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Their mouths met in a messy kiss. Hades hooked Persephone’s leg around his own and used his feet for purchase, increasing his pace. His hand came to rest on her neck, fingers gripping her jaw to hold her in place. He did not want her to look away as he finished this. They ceased to speak, only managing gasps and moans and the occasionalfuckwhispered viciously into the space between them, which hardly had room for anything else.

He knew when Persephone was close. He could feel it in the way she gripped him, the way her body began to shudder. He grit his teeth, keeping his pace as she shattered in his arms, and he followed soon after. His release was draining and never ending, but he stayed buried inside her, coming deep.

It was a possessive thing, but he felt like it markedher as his, and when he would think about it throughout the day, it was one of few things that brought him true joy.

They lay locked together until they could catch their breath, at which point Hades pressed gentle kisses across her skin, pausing to meet her gaze.

“Are you well?”

Persephone nodded, her face glistening with sweat. She seemed distracted, but he knew she was tired. He could feel it in her body, which had become limp and heavy.

“Yes.”

He smiled, a strange relief washing over him. He had always felt it, a moment of fear after having sex with her that he might have gone too far, but with the knowledge of Pirithous looming in the back of his mind, his unease had only grown.

And he hated that he had forgotten, having found himself so caught up in the moment of giving and receiving pleasure.

What if he fucked up and things were never the same again?

Those thoughts stole his high, and he pulled out of Persephone carefully, rolling onto his back. He stared at the ceiling, one hand on his stomach. Beside him, he could feel Persephone watching, and he knew she had something to say as he prepared himself for the worst.

“Has Zeus approved of our marriage?”

That was not what he had expected, and while not as bad as he’d feared, it was still something he was not prepared to talk to her about. In fact, he’d hoped to avoid this altogether. It was not something he wantedher to fixate on or fear so much that she decided not to marry him.

He didn’t like the way that last thought made him feel. Like his heart was being torn from his chest.

After a moment, he spoke. “He is aware of our engagement.”

“That is not what I asked.”

He knew it wasn’t, but it was the only answer he wanted to give. He met her gaze, which was steady and dark. She’d lost that bright gleam that had come with her lust. He wanted that back so he did not have to face this.

“He will not deny me.”

“But he has not given you his blessing?”

He hated the frustration he felt at her insistence. Who had planted this in her head?

Hecate, if he had to guess.

His mood grew darker.

“No.”

He did not like the silence that descended after his answer. He knew she was not pleased with him. Suddenly, he thought about the feeling he’d had after sex. Perhaps he’d been dreading this—having to explain what it really took to marry a god.

“When were you going to tell me?” Though her voice was quiet, he could sense her frustration, but he was frustrated too. This had not been a conversation for anyone else but them, and he should have been given the chance to bring it up on his own.

If given that chance, you’d have never done it, you imbecile.He ground his teeth against Hecate’s voice in his head.

Don’t you ever fucking leave?he thought.

No, she responded, and her trill laughter echoed in his mind.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “When I had no other choice.”

“Thatis more than obvious,” Persephone said, annoyed.