Page 59 of For the Love of the Gods

“Lady Juno, you had something to share.”

Juno perked up, tucking a white blonde curl behind her ear. She was new to her seat of power, barely eighteen. Her mother, the late Lady Juno, had only passed a few months ago. “Yes, I’ll be presiding over the Romulus son's wedding next week.”

“And Lord Hera?” Adrian prompted. Always one to make sure that both sides of the godly system were equally included. Even though the Romulus family was as Roman as they come, there were two gods of marriage to consider.

“I’ll be there,” Lord Hera confirmed. Adrian’s shoulders dropped an inch in relief. “Juno is officiating but we are both signing the marriage decree.”

Adrian’s eyebrows raised in what could only be doubt. The Romulus family had some choice words to say about his birth. The whole cohort of wealthy families on both sides of the Houses felt their resources entitled them to retaliate against the gods whenever they pissed them off. I was just glad all my sins were confined to the Underworld. Well, mostly. “And the family agreed?”

It was Dominic’s turn to readjust in his seat. I immediately despised it. I had half the mind to make a quip about him being restless, but his move slid his hand another inch up my leg. The static heat radiating from his hand to my center, barely a few inches and separated only by a scrap of lace and a thin cotton dress, sent the pulsing lower.

Unavoidably lower. The hand—yes, attached to Dominic, but I was ignoring that—was turning me on.

“Lorenzo was on board,” Hera confirmed, bringing up the patriarch of the Romulus family. The closest the humans got to a king. “Hasn’t put up a fight at all.”

Adrian laughed. “Glad to see he’s having a change of heart.”

I could barely hear him over the ringing in my ears.

“I think we are all well aware of the importance of keeping the peace,” Adrian continued, steeling his shoulders. “Power, the blood in our veins, is what keeps this world running. But money, which the Romulus family certainly has, is a more potent motivator. Money combined with opportunity, with reason to rebel, is the greatest threat to the gods. That is what we must avoid.”

It was a classic mind game in guilt, the feeling that someone was speaking directly at you when discussing a topic that applied to your fears. I knew that, but I couldn’t help the feeling that Adrian was addressing me.

Iwas the one with the poor reputation, the one who tainted Dominic’s. Guilt clawed at my throat while desire battled it for my attention.

I could feel a bead of sweat building on my spine, just as Adrian waved a hand through the air. “But you all know that. We have had a number of peaceful, good years. The fact that Lady Juno and Lord Hera were included is a good sign.”

“I’m just glad I’ll be able to approvethismarriage,” Lady Juno said, not so subtly shooting Dominic and I a glance and channeling my focus.

Dominic's fingers dug into the flesh of my thigh, holding on like it was a life raft and Juno's passive aggressive tone was a tidal wave. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“We would be happy to receive your blessing now. Same with you Hera,” Dominic said smoothly. And that was something I envied about him. He offered no apologies for what was clearly a slight to Juno’s honor. Instead, just redirecting her to the present.

How could I not envy it, when my whole life revolved around my past?

“Speaking of,” Adrian cut in, “anything to add for the Underworld?”

I froze. I wasn’t sure I was capable of words right now. “There’s nothing to…everything is fine with um…”

For the love of Zeus,what was the name of our city. Ouronlycity.

“Purgatory is fine,” Dominic said, smirking like a victor in a duel. He dropped his eyes quickly, barely for a second, to his hand on my leg.

Oh, he had so many ideas running through that big head of his. And he deserved to suffer as much as I was. I crossed my legs, right over left, caging his hand between my thighs. His fingertips dug into my skin slightly in question.

I ignored it.

The position was radiating a level of heat I didn’t even know was possible from his skin, but it also gave me the leverage to bring my heeled foot behind his calf. Slowly, torturously, I dragged my foot up the back of his leg, pulling his pants a little with it.

“Everything seems connected,” Dominic said. Maybe I was crazy, but it sounded more drawn out than normal.

He deserved to slur his words in front of the whole Council. Threading my hand under his arm, I placed my hand onhisthigh, stroking back and forth methodically.

I let myself imagine it was a different part of his anatomy. Only in hopes some weird marital bond would transfer the image to him. Up and down his muscled thigh, relishing in the strength and power under my palm.

I felt that muscle flex, tighten under my attention, and a surge of victory as sweet as honey burst through my chest.

“We should be fine for the”—I squeezed his upper thigh lightly—”clearances. In, um, June.”

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