Page 93 of Hades’ Revenge

“He’ll be fine.” My mom put her arm around me. “You should be proud of yourself that you thought to bring him here.”

I nodded at my dad. “Despite everything, I knew you would help.”

“You can always come to me,” he said. “But now I need to call in a favor at the blood bank.”

“You have a contact at the blood bank?” I asked.

“Your father has contacts everywhere.” Sebastian came down the steps. “He always has.”

“I’ll make coffee.” My mom motioned down the hall to the kitchen. “It’s probably going to be a long night.”

Sebastian smiled at her before she made herself scarce. This situation had to be awkward for all of them. I wanted to crawl under my bed and wait out the storm like I used to do when I was a kid.

“Leo,” Sebastian said. “Thank you.”

“Thank my daughter.” My dad headed down the hall to his study, leaving the two of us alone.

“He might not ever come around when it comes to us,” I said. “But he came through tonight.”

“That’s all that matters,” Sebastian said. “Atticus is going to recover. Zeus is going to sit with him.”

“I’m so happy Atticus is okay.” I stretched up on my toes and kissed his cheek, trying to soften his scary scowl. “How are you? This has to be difficult for you. I know how close you and Atticus are.”

“I’d feel much better if my friend wasn’t nursing a bullet wound because of me.”

“You can’t blame yourself.” I wanted to make this right for him. He didn’t deserve to shoulder the weight of what happened tonight all by himself.

“I can.” He slid his fingers under the strap that had fallen down my shoulder. “Why do these always fall?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “But I like when you fix it.”

“It happened the night we first met.”

“I froze when you touched me, but I liked your attention.” All I wanted to do that night was figure out how I could see him again.

“I didn’t want to stop touching you.” He leaned down and kissed me. “I still don’t.”

“You never have to stop touching me.” I spoke against his lips as he deepened the kiss.

When we were together, focused on one another and creating a connection, everything else dissolved. Sebastian was my first, and as far as I was concerned, he’d be my only.

“We should think about our surroundings.” He smirked. “As tempted as I am right now.”

“Come on.” I took his hand and led him up the steps.

“Where are we going?” he asked as he followed me.

“Somewhere a little more private.” I glanced over my shoulder. “In case we want to do more than kiss.”

“I’m starting to think you’re no longer my little minnow.”

“I’m not?” I opened my bedroom door and led him inside before shutting and locking it. “That’s disappointing.”

“Don’t be disappointed.” He brought my hand to his lips. “I’m upgrading you to my little shark.”

“Really?” I slipped off my flip-flops. “How come?”

“You’re coming into your own.” He kissed my knuckles. “You took control tonight during a hectic situation. You knew what had to be done, and you did it. You got Atticus the help he needed.”