Page 18 of Flowers Near Me

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE OFFER SHE CAN’T ACCEPT

PERSEPHONE

A fter the impromptu meeting with Zeus and her mom, Persephone and Hades returned to their shared apartment. When they landed in the main space, instead of setting her on her feet, he carried her to a plush chair.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, kneeling next to her.

Giddy. She was reeling from him sweeping her up and portal-ing her in a way that kept her from becoming ill. Why did he care if she got sick from the portal? Although her mom was never harsh, even she didn’t slow her portal speed, no matter how much Persephone and Laura wobbled after the trip.

“Fine,” she replied, unable to look him in the eye.

He must’ve noticed her hesitation as with a gentle touch, he turned her chin. It was impossible not to be captivated by the striking god with silvery eyes and a face so dangerously magnificent that only the Fates could’ve made it.

Smiling, Hades stood up and made his way to the kitchen. “Would you like a fresh cup of coffee?”

“Yes, thank you.” Once her nerves settled, she got up from the chair and pulled out her phone.

Her thoughts turned back to the meeting and her mom. Was her mom’s silence from the past few weeks because she thought she’d get her released from the contract soon? Or was her mom still angry with her? Zeus upheld the agreement so there wasn’t much else anyone could do. Would her mom now accept the situation and communicate with her daughter again? Persephone hoped so.

What about Hermes? Did the messenger of the gods have a better life than an executive assistant? How would her mom react to that news? Again, if Zeus commanded it, you’d better obey or be prepared for a torturous fate meted out by her roommate.

She didn’t remember sitting on the stool at the kitchen counter, but she knew Hades had been standing still with one arm holding his middle and a hand on his mouth for a few silent minutes.

“So… uh. Teppanyaki at two, right?” Persephone asked.

Hades made an affirmative sound from the back of his throat and kept his eyes fixed on the ground where a pacing Cerberus meandered near his feet.

“Everything alright?”

Hades looked up at Persephone. “Yes. Just thinking.”

She cocked her head. “About what?”

With a tempered smile, Hades replied, “I don’t know.”

Now her mouth quirked. “Don’t know? Or don’t want to say?”

“A bit of both.”

Sprawled on the floor, Cerberus released a low whine then plopped his chin on Hades’ shoe.

She knew better than to push a god to open up, even if she was curious about his silence. He wasn’t usually one to hold back. “Well, I’ll leave you to your thoughts. How soon do I need to be ready? I might go to the track if there’s enough time before we leave.”

Seeing her mom after weeks of silence had given her enough mental fodder to last a full workout. The strange mix of incensed care and unnerving frustration from Demeter during the meeting in Zeus’ office scrambled her mind. Still, buried deep inside her was the fact that she knew her mom loved her. Just because her actions or inaction didn’t make sense, it didn’t mean that she’d abandoned Persephone.

“Care if I join you?” Hades asked. A mischievous smirk lit his face, eliciting a smile from her.

“It’s your gym.” She wanted time to process the interaction with her mom, but having a bit of a distraction wasn’t a bad thing. The meeting in Zeus’ office was a lot to take in and perhaps Hades could offer some insight.

Curious, she opened the Demeter’s Bounty app on her phone and breathed a sigh of relief. The grocery delivery option had been restored.

Typically, when Persephone visited the gym, she’d spend most of her time running the clay track with Hades. Occasionally, she’d lift free weights or stretch in the sauna—alone. But after the way Hades unapologetically hoarded her in front of Zeus and her mom, she couldn’t help feeling shy. No one had ever expressed a desire for her the way he did.

She lingered by the bench taking far more time than ever before to stretch and tighten her shoes’ laces to the optimal tension. He was clearly tied up in his own head. After she’d changed into her tank top and shorts to head down to the gym with him, he’d barely looked her way.

After a long, silent stretching session, they jogged the track together, Hades in the outer lane next to her. Did she always pant like this when she ran? Her breath sounded louder than the blood rushing in her head and she felt strangely self-conscious about it.

She assumed Hades would grow bored with her slower pace and would speed off on his own. When he didn’t do that for ten minutes, she felt bad. In a strained voice, she said, “Don’t hold back on my account. My legs are shorter than yours.”

Hades turned towards her, his breathing steady and slow. “Nonsense. I asked to join you. This is perfect.”

She huffed in between breaths. “I doubt it but alright.”

Picking up her pace, her muscles eased into the movement and steps became lighter despite the effort.

“What’ll happen to Hermes now that he’s working for your brother?”

Hades kept his face forward. “He’ll be paid more, I’m sure. And he’ll be much busier than he was as your assistant.”

“I figured as much.” Would Hermes prefer Zeus to her as a boss? A small pinch of worry hit her gut.

He gave her an inquisitive look. “He’ll be well taken care of if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Trying to stifle her heavy breathing, she nodded. “Glad to hear that. He’s a good person.”

Hades slowed to a walk and Persephone stopped a few steps ahead and turned back to face him. “Everything alright?”

He approached her and gestured for her to continue walking with him. “Was it hard to see your mom?”

They’d spoken little of her mom since she’d lived with him even though the goddess remained on Persephone’s mind. Would confessing her frustrations add to the betrayal her mom may have felt? Did it matter given that there were still four more months of contractual obligations, and the next events were public ones where Demeter would see her daughter flirting with her enemy? Perhaps one god could give insight on another’s way of thinking.

She kept her eyes forward and rolled her shoulders. “It’s the first time I’ve seen her since… well…” She waved her hands between them. “All of this.”

His voice lowered. “I know.”

Of course he did. Persephone was in his domain. The god probably knew whenever she sneezed and how much of his air she took with each breath.

“Do you wish to change the contract?” he asked.

Her steps faltered but she righted herself without stumbling. Why would he ask that?

“If you were me, what would you change?” she asked.

He turned to look at her, still keeping in step as they walked. “I’m too biased to give a fair answer.”

She huffed. “Humor me. What would you change?” She kept her tone light despite the dryness in her throat.

“I’d remove the end date and have you join the executive team.” A smile snaked its way up his stubbled face, making his eyes sharper. “Would you like to bargain for different terms?”

How could one construct a counter bargain so clever that even the God of the Underworld couldn’t entrap you further? It wasn’t possible for her to get out of her contract without breaking it.

“What kind of bargain?” She sounded so confident, but his self-satisfied expression made her heart stop.

One brow quirked, Hades replied, “One that would guarantee an elevated position within the elite in Olympus.”

She shivered as the air grew colder and her sweat clung to her skin like ice. “Why? I liked my job at DB. I’m worried I won’t be able to get it back after working for you.” Could she ever become Demeter Bounty’s president now?

He sneered but remained handsomely sharp. “Why would you want to go back to your old job?”

Because it was mine.

Sure, her mom had gotten her the first interview but every advancement after was hers and hers alone. Most of her coworkers had all but forgotten Demeter had recommended her all those years ago, until her mom announced Persephone as her daughter. Still, it was Persephone who oversaw the most recent grocery delivery launch with the logistical, technical, and promotional departments she hired and directed. For the most part, her mom was hands off with day-to-day operations.

Persephone swept her gaze around the pine rafters high above them in the gym. “Hades.” His face flushed at the mention of his name from her lips. “Imagine losing all of this in one day.”

As his eyes softened, he tilted his head and stared back, still in step with her. “Sephy, what did you truly own back in Demeter’s Bounty? Because from what I’ve seen, you worked and your mom enjoyed the spoils of your labor.”

Her skin prickled with unease. He had no right to criticize her mom that way, so why did it feel true? Why did it sound so empowering?

She tried to shake off her conflicted emotions. “I had a whole branch of the company at my disposal and a department I built myself. It’s not a massive empire like yours but it was something I created. It was my responsibility even if it was under the ownership of my mom. She protected my interests and invested in my people. I know you each have your reasons for hating the other, but that doesn’t change that she’s successful in her own right.”

Hades stopped to turn towards her. His warm fingers wrapped around the tops of her shoulders, halting Persephone. A chill swept through the air and the scent of cedar overpowered the salty sweat on her face.

He leaned closer without towering over her. “She protected her assets, of which you are the greatest one. But you’ve been under her thumb this whole time. What if you owned your own company without any other oversight? How would that compare to your division under your mom’s dominion?”

Sighing, she replied, “Of course that sounds promising, but I don’t know if I want my own enterprise. I was excited to run my mom’s business.” To be fair, Persephone hadn’t imagined any other option. Why would she branch out on her own when she had access to her mom’s vast agricultural resources?

Hades released a slow breath and ran his fingertips down the length of her arms. Scooping her hands into his, he raised them to his mouth and put a gentle kiss on the back of each one. “You should be partners with me. Consider it, love. You could have whatever you wanted with Underworld Unlimited.”

Persephone’s head started to spin. What was he offering? What trap had he laid that he now lured her into? The scent of his power warmed her from the inside even as the air around her grew colder. This was the exact type of career decision that she’d normally go and consult with her mom about. She’d never gone this long without her mom’s input before. Now there was an ache in her chest at the realization she’d been without her greatest ally.

He continued, “What if you were Underworld Unlimited’s CEO?”

A bucket of freezing water would’ve been more subtle. Her mouth dropped open. “ What? ”

Releasing one of her hands, he brushed his knuckles over the apple of her cheek. “I could step down and become president or join the board. You’d gain everything I have and could launch whatever venture you wanted. You’d never need your old job.”

She stepped back and gave an awkward chuckle. “Why are you joking about this?” Crossing her arms, she conjured whatever power she might have inside her chest and was pleasantly surprised by the potency of jasmine and vanilla that filled the space.

He shook his head. “No tricks here. I’m asking you to run Underworld Unlimited and hoping you’ll agree. Sephy, I think we’d make excellent partners and it’d benefit us both. Now that everyone in Olympus already knows who you are, and that you’re a part of my team, what’s the harm? I doubt your mom would step down and let you take over even if it’s in the best interest of Demeter’s Bounty.”

Persephone laughed and stared off towards the other end of the track. His proposal was ridiculous. Clearly, he wasn’t thinking straight. Plus, why would her mom give away her company when the food empire dominated the market? Why build something so grand and toss it away? Not that Persephone couldn’t be trusted with it, but her mom was a powerful goddess. Relinquishing her thriving empire to her inexperienced daughter would spell disaster. Persephone had decades to go before she could come close to her mom’s abilities. Even then, it wouldn’t be enough.

Returning his gaze, she said, “You’re the one I should trust the least. And you have ulterior motives—you’ve already entrapped me with your questionable legal maneuverings. On what planet would joining your team permanently make sense for my self-interests? And CEO? Hades, this doesn’t make sense.” It was absurd.

He sighed and smirked. “I’ll take this as a ‘no’ for now.” Closing the distance between them, he twirled a section of her hair that had slipped from her headband. “But I won’t stop asking. Not until I die and since I’m immortal, well…”

Her hand flew up and gripped his as it hovered by her face. “I’ll keep saying no, so I’d suggest you let it go.” With a step back, she continued, “Now come on, we haven’t really exercised, and you’ve added to my stress.”

She sprinted off at a speed she couldn’t keep up for long.