seemed inclined to move, but then Dahlia gave one of the folding chairs a longing glance. Almost as one, the four of us burst into motion, Kai taking a chair in each hand, the rest of us selecting one for ourselves and setting them in a loose circle. I realized exactly what the sneaky bastard was up to when he sat down in one and patted the seat for Dahlia to sit beside him.

With a low growl, I kicked out, knocking the chair over.

“Tor!”

Ignoring her protest, I snatched her up and sat in my chair, plonking her down in my lap. “Your seat’s right here, Kærasta.”

“Fucking smooth bastard,” Cas said, his voice holding admiration as he straddled the back of his selected chair.

Hades rolled his eyes as he sank into his own seat.

“Now let’s discuss how we’re going to make this work for all of us,” Cas began, gaze searching the four of us.

“No. I want to get to the bottom of Cain’s missing memories.” Dahlia squirmed in my hold, but I tightened my arms around her rather than letting her leave me.

“There’s not much to tell. I was trying to get to you at the hospital in LA. A pissy little nurse called security on me, and she stuck me with a sedative while they distracted me. Oh, and Temperance was involved, though he didn’t exactly get his hands dirty.”

“Temperance? As in Doctor Temperance?” Dahlia squeaked.

“Do you know of another one?”

“Well, no, but why are you just mentioning this now? That seems like a pretty big detail.”

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