Page 49 of Rev

Hades raises an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “Oh? Do tell.”

I pull the box from my pocket, holding it out for him to see. The sight of it makes my heart race, the reality of my decision settling in. “I proposed to Harley,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, there’s silence. Hades stares at the box, then at me.

“You what?” His tone is filled with surprise, and shock is clearly written all over his face.

“I asked Harley to marry me,” I repeat, more confidently this time. “And she said yes.”

Hades is silent, processing the information. I can see the gears turning in his mind, the way they always do when he’s thinking deeply. Finally, he lets out a long breath, and a bright smile spreads across his face.

“Hadrian, that’s… that’s incredible. Congratulations.”

The relief that floods through me is almost overwhelming. I hadn’t realised how much I’d been dreading this moment, fearing his disapproval or, worse, his indifference. But Hades, as always, surprises me.

He stands and pulls me into a tight embrace, clapping me on the back. “I’m genuinely happy for you. Harley’s a wonderful woman, and you deserve every bit of happiness together.”

“Thank you,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “That means more to me than you know.”

We sit back down, and Hades looks at me, his expression turning serious. “Why didn’t you tell me you were planning this? Maybe I could’ve helped.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I didn’t tell anyone, not even Monster. I wanted it to be a surprise, something just between Harley and me. It felt right that way.”

Hades nods, understanding in his eyes. “I get that. Some moments need to be just for the two of you. But you know you can always count on me, right? For anything.”

“I know,” I reply, feeling a warmth spread through me. “And I’m grateful for that, mate. Truly.”

He leans back against the tree with a thoughtful look on his face. “So, how did you do it? The proposal, I mean.”

I smile, the memory bringing a rush of joy to me.

“I asked her last night while we were at the Giant’s Causeway. We’d spent the day wandering along the coast.” I shake my head when I think about Harley smiling at the bairns playing on the rocks. I never saw myself becoming a father, but at that moment, I knew I wanted her to be the mother of my children. “Anyway, we were sitting looking out at the ocean, you know how much Harley loves the water, and I just knew the time was right. I got down on one knee and asked her to be my wife.”

Hades grins, shaking his head in amazement. “You romantic shite. That sounds perfect. I’m glad she said yes.”

“She did,” I respond with a grin, the reality still sinking in. “She actually said yes.”

We sit in companionable silence for a while longer, the enormity of what I’ve done hanging in the air between us.

Hades is the first to speak. “You’re really in love with her, aren’t you?”

“I am,” I admit without any hesitation. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”

Hades looks at me, his gaze piercing. “Then you’ve made the right choice. Love like that doesn’t come around often, Hadrian. When it does, you have to hold onto it with everything you’ve got.”

I nod, the truth of his words resonating deep within me. “I intend to, brother. I intend to.”

There’s a rustle in the bushes nearby, and immediately alert, we both turn to see a deer moving gracefully through the undergrowth. It pauses for a moment, looking at us with its dark, liquid eyes, before bounding away into the trees.

“Do you remember the forest we used to run to when Dad was in one of his moods?” Hades asks, a nostalgic smile on his lips. “We’d pretend it was our kingdom, and we were the rulers.”

I laugh, the memories flooding back. “How could I forget? You were always the fearless leader, and I was your loyal second-in-command.”

“We did have some good times,” Hades says, his smile fading slightly. “Things were simpler then.”

“They were,” I agree, a hint of melancholy in my voice. “But we’ve grown and become who we were meant to be, haven’t we? And now with Dad dead, we can live our lives free of his shadow.”

Hades looks at me with a serious expression. “You’re about to start a whole new chapter, Hadrian. A life with Harley. Are you ready for that?”

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