Page 52 of Hades’ Revenge

“It’s too late,” I said. “Sebastian tried to tell me to leave the past behind, but I didn’t listen. None of this is on him.”

“Stop defending him.” She glanced around the lobby when she raised her voice, louder than she probably intended. “He’s not the man you think he is. He’s a cold-blooded killer.”

“I guess you would know a little something about falling for a criminal.”

FIFTEEN

Hades

I had waited a long time for this moment. Through the years, the scenario of confronting Leo for placing the blame over what had happened in that church had changed. But the results were always the same. The confrontation ended with Leo losing his life.

“Atticus,” I said. “You can leave us.”

“Are you sure?” He glanced at Leo. “I can stay.”

“That won’t be necessary.” This was something I had to do on my own. “We can be civilized.”

Leo wandered deeper into the suite as I nodded at Atticus to go. My trusted friend obeyed my wishes and closed the door behind him.

“You do realize Atticus will stand on the other side of that door until this conversation is over. If you leave here and I don’t, you won’t get very far,” I said to Leo.

“I didn’t come here to kill you.” He pressed his lips together and tightened his jaw. “Even though I should for what you’ve done to my daughter.”

“I haven’t done anything to her.” That wasn’t exactly true, but her father didn’t need the details. “This isn’t about her.”

“Isn’t it?”

“I didn’t seek her out.”

“What the hell were you thinking?” he shouted. “She’s half your age. Your fucking goddaughter.”

“She hasn’t been that to me in a very long time thanks to you.”

“Why are you here?” The lines in his face were a little deeper than I had realized last night. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in over a day. Knowing your enemy was sleeping with your daughter could cause a major disruption in a person’s life. “Why now?” he asked.

“Maybe it was time.”

“You should have stayed in hiding.”

“I wasn’t hiding.” I shook my head. “I never changed my name, I never stopped making my living the way I always did, and I keep a pretty high profile in Greece.”

When I started over, it wasn’t easy. I looked over my shoulder for a long time, always wondering if and when someone would come for me to avenge Father Santiago. No one ever did.

“You could have come to me any time in these past eighteen years,” I said. “You could have made this right.”

“Why couldn’t you have sent her away when she found you?”

“She didn’t want to go away.” And now I can’t leave her.

Whatever my reasons for being with Capri were didn’t matter. She had managed to sneak her way into my life, insinuating herself in my world, and now she was stuck there. She may have entered Greece as an innocent girl, but as soon as she found me, she was destined to become a pawn in my game of revenge whether I meant for that to happen or not.

“I’m here because I’m not going to allow you to hand Capri over to that family.” All of my muscles tensed at the thought of her being forced into an arranged marriage. Pawn or not, I still needed to protect her. That became my duty when she gave herself to me.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Leo said. “No one asked you to come here and make assumptions.”

“It wasn’t that difficult to figure out.” When I stepped closer to him, he straightened his posture, forming a defensive stance. “You’re in bed with the Lazaro family and you’re sacrificing your daughter in exchange for who knows what.”

“I’m not discussing my business with you, but Capri doesn’t need you to save her.” He glared at me. “I can protect what’s mine.”