Page 56 of Underworld

“No,” he whispers.

I think of what could possibly be such a big issue, but then I remember. “This is about the gang, isn’t it?”

He grunts in answer, and I sigh. At my sigh, he answers, “There have been some issues finding the leader.” He pulls me from the counter, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Something bad is going to happen, Sunshine. I can feel it.”

I can’t exactly tell him everything will be alright because we’ve had some seriously major shit happen lately. So instead, I wrap him a little tighter and tell him, “We will figure it out together. Somehow, we will make it through. We always do.”

He holds me for a few minutes longer before pulling away with a nod. He presses a kiss to my forehead before linking his fingers with mine. “We should probably get downstairs before Jace makes his way up here because we will be late.”

I snicker as Zane leads me out of the room. We have to go to the cave for the night for some meetings, but the guys want my face to heal for another week before I am involved in them again. Truthfully, I don’t mind. Silas and Jax keep me company while they are in meetings.

Jax jumps out of the passenger seat, and I laugh as he opens the door in a dramatic flourish. He bows at the waist, then looks up with a smirk and winks. I shake my head, smiling. “Thank you, Beta.”

He offers his elbow and replies, “Only for you, My Queen.”

I take his offered elbow and bump him with my hip, but I continue to play along with his antics. “Thank you so much. I’m ever so grateful for your help, Beta.”

He snickers and ushers me into the cave, my guys following. Jace yells from behind us, “Behave! Both of you.”

I look at Jax with a wide grin, then yell over my shoulder, “I’m always on my best behavior, Hades.”

All of a sudden, I feel a slap on my ass. I let out a squeak and look to my side to find Jace there. Holy shit, he’s fast. He gives me a devilish grin as he says, “We all know you are never on your best behavior, Persephone.”

I shrug but sass back, “That may be true, but we all know you LOVE disciplining me.”

Howe howls in laughter as he walks past. “She isn’t wrong, Boss.”

Jace arches a brow before saying, “Then maybe I should give you a better incentive to behave?”

Leaning forward quickly, I press my lips to his. I pull away just as quickly and revel in the surprise on his face. “Better be off to your meeting, Hades. Wouldn’t want to be late,” I can’t help but add.

He lets out a growl, ready to rip me out of Jax’s hold, when Zane grabs him with a smirk. “Let’s go, Boss. You can punish her after.”

Jace gives me one last lingering look, and I can tell he will spend his time in the meetings coming up with an appropriate punishment for me. A shiver races down my spine at the thought. I give him a wink before Jax leads me away.

He snickers as he leads me to the security room with monitors showing the whole compound. “You love to rile him up, don’t you?”

I smile up at Jax as Silas follows behind quietly. “I can’t help myself. It’s so much fun to see his control shatter.”

Silas snorts behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see a smirk on his face. He shakes his head. “Leave it up to you, Seph, to push Hades to the edge.”

“Just wait till you find a girl. I’m sure she will do the same,” I tease with a smile.

Jax snickers and says, “Alpha here isn’t much of a ladies’ man.”

I smack Jax on the chest. “He doesn’t need to be a ladies’ man. Mark my words. He will find a feisty-as-fuck girl one day, and if you guys are lucky, she will fall for all of you. Then, she and I will be besties and cause chaos together!”

Jax and Silas look at each other for a moment, then back at me and at the same time say, “I hope the fuck not.”

I smirk. “Why not? I need a female bestie. Too much testosterone around here.”

Silas sighs as he sits on one of the chairs in front of the screens. “Sit down and watch the screens with us.”

Giggling, I do as I’m told and sit between Jax and Silas. I notice Silas bend down before sitting back up. He sets a large coffee in front of me, and I can’t stop the grin as I grab it and take a large gulp. Fucking hell, I love this man. “Mmm . . . I love you.”

Jax chokes on laughter as Silas’ head snaps around to stare at me, eyes wide. “She’s talking to the coffee,” Jax eventually manages to say.

Silas arches a brow as I shrug. “I do love coffee. But . . . I sorta love you guys too. In a completely brotherly way. I would not want to ride your dick.”

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