Page 26 of Flowers Near Me

Persephone chimed in, “That’s sweet, Poseidon, but we’ll have to take a rain check. With the impending launch, all social outings for the next few months have to serve the dual function of a business meeting as well. I’m afraid we’ll make for poor company tonight.”

Poseidon’s eyebrows lifted. “Is that right?”

Nodding, Persephone added, “Afraid so. But we’ll schedule something with your team. In fact, we’ll host dinner in his apartment.” Hades had invited her sister and family to join them tomorrow night. Why not extend an invitation of her own? At least it would buy some time for her to ask Hades in private why he looked like he wanted to jump out of his own skin at the prospect of speaking to his brother for a minute longer.

Poseidon grinned. “I look forward to it. Lovely to meet you, Persephone.” He dipped his head at Hades and said, “Have a good evening,” but snuck a wink at Persephone as he left their table to sit at the bar.Typical god behavior.Persephone smirked and shook her head.

Exhaling, Hades leaned back and dropped his shoulders. “I’d tease you for inviting someone over to our place, but I won’tlook a gift horse in the mouth.Thank you, love.”

“You looked ill sitting next to him.”

His nostrils flared. “Poseidon is an acquired taste I have yet to acquire.”

She wondered if she should’ve made Hades sweat it out with Poseidon and his date. But had she let the conversation continue, there was a possibility she’d slip up and say something that would complicate their arrangement.Don’t make a fuss and don’t involve my team.Her mom’s words played in her mind and confirmed she’d made the right call to placate Hades and not entertain her own curiosity.

“Speaking of siblings, tell me more about Laura.”

Persephone pressed her lips tight then answered, “She’s one of the smartest people I know. Which is why I’m going to tell her the truth about us.”

He inclined his head. “You’re certain that she won’t tell others?”

No one except Peter, but he’d never tell another soul. “I’m sure.”

A beat of silence stretched between them. Then, with an easy nod, Hades leaned back. “Then it’s fine by me.” His next words, however, carried a quiet sincerity. “If it helps you settle in, then I have no objections.”

No smirk, no game, just an unexpected willingness to meet her halfway.

For the rest of the meal, Hades asked her about how she got into distribution as a career, what it was like growing up on her mom’s estate, and the reasons she had remained there instead of moving into the city. He seemed genuinely interested in her answers. It was either that or he really was the best actor in Olympus. Most likely it was the latter, but for a moment, she allowed herself to enjoy his company. By the time dinner ended and they entered his car, she’d almost forgotten he’d tricked her into living with him.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE PRICE OF A GOD’S INTEREST

PERSEPHONE

To fake a relationship in front of your friends and family wasn’t easy. Fooling your sister?Impossible.

Which was why Persephone had no intention of doing so.

Laura, Peter, and Helena would arrive a little later that Sunday afternoon and their visit couldn’t come soon enough. Hades agreed to let Laura and Peter in on their fake dating arrangement, and Persephone was grateful for that concession. She would’ve told Laura regardless of what Hades wanted—contract be damned—but to know he obliged helped her feel slightly less angry with him.

Persephone paced the massive living space after scrolling through social media for an hour. Photos of the previous evening’s dinner with Hades circulated through every Olympus gossip column and even made it into a few live stories. They looked good together which made her equal parts intrigued and terrified. Now wasnotthe time to start warming to him, even if he’d left croissants from her favorite bakery on the counter for when she woke up. It had barely been a day since he’d stolen theFlowers Near Meapp from her and forced her to work for andlivewith him.

She dug back through photos and news articles of Hades online. Finding images she had seen before: beautiful women on his arm at lavish events celebrating his successes—always someone different. Now she was the latest on his list. Hopefully she’d be forgotten in the mix, and her next business venture would eclipse the failure of this one.

Persephone rubbed the back of her neck as she meandered around the couches, chairs, and Cerberus. The dog sprang up whenever she moved. The two of them were sure to wear treads in the woven rugs on the hardwood floor. Cerberus bumped her hand with his head as he trailed after her, leaving a dusting of grey, white, and brown fur wherever he went. The cutie was impossibly fluffy—like a large ball of blue merle fuzz. He made her want to get an American Shepherd or two for the estate.

She dropped to one knee and massaged the dog’s head. Those pointy ears molded to her grip, and she kept squeezing and pulling as Cerberus closed his eyes and panted. Worried she might’ve been too rough, she paused for a moment. His eyes shot open, and he butted her hands with a whimper.

“Alright.” She resumed petting. Hairs from her own head tickled her face, and she pushed them behind her ear. If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn her hair had grown an inch or two longer overnight. It fell to her waist now. Even her power, which was usually a small tingling feeling, now felt like a thrumming pulse in her veins. Perhaps the shock of this weekend’s events had her magical defenses blooming?

Soft footfall announced Hades’ presence beside her.

“I never understood my brother’s desire to shape shift until now.”

Persephone rolled her eyes and stood up. “If you want me to scratch you, then ask nicely.”

“Pleasescratch me,” he said in a deep voice.

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