Penny wrapped herself in the robe she’d found upon waking, when she heard a door open behind her. She turned to see Hermes stepping out of the bathroom, dressed only in a towel wrapped around his lower half. Her womb instantly clenched, desire twisting her stomach into a tight knot. If only she could throw herself into his arms and confess that she loved him. But she couldn’t do that. He’d not married her for love; he’d married her to save her from Zeus’s wrath, and soon he’d cast her aside. Maybe even today.
“Hey, baby. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
When he dropped the towel, she looked away, not wanting to be caught staring at his beautiful body, with which he’d given her so much pleasure only hours earlier.
“You didn’t wake me. It’s time to get ready anyway, I guess.”
“Get ready?”
“Yeah, to go back home, right?”
Hermes pulled his pants up and zipped up. “You can’t go back yet. You’re not out of danger yet. If Zeus found you now, before he’s aware that we’re married, he will hurt you. I can’t risk that. We need to be certain first that Zeus is apprised of the news. I’m going to speak to him later today, but first I need to get down to the ferry.”
“So we’ll leave tonight then?”
He shook his head. “Once I’ve given Zeus the news about us, he’ll need a few days to calm down. In the meantime, I’m afraid you’re stuck down here with me.”
“Oh.” She couldn’t help but notice the flutter in her stomach. There would be more nights like the previous one, more lovemaking, more time with Hermes.
“I hope that’s okay with you,” he said softly, stepping closer as he buttoned his shirt.
“Oh, yes, that’s fine.”
“Besides, I promised to help Hades out with the ferry service until a more permanent solution can be found.” He looked up and smiled at her. “I’m sorry to leave you alone all day, but I promise I’ll be back tonight.”
“You know I’m surprised you guys never built a bridge over the Styx. You wouldn’t need a ferry then.”
Hermes gazed at her in astonishment. “A bridge. By the gods! That’s it!” He pulled her into his arms. “My wife is a genius.”
“And you’ve certainly got plenty of laborers to put to work.”
He grinned. “I think you just singlehandedly solved all my problems.” The gaze he raked over her made heat shoot through her core, liquidizing everything in its path. “And tonight I’ll thank you for it properly.” He tossed a meaningful look at the bed with its tangled sheets.
Before she could reply, his mouth was on hers, searing it with a scorching kiss. A few seconds later, he was gone, leaving her with a throbbing ache between her legs that only he could soothe.
She sighed. How would she ever live without him? With every hour she spent with him, she was getting even more addicted to him, his touch, and his lips.
A ringing sound tore through the silence in the room, and it took her several seconds to realize it was her cell phone, and that the ringtone was her grandmother’s. She found her handbag on the dresser and pulled her phone from it.
“Grams?”
“Oh Penny, thank God you’re answering!”
The panic in her grandmother’s voice made her heart stop for a moment. “What’s wrong?”
“Your father! He’s been hurt. He’s in the hospital. I have to get to him right away. I can’t lose him, Penny. I just got him back in my life.”
Penny’s gut clenched. “Hurt? How?”
“He got hit by a bus. A bus!” Grams started to cry. “The hospital didn’t want to tell me much, but they said to hurry. I’m so scared, Penny. Rose is driving me to the hospital. Please, you need to come.”
“Which hospital?”
“Memorial.”
“I’ll meet you there!”
“Hurry, Penny, hurry.” Then the line went dead.
In a daze, she dressed and rushed to the door. She had to get back to the mortal world no matter what. Hermes had to bring her back to Charleston.
In the hallway, she froze. Hermes’ warning rang in her ears: Zeus will hurt you.
Her mouth opened for a silent cry of desperation. Hermes would never allow her to go to the mortal world, knowing that Zeus could still harm her if he didn’t know yet they were married. And even then, Hermes had claimed his father would need a few more days to calm down. No, Hermes wouldn’t allow her to rush to her father’s sickbed. She had to get out some other way.
As she ran along the dark corridor, she knew there was only one person who could help her now. She found Hades in the dining room, sitting at the long dining table, which was laden with delicacies from around the world. He looked up when she entered.
“Ah, Penny, I didn’t expect you to rise so early. Judging by the grin on my nephew’s face when he left a few minutes ago, he must have exhausted you last night.”
Penny felt heat rise into her cheeks, but didn’t let this distract her from her purpose. “I need to leave. Now. I need to get back to Charleston.”
Hades raised an eyebrow, setting his fork aside. “I had no idea that Hermes was so hapless in bed that you want to leave the minute he’s turned his back.”
“He’s not hapless in bed!” Penny protested before she could make her mouth stop.
The god of the underworld grinned. “Ah! Well, didn’t think so. Then please do explain why you’re wanting to leave when we’ve got no word from Zeus yet that he’s gotten the message.”
“Well, then call him. Doesn’t he have a cell phone?”
Hades rose. “But that would defeat the purpose. It’s going to be much more fun if he stumbles over the truth by himself. No need for me to rub it in. Don’t worry, he’ll find out soon enough. He monitors everything that’s going on.”
“I can’t wait that long! I have to get back now. Please!” Penny shot him a pleading look and wrung her hands. “Please, you’re the only one who can help me. Hermes wouldn’t let me go. Not now. Not while Zeus is still angry. But my father. I have to leave.”
“What about your father?”
“He’s hurt. I have to get to him.”
“Isn’t that the same father who stole the sandal from you, the same who made your entire life a misery?” Hades came closer, clearly intrigued.
Penny cast her eyes to the floor. “Yes. But he’s still my father. I can’t just abandon him. And my grandmother is counting on me. She needs me more than ever now.”
Hades’ hand on her chin made her look up at him. “Then why not tell Hermes and ask him to take you back?”
She shook her head. “He wouldn’t want to risk my safety, not for my father’s sake anyway.” She could imagine how he would react if she asked him. He would be furious about her wanting to risk her life for the very man who’d destroyed her family, who was the reason why her mother had left. He would refuse to lift a finger for her father.
“Well, well. I assume this means you won’t want Hermes to know why you left,” Hades probed.
She looked into his eyes, trying to hold back the tears. “Please help me.”
“We won’t be able to take the ferry across Styx, since Hermes would see us. But there’s a tunnel I use—one that, unfortunately, my dear Persephone has discovered, which is the very reason she can sneak in here unannounced whenever she pleases. But, well, that’s another matter.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
He looked her up and down. “Well, now that you mention it. There is one thing you could do for me.”
Penny’s breath hitched.