Page 105 of Hades’ Revenge

“He will walk away if I ask him to.” I didn’t want that to be true, but right now, I’d sell my soul on this altar if I could keep Sebastian alive.

“I’d admire your confidence, but don’t flatter yourself.” He tugged on my ponytail. “This vendetta I have against Hades is almost older than you. I had all but forgotten it until he walked into that reception and took you away from my son. Every man has his limits.”

“He didn’t know about your plans.”

“Somehow, I doubt that, or else he wouldn’t have made such an elaborate entrance into a city he was banished from for killing a holy man.”

Except, Sebastian didn’t kill Emilio, but I couldn’t use that as an argument without exposing the true culprit. As much as I didn’t want Sebastian to die, I couldn’t sacrifice my father.

The church doors flew open, and my dad hurried up the aisle. He looked just like I would have expected him to. Dressed in his custom suit, neatly polished black shoes, and wearing his most expensive watch. All business. No nonsense.

Did he think that I would ever be part of his dangerous negotiations? Did he regret putting me in the middle of this? Exposing me to a man like Benny? This wasn’t his average meeting. These were the highest stakes he’d ever faced.

There was one problem. I couldn’t help but notice he entered alone.

“You’re missing someone.” Benny gripped my arm, making the same assumption. “I was specific with my instructions.”

“I haven’t worked with Hades in almost twenty years,” my father said. “I’m not going to start today. I don’t have any control over what that man does.”

Hell!

“You’re telling me that not even your daughter’s life could make you put aside your differences and work to get her back?” Benny snickered. “That’s interesting.”

“I don’t need Hades for this meeting.” My dad stepped on the altar and rushed toward me, but Benny jerked me back. “Are you okay?” my father asked me.

“She has a concussion,” Benny answered for me. “She’s dehydrated, weak, and sleepy, but here you are, defying me when all you had to do was show up with Hades and I would have let Capri go.”

“You’re going to let my daughter go,” my dad said. “Then we’re going to forget this ever happened and go back to our original deal.”

“What?” My voice was louder than I intended because it reverberated off the walls and ceiling like the voices in the choir. “Are you crazy?”

“Capri.” My father held up his hand. “This is just a misunderstanding. Benny overreacted when Hades came back to town. He’s gone now.” He glanced at Benny then looked back at me. “I persuaded him to return to Greece and leave you alone. I was never going to let the two of you be together.”

“He would never…” Was my confession too much for Sebastian to handle? Could he have abandoned me because I love him? Was his heart so damaged that he couldn’t accept my love? Did these last few weeks mean so little to him? Could revenge have been his ultimate motivator?

I had too many questions which forced doubt into my dazed mind. The conversation from last night came smashing into me.

“Capri.” The uncertainty in Sebastian’s voice took me by surprise. “You’re very special to me, but I’m not the man…”

“Don’t.” How had I gotten this situation so wrong? I had never been in love before, but all the signs were there. Weren’t they? “I misunderstood.”

“That wasn’t the plan.” Benny shoved something hard against my side, disrupting my memory. A gun!

“Hey!” When my father drew his gun, Benny tightened his hold on me and tugged me closer to him. “Let her go.”

“Drop your gun,” Benny ordered.

Despite my weak state, the adrenaline pulsed through me. I frantically gazed around the church, trying to come up with a way out of this. I was too stunned to move for fear if I did, Benny would shoot me.

“Okay.” My father held up his gun before bending down and placing it on the elaborate marble floor. “You don’t have to hurt her.”

“Anything that happens to her now is your fault,” Benny said. “You’re going to fix this by delivering Hades.”

“I told you.” My dad focused on me. “Hades is gone. He didn’t want to be in the middle of this. He left Capri behind.”

I’m going to throw up. My heart shattered into a million pieces at the thought of Sebastian leaving me.

“I’m supposed to believe after his big display of how he took your daughter from you, he just gave up?” Benny pressed the gun harder into my side and forced me to walk closer to my dad. “You want me to believe he left this pretty, young girl, who is totally enamored with him, behind?”