Page 21 of Hades’ Revenge

“What is part of this conversation?” I had just given my body to a killer. I didn’t see that coming. Run to the nearest exit. Don’t walk!

“You asked about my past with your father so you could decide on our future. I’ll give you the skeleton version.” He rubbed his thumb in small circles over my hipbone. “Unless you want to forget what you asked and just stay with me.”

Did someone say silver fox hit man? Sign me up.

“Not a chance.” I settled against his chest. “Tell me what you can.”

“There was a young priest in the neighborhood. Everyone respected and admired him. His name was Father Emilio Santiago.”

“Any relation to Maria?” She was my mother’s best friend and my godmother.

“Her brother.”

“Then you know who she is to me.”

“I do.” He intertwined our fingers. “Maria and I were seeing one another before I left.”

“What?” Could this situation become any more convoluted? “Are you serious?”

“That’s not part of this story either, but I did tell you that you weren’t going to like everything I share with you. Do you want me to continue?”

“Yes.”

“Father Santiago was murdered on the altar late one night. It was a bloody and savage scene. One that haunts me, and I’m not one to hold on to those memories. In my line of work, one really can’t."

“It's awful that he was killed.” I turned in his arms, keeping the blanket secured around me. “Who would do that?” A startling revelation invaded my thoughts. “Did you?”

“When I arrived it was too late.” He reached for my arm and pulled me into his lap. “After an unfortunate misunderstanding, powerful people came to the conclusion that I had eliminated Father Santiago to silence him for something he had seen. They ordered me to give up the name of the person who had hired me.”

“If you didn’t do it, why didn’t you just tell them that?”

“It was obvious their minds had been made up. I didn’t have any allies in that situation, and if I wanted to live, I had to get creative.”

“What about my father? If you were so close, why didn’t he stand up for you?”

“He had his reasons.” He swiped my hair over my shoulder and skimmed his fingers along my neck. “I had to leave my life behind in order to survive. I left everything. It took me years to reconcile those losses, but I managed to start over.”

“And then I walked into your club.”

“I thought your father had sent you, and it stirred up so many unwanted reminders of betrayal and deception.” He closed his eyes, probably rehashing the life he once cherished. “All of that was behind me and then there was you. A vision that brought me back to the places I never wanted to go in my mind.”

“I’m sorry.” I brushed his beard with my fingertips. “I didn’t mean to cause pain for you.”

“You haven’t.” He cuffed his hand around my wrist and kissed my fingers. “You’ve awakened something inside me that has been dormant for a very long time. That’s why I can’t let you go.”

“I don’t want to leave yet either.” That stupid little voice of mine shook its finger at me because it feared I wouldn’t listen. Get up and go, girl! You’ve had your fun, now it’s time to go home! “Is that all the story I’m going to get?”

“For now.” He ran his hand along my back. “Let’s put your inquisitiveness to better use, and when we’re done, if you still want to go, I’ll open the door for you myself.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“You’ll have to trust me.”

He traced his finger over my lips before leaning in and kissing me. My stomach pulsed with desire as the lust flowed between my legs. As our mouths danced together, he maneuvered me onto him until we were one.

I winced when he jostled inside me, but I didn’t want him to stop. Not after experiencing how good we felt together.

“Are you okay?” he asked.