Page 347 of The First Taste

I move toward the front door again, only to be brought up short by his voice. “Give me a second. I’m going with ye.”

Feeling for all the world like a brooding, mopey teen, I stomp out the front door. The heat is immediate, pressing in on me, making me wish that the lovely air conditioning from the last house came with me. The sun beats down on me mercilessly.

Still, that doesn’t hold me back as I stalk out onto the broad white sand circle that is the driveway. I take a beat, then head straight down toward the shore. The white sand beach is still here but this one is different from the other. More rocks jut from between the dunes.

Sand and rocks fall in clumps as I go down a steep slope, crumbling and falling to the bottom on the rocky ground at the bottom. I get to the place where the ground begins to flatten out and the sand stretches before me, the aquiline sea beckoning to me. I hear crumbling just behind me and turn to see Hades making his way down the steep hill.

He wears thick black boots on both feet and a look of something like derision on his handsome face. “I told ye to wait for me.”

I toss a scoff over my shoulder. “You’ve already trapped me on your private island. You don’t get to set any more rules for me unless you plan on tying me to my bed.”

His brows lift. “Oh, lass. Ye dinnae want to be putting ideas in my head like that unless ye would actually like me to tie ye up…”

My cheeks go red, and I jerk my eyes away from his, scowling. “Fuck off.”

I set off at a lope, trying to ignore the feel of the desert island sun on my skin. I’m also not entirely sure that the interaction Hades and I just had could not be counted as… well, flirtation. I mean, Hades is twisted and cruel. And his intentions are surely the worst.

But that doesn’t mean my mind doesn’t flit to me on a bed, bound and gasping while Hades hovers over me, his eyes burning with malevolent intent. And it definitely doesn’t stop a small throb of need from beginning somewhere low in my body.

I grit my teeth and run to the water, stopping just short of plunging myself in. Why do I find guys like Hades so fucking sexy? They do such dirty rotten things to me, after all.

The surf crashes, the water rushing up toward me, fanning out until it just kisses the tips of my sneaker-clad feet.

Hades strolls up and stops beside me. I cast a glance over at him, frowning. He is exactly my type, tall and broad shouldered, mean as the day is long. His lips are set in a grim line. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t share the reasons why he is so cruel.

Yep, I want him. I hate myself for being so weak but that doesn’t stop the fact that I’m attracted to him.

He cocks a brow at me. “Is this as far as we go?”

Making a disgusted sound, I turn and trot along the shore. Hades keeps pace with me without so much as breaking a sweat. The heat begins to set in as my body works beneath my hooded sweatshirt and jeans. I can feel perspiration beginning to stick the sweatshirt to my skin at the lower back and underarms.

Christ, it’s hot. I slow my pace to a walk and ignore the way that Hades does the same. He keeps looking at me, making me blush even though I’m not exactly sure why.

“Could you stop?” I ask, aggrieved.

His eyes narrow. “Stop what?”

I stop, spearing him with my gaze. “Stop following me. Stop looking at me. Just stop everything.”

An amused look crosses his features. “I dinnae think so, lass.”

“Stop calling me lass, too.” I cross my arms. “I am never going to understand why you’re just keeping me here.”

Hades sucks in a deep breath. “I already told ye why.”

My mouth turns down and I shake my head. “I want to leave, Hades.”

“We will leave, Persephone. As soon as we have the materials ye need and a place for ye to start working.”

I push my cheek out with my tongue. “I hate you.”

He opens his mouth, a retort apparently ready. But I start off again, running this time. I don’t harbor any illusions about outrunning him. I know that he barely has to trot to keep up with my much shorter stride.

I drop my gaze, keeping an eye on where I step. The sand shifts beneath each step. It’s tricky and a misplaced foot could become a turned ankle without a second thought. I puff out my cheeks, my heart rate rising. I have to work to control my breathing and keep watch of where I step.

For a good fifteen minutes, I run unchecked along the beach. There is no one else in sight, no one but me and Hades.

My left hand starts tingling and bothering me. I flex my left hand and grow aware of how much harder my left foot and the entire left side of my body are working to keep up with the pace I have set.