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He looked at her for a moment and then leaned over her, lips hovering over hers. He should kiss her.He hadn’t since they’d come home, but he refrained and instead caressed her cheek.

“I am well,” he said, but his eyes were trained on her lips. He wanted to kiss her, and it was probably ridiculous that he refused, but he felt so on edge, so out of control—what if she couldn’t handle that? He pulled away and noted the hurt that flashed in Persephone’s eyes. “Sleep. I will be here when you wake.”

“What if I don’t want to sleep?”

She followed him, rising onto her knees and straddling him, nestling against his arousal. He took in a sharp breath, his fingers digging into her skin as he kept her still, unable to handle the movement of her body against his.

“What’s wrong? You did not kiss me earlier and you will not lie with me now,” she said, searching his eyes. Her arms tightened around him. It was like she was trying to remind him she was here and present, though he was well aware.

“I cannot sleep because I cannot stop my mind.”

“I can help you,” she said.

She could distract him to be sure, but the thoughts would still be there in the aftermath.

“And…why won’t you kiss me?”

He swallowed, dropping his gaze for a moment as he found the words to explain.

“Because there is rage inside my body, and to indulge in you…well, I am not certain what kind of release I would find.”

“Are you angry with me?”

“No,” he said quickly. “But I am afraid that I have agreed to something that will only hurt you, and already I cannot forgive myself.”

“Hades.”

She whispered his name and took his face between her hands, eyes searching. He wanted to demand to know what she was looking for so he could tell her that she would never find it, but he knew he was just being difficult and that she would not believe him anyway.

Her mouth hovered over his, her touch like fire against his skin, the slight movement of her body against his driving him mad. He was on the edge, losing his grip on control, but he thought of his conversation with Hecate and considered that perhaps he did not need control here.

In this space, he could exist authentically, and Persephone…she would take it.

As if she knew his thoughts, she whispered to him, her breath caressing his lips.

“Indulge in me. I can handle you.”

It was the permission he needed.

He kissed her, widening his mouth against hers as his tongue moved against hers. He groaned, his fingers tightening in her hair.

Fuck, she was sweet.

She preened in his arms, pressing into him, opening wider to receive him. Even her legs moved farther apart, his cock tucked between them, rubbing against her bare, slick heat.

“Fuck,” he breathed as he broke from her mouth, drawing her shirt over her head. Naked, he let his hands skim over her body and came back to her breasts, which he held in each hand and lavished with his tongue. He liked the way she moved against him ashe took each nipple into his mouth, how she held his head in place until she was ready for him to move on to the next.

With his mouth occupied, he let his hand dive between her legs, fingers teasing her opening. She was so fucking wet. He drew his finger along her opening, using the wetness to stimulate her clit.

He looked up at her just as she threw her head back to moan. Hades kissed her throat, then sucked her skin into his mouth, eliciting a louder cry.

He liked it, wanted more of it.

“Fuck,” she breathed as he slid his fingers inside her, stroking her into a frenzy until all she could do was hold on to him as he worked.

“Please,” she begged, the word a broken cry.

“Please what?”