Page 102 of All for her Forgiveness

I'm arming myself against him, and Hades seems to be trying to please me.

"I'm afraid of raising him wrong," I confess as I put a seedless grape into my son's mouth.

"He's wonderful, Kennedy. I have nephews. King isn't any more mischievous than any other child his age."

"But because we haven't been together for so long, I feel obligated to give him the best of everything. At the same time, I'm afraid of spoiling him. If you haven't noticed, he’s got your temperament."

"I noticed, yes, but if he's just like me, he'll soon learn that his mother is the queen of his life, just as she is of mine." He's sitting on the bed, and his huge hand strokes my ankle.

"Mine!" my son repeats.

"Stop that, Hades."

"It's not just you who has lost time to make up for, Kennedy. I have too. As a father and as a life partner by your side. Don't push me away. Don't shut me out. This is a journey that needs to be made by all three of us. It will only work if we all embark on it."

"I'm trying, but I can't go so fast. You're too intense."

"I'll give you space. I won't force myself on you. Just . . . don't leave." He gives King's little head a kiss and leaves the room.

I feel lost because I thought that was what I wanted: to breathe without Hades' presence preventing me from thinking because apparently, my heart is too stupid to understand that the man represents danger to it. But the moment he leaves through the door, I miss him.

The frightening thing about living with Hades, and it's been like this from the start with me, is that he's not someone you can ignore.You might love him, you might hate him, but once he enters your life, he'll leave a mark on it forever.

I fight against the feeling I sense emerging within me again, but deep down, I know that if I were to tell him that there's no way to forgive him, if I were to exclude him from my life and try to be with someone else, they would all be mere sketches compared to him.

To me, they would be imperfect pieces, because the only one capable of completing me is the one who, until recently, was my enemy.

Kennedy

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

"Are you going to call me?"Amber asks when, hours later, we're on Beau's private landing strip, about to board the Kostanidou's plane.

I felt really awkward when I left my room only to realize it was already past noon. I’d overslept, but when I apologized to her, she gave me a little smile that indicated she knew perfectly well why I was so exhausted.

No wonder Hades had time to get so much done. I’d slept half the day!

Not only did he arrange clothes for the three of us, but he also sorted out the issue of me leaving New Orleans and returning to New York, as the lawyers managed to convince the judge in my case that it wasn't safe for me to stay in Louisiana.

I don't think that's entirely true. Of course, the attack we suffered was very real, but despite not fully understanding who Beau is, it was obvious from his house, a true fortress, that he's a powerful figure in the state.

Although I have to agree that it's not safe to stay where we were living, something tells me that within Beau's property, no one would dare to touch a hair on our heads.

What I think is that Hades wants me in New York because that's his territory, his own kingdom. And there's also the fact that he told me the other Kostanidou are eager to meet King.

I love the thought of my son having a big family, but I'm nervous about whether they'll judge me. Hades is now certain that I'm innocent, but what about the others?

"I will, yes," I finally reply. "I can't say I'll be back to visit soon because it's not up to me when I can leave the state. Every time, the judge needs to be informed." It even took an emergency authorization for me to sleep away from the address listed in the terms of my bail, our old house.

The likelihood of someone coming to New Orleans to check whether I really slept in that house is remote, but I didn't want any trouble that could separate me from my son, and the revocation of my right to be out on bail would do just that.

She hugs me tightly. "Don't worry. Soon, all this will be over and you'll be able to travel freely."

"I hope so. All I want is the right to raise King."

"And live a good life by your man's side."

"He's not?—"

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