Page 44 of Hades’ Revenge

“I can handle it.”

He kissed me with a forceful hunger that mirrored my own. I surrendered to him, allowing him to consume me. The deeper the kiss, the more I lost myself in him. Nothing about us made sense, but somehow everything about us was as clear as the crystal blue water in the ocean on his island when we were together.

When he broke the kiss, I had to hold onto him to steady myself. “Sebastian, I⁠—”

“Get your fucking hands off her!” my father yelled as he came toward us.

“No,” I whispered.

“I’ll be fine.” Sebastian released me and stepped in front of me, shielding me from my father. I had never seen such rage in my dad’s expression. It startled me.

“Get away from her.” My dad got in Sebastian’s face. “Is this the man you met in Greece?” He glared at me. “The one you didn’t want to come home for?”

“Hello, Leo,” Sebastian said. “It’s been a long time.”

“I don’t know how the fuck you pulled this off, but I will not let you use her to get to me.” My dad reached for me, but Sebastian caught his arm and pushed him away before he could touch me.

“He didn’t pull anything off.” I stood next to Sebastian. “He hasn’t done anything wrong. This was all me.”

“Capri,” my father said. “You have no idea who this man is.”

“I know exactly who he is and who he was to you.”

THIRTEEN

Hades

For almost two decades I had been waiting for this moment. I had imagined the look on Leo’s face when he realized I’d found the perfect way to enact my revenge. My vengeance didn’t come in the form of physical violence. I didn’t even have to draw my gun.

The payback I had inflicted on him would cut much deeper than a knife. I took the one thing he never thought I’d come for. He destroyed my life, banished me from my home, and tarnished my reputation. He would pay a high price for betraying me.

Capri…

“Dad, listen.” Capri reached for her father’s hand. “This isn’t what you think.”

“Gia,” Leo roared. “Get her out of here!”

“No!” Capri stepped back and held my arm.

That’s right, my little minnow. I’ll protect you.

“Let me explain,” she pleaded. “This isn’t on Sebastian.”

“Sebastian?” Leo glared at me. “Is that what you’re going with these days?”

“Capri.” Gia ushered her daughter away without looking at me. “Let’s leave them.”

“I’m not leaving.” Capri jerked out of her mother’s hold and looked at me. “You can’t take the blame for this.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” I said as Atticus and Zeus joined us on the terrace. “Go with your mother so your father and I can talk.”

“Go.” Leo pointed toward the reception area.

Capri ran off. Gia followed after her as some of Leo’s guards came to stand behind him. Where were they when Capri was touring Greece all on her own? Almost getting drugged and raped? If she had security, she wouldn’t have found her way into my club.

Leonardo had no one to blame but himself. If he had kept a better eye on his daughter, both of us would still be living our own lives away from one another. His incompetence put us on a collision course that only one of us was going to survive.

“Leo,” I said. “You probably never expected to see me tonight.”