I take Psyche home. There’s nothing else to be done tonight, and she looks as rattled as I feel. I honestly expected Zeus to step in. Zeus is—was—a friend. I should have known better than to expect that to mean something in this godsdamned city.
We have laws for a reason, though, and everyone knows what happened the last time a member of the Thirteen turned against another. The last Hades—and his wife—were murdered, leading to thirty years of Olympus assuming that title had disappeared entirely. Those deaths were the reason we have the law against killing one another in the first place. It’s supposed to safeguard both titles and their families.
It’s supposed to mean that if anyone violates it, the full weight of the other members of the Thirteen will come down on them.
Admittedly, that would mean I’d see consequences for my part in my mother’s schemes, but it’s a small price to pay to ensure Psyche stays safe.
Strange how my priorities have shifted so much in such a short time.
I glance over to where my wife is staring out the window with a contemplative look on her face. Or maybe not so strange at all. I’m a selfish bastard. She matters to me, so of course I don’t want her harmed. It’s as simple and complicated as that.
When we make it up to my penthouse, Psyche slows in the entranceway and stares at the statue for a long moment. “My plan might not work. If Zeus and the others admit that Aphrodite did this, then they have to deal with it, and it’s much easier to look the other way.”
I walk up behind her and slip my arms around her waist, gently pulling her back to rest against my chest. “Hades will help you.”
“I know. My sister will ensure that.” She sighs. “But ultimately Hades is one man. Even with my mother involved, that’s two of thirteen. Those aren’t winning odds, no matter which way you look at it.”
She’s right. I close my eyes and inhale her cookie scent. We have to make this work. My mother is smart and savvy and ambitious, but when she has her sights set on someone, she becomes obsessed to the point where she sees nothing else. She will back down if we can get enough members of the Thirteen in our corner. I believe that. I have to believe that. But… “If our plan fails, I’ll take care of it.” No matter what means are necessary. I don’t want to. Fuck, I don’t want it to get to that point, but I won’t let her hurt Psyche. That is my line in the sand, the one I will not cross, no matter who else pays the price. Even if it means I pay the price.
Psyche turns in my arms and clenches my shirt in her fists. “No, Eros. I won’t let you do that. Not even if it means my life.”
She’s serious. Her sincerity is written there on her pretty face. Gods, this woman kills me. I pull her closer, as if the press of her body against mine is enough to banish my dark thoughts. It doesn’t work. Of course it doesn’t work. I let out a bitter laugh. “I lose regardless.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you figured it out, Psyche? I care about you. Losing you will hurt me.”
She shakes her head. “You’re just saying that.”
“No, I’m not.” I take a slow breath and rest my forehead against hers. “When I’m with you, I feel human. I flat out fucking feel. Do you understand what that means for a person like me? I thought those parts were dead and buried so deep that they’d never see light again. I had to cut them down in order to continue to do the things required of me.”
“Eros…”
But I’m not done. “Even with that, I don’t know if I’m really capable of love, not in the way a normal person is. It doesn’t matter. I care about you, and no amount of rationalizing that away is going to change the truth of it. So don’t bother.”
She lets out a little sound that might be a laugh—or possibly a sob. “We’re such a mess.”
“I think that goes without saying.” I run my hand up her back. “I promised to keep you safe, and that’s what I intend to do.”
“What about you?”
I blink. “What do you mean, what about me?”
She leans back enough to look up at me. “Who’s keeping you safe, Eros?”
“I don’t understand the question.”
She makes that strange little sound again. Now that I can see her face, I recognize it as a laugh. “No, you wouldn’t, would you? You’re so willing to cut your heart out to keep me safe, it never occurred to you that I’d feel the same way.” She tugs on my shirt. “I won’t let you bear the cost of hurting your own mother. We’ll find another way.”
“There might not be another way.” It pains me to admit as much. This situation would be so much simpler if I truly had no heart to cut out, if I were as without feeling as my mother aspired to make me. “I don’t want to argue. I’m stating facts.”
Psyche’s lips curve, but her eyes stay troubled. “So am I. I won’t let you bear that burden. Not for me. Not for anyone. We’ll find another way.”
We could go round and round like this a thousand times, and it won’t change the facts. I give Psyche a squeeze. “You should eat.”
She makes a face. “That was a very artless change of subject.”
“Nothing will be decided until tomorrow at the earliest, and you missed at least one meal today.” Something I should have paid attention to, but there’s been so much going on, I’m dropping balls. Even ones I can’t afford to, like ensuring Psyche is taken care of. She’s already proven herself to be driven and relentless when it comes to ensuring she lands on her feet. It’s an asset, but it also means she’s ignoring what she views as smaller needs while focused on the larger ones. “Come on.”
I take her hand, enjoying the way she lets me. It’s easier to focus on that point of contact, on measuring the steps it takes to bring us into the kitchen, than it is to circle back to what she said earlier.
She cares about me.
She cares if I’m harmed, even by my own actions.
I don’t know what to do with that. Part of me wants to crow my victory to the heavens, and the rest just muddles over what the fuck she even means. I am not someone who needs to be protected. I am the knife in the dark, the threat ready to be leveled at any enemy that arises. What the fuck do I need a shield for?
Except that’s what Psyche is offering, in her way. Perhaps not a shield; a better description of what she’s offering me is a safe place to land. Both ideas are as foreign to me as sprouting wings from my back and taking flight.
“Sandwich?”
“Sure.”
I get to work putting one together for each of us as she watches me. It strikes me all over again how easy it is to be with Psyche. Even when we’re pushing at each other or fucking until I can’t think straight, we’ve slid into each other’s lives nearly seamlessly. It’s a gift I never thought to expect. It makes me…want things. Things I was certain weren’t for me.
Like children. “Did you mean it when you said you wanted kids, Psyche?”
She jolts. “What?”
I cut her sandwich in half and slide her plate across the counter to her. “It’s a simple enough question.”
“I…” She looks at her plate and then looks at me. “Yeah. I did. It wasn’t just a ploy to make you empathize with me. I really do want a family.”
A month ago, I would have laughed anyone out of the room if they suggested I might actually want the same. But ever since our conversation with Zeus, I haven’t been able to get the image of that kind of future with Psyche out of my head. I want it all. It doesn’t matter if she deserves better than me. No other partner is going to readily burn down the fucking world for her the way I will. I don’t know if I’d be a good dad—it’s not like I have anything resembling a role model for that—but I think we could muddle through parenting. Together.
I know better than to tell her where my head’s at right now. We have a giant hurdle to get over before we can talk about anything resembling the future. Even then, if we successfully remove the threat my mother poses, that also removes any reason we have to be married to each other. I won’t be able to make her stay; even I’m not ruthless enough to force her into forever if she wants her freedom.
Uncomfortable, desperate thoughts.
What the fuck am I going to do?
We finish eating in silence. What else is there to say? I simultaneously want to tether her to me forever and stay quiet to avoid saying something that neither of us can take back. Admitting to caring is one thing. Telling her the truth rumbling inside me is out of the question. I can barely admit it to myself.
I love her.
I try the words out as we brush our teeth, a slice of domesticity that must be so mundane for everyday couples but that I want to encase forever in my memory because this, too, is irreplaceable. All these little moments with her are new and novel, and if something happens to her or this blows up in my face, I’ll have to sell this fucking penthouse and move away because Psyche’s managed to imprint herself on every bit of space in the short time we’ve been together.
I’ll never be able to sleep in my bed remembering all the pleasure we’ve dealt each other there. Never cook in my kitchen without replaying every word of every conversation we’ve had there. And the foyer? Forget about it.
She hasn’t even had a chance to add items to the main space the way she plans. I won’t be able to live here wondering what changes she would have made if given enough time. It will kill me.
“Eros.”
I realize I’ve been staring at myself in the mirror far too long and shake my head. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
No. Not even a little bit. I turn to her. It would be so simple to kiss her and do away with the need for any more words tonight. I know her body offers salvation that I can find nowhere else. But we’ve moved beyond just fucking, and I think we both know it. “Psyche.”
She twists her hair around one finger, her brows pulling together into a frown. “Yes?”
“I…” Fuck, why is this so hard? I clear my throat and try again. “I need you tonight.”
Her expression softens. “Okay.”
That nearly makes me laugh; I would if there was enough air in this room to fill my lungs. “You’re not going to ask me what I need from you before agreeing?”
“No.” She gives a small smile. “Why? Should I be terrified?”
If she knew what was going on in my head, the way I want to tie her to me in every way possible, she might be. I rub the back of my hand over my chest. “I…want to hold you tonight.”
That seems to surprise her. “Hold me? I thought for sure you were about to propose some freaky sex stuff.”
“Maybe later.” I should. She’s already admitted that she can’t separate sex and emotional attachment, so seducing her is the surefire way to ensure she falls for me just as hard as I’ve fallen for her.
Tonight, though, it’s not what I need. I need her body next to mine, the press of her against me, while I lie there and measure her steady breathing. I just need to fucking hold her. I look away, flushing despite my best efforts. “It’s fine. Forget it.”
“No.” Her voice goes quiet. “No, I’m sorry. That was an asshole response.” She steps close and slides her arms around me. It’s criminal how perfectly Psyche fits against me. How am I supposed to move on with my life after knowing there’s a person who’s the other half of my puzzle? Damn it, I’m a mess right now.
She squeezes me. “With clothes or without?”
“Without.”
Psyche laughs a little. “Okay. Come on.” She releases me and walks out of the bathroom, leaving me to trail behind her. I do without hesitation, and as a result, I’m treated to the sight of my wife stripping as she walks toward our bed. She shoots me a look over her shoulder. “You were staring at my ass, weren’t you?”
“Can you blame me? You have an excellent ass.” Big and bitable.
“I know.” She slides between the blankets and scoots over, making room for me.
I strip quickly and join her. The sheets are cool, and Psyche wastes no time plastering herself to me and pressing her nose to my neck. “You keep this place way too cold.”
I settle onto my back with her draped half across my chest. This. This is what I need. I can feel her heartbeat through my ribs, her soft exhales against my skin. A reminder that she’s here, she’s safe, and she’ll stay that way through the night.
She twines her legs around mine and snuggles closer. “Eros?”
“Yeah?” I sift my fingers through her hair, enjoying the weight of it against my palm.
“I meant what I said. I won’t let it get to the point where you have to make that choice—the one between me and your mother. There’s a solution here. I just need time to figure it out.”
I close my eyes, letting the soft weight of her against me lull my racing thoughts to a standstill. “If anyone can find a way through, you can.”
“Just…trust me, okay?”
“I do.” It’s even the truth. We don’t have enough time, enough space, to come up with a better plan than we already have, but all of it hinges on Demeter getting us a meeting with Poseidon. “Sleep now.”
“I will.” She squeezes me tight. “We’ll figure this out together. I promise.”
As sleep rises up and takes me, I almost believe her.
