Hades told me he loved me, that he was leaving the business that had caused so much suffering for both of us. It was a relief that he’d made the decision on his own because I never could’ve asked. After everything he had done for me, I would stick by his side no matter what. But he’d made the right choice for our family.
And I didn’t even have to ask.
Now, I wouldn’t have to worry about someone coming after me to get back at him. And I wouldn’t have to worry about someone hurting my baby boy. The best way to disappear from danger was to disappear altogether.
While things had definitely changed, he hadn’t asked me to move in yet.
Things were going so well that I didn’t want to risk our happiness by asking for too much. I wanted to be in my old bed with Hades beside me every night. I wanted to feel safe, knowing he was there to protect me and our son. I wanted to feel the weight of my diamond ring on my left hand every night as I slept.
But I had to keep being patient.
I got Andrew ready before I called Hades.
He answered right away, but he was clearly in a bad mood. “Yeah?”
He hadn’t spoken to me that way in a long time, so I let it slide. “Everything okay?”
“Just a shitty day.”
“I was going to see if we could come over, but I’ll give you your space.” It was another reason why I missed being married, because I couldn’t comfort him when he walked through the door. I couldn’t be a part of his bad days as well as his good days if I had a different address. I had to give him space…even if I didn’t want to. “I’ll talk to you later.”
He didn’t respond. He lingered on the phone but didn’t have anything to say.
“Bye.”
“Baby, I want you to come over. Both of you.”
It’d been so long since he’d last called me baby that it brought tears to my eyes. It was such an affectionate endearment, a warm blanket that wrapped around me so tightly. I preferred it over my real name, at least from his lips. I was glad he couldn’t see me so he wouldn’t have to see how red and puffy my face instantly became. “Good…because being with you is the only place I want to be.” The tears escaped in my voice and made it obvious I was crying.
He paused again. “Bring some extra stuff to leave here this time.”
It was hard to remember what my life was like before Andrew because he was so wonderful. But there was one thing I missed about my previous life, and that was having Hades whenever I wanted.
When I walked through the door, he was shirtless and beautiful, with the scruff around his jaw that I liked. The fire in the fireplace was roaring, so he looked like a sexy man on the cover of a romance book. I wanted to push his sweatpants over his narrow hips and take him then and there.
But I had a baby now.
I set the car seat on the bed then kissed him on the lips. “Hey.”
He slid his hand into my hair then kissed me again, as if that first embrace wasn’t good enough. He kissed me harder and devoured my lips, leaving me breathless before he pulled away. “That’s how I expect you to greet me.”
My hands moved up his chest, and I rested my forehead against his chin. “I’d love to.”
He kissed my forehead before he turned his attention on Andrew. He picked him up out of the car seat and held him with a single arm. “Hey, boy.” He kissed him on the forehead then came back to me.
There was nothing sexier than watching him hold our son like that.
After we talked about Andrew for a little bit, we moved to the couch and sat down. Hades played with Andrew for a while until he got tired. Then he just held him. He seemed to be in a much better mood than he had been on the phone earlier.
“Tell me about your shitty day.”
His body tensed again. “Damien and I butted heads a bit…”
“You always butt heads. Was he upset when you told him you were leaving?”
He continued to watch Andrew. “He seemed to be fine with it. But then he confronted me about our friendship…and shit hit the fan. We ended on bad terms.”
It’d been so long since they’d stopped being friends that I’d given up on them a long time ago. “Hades, this is your last chance to bury the hatchet. I think it’s time you forgive and forget.”
He ignored me like he hadn’t heard what I said.
“You love him. He loves you. You know that.”
Still, no response.
“Something is going to happen one day, and it’ll be too late. I don’t want you to live with that kind of guilt.”
He turned to me, his eyes cold. “I’ve made my decision. Leave it alone.”
I’d tried to talk him out of it many times, but nothing ever stuck. It was time to move on. “Alright.”
He lay in bed beside me, on his back with his powerful chest directed at the ceiling. There was a gleam of sweat on his skin from the workout he’d just performed making love to me. Now, his chest rose and fell quickly as he recovered from his exertion.
I moved on top of him and kissed his chest everywhere, feeling his hard pecs against my soft lips before I felt the valleys between his abs over his stomach. My kisses continued because I couldn’t get enough of this man. I could have him every minute of the day, and it still wouldn’t be enough.
He moved his fingers through my hair as he watched me. “I thought I was doing a good job, but I guess not. You’re never satisfied.”
I looked up and met his gaze. “I’m not unsatisfied. I’m addicted.”
His eyes darkened like he enjoyed that response. “Move in with me.”
The request was so sudden, I didn’t react right away. “Yeah?”
“This is your home.”
I’d wondered if and when he would ask me to marry him again, but I should be grateful he was offering me this. As long as I got to live with him and see him every day, I was okay with never getting married again—even though I wanted it more than anything. “I want nothing more…”
“And bring your mother.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“She told you to give me that awesome blow job. So, I like her a little more.”
I smiled at his playfulness, loving the fact that he was himself again. “You know, you can have one of those every day.”
“I know…but I get distracted by that perfect pussy of yours.”
“Perfect?” I rubbed my palm across his chest. “I had a baby… I doubt it’s perfect anymore.”
“It’s even better now.” He stared at me with a loving gaze. “Knowing you gave me a son is the biggest turn-on ever.” He continued to run his fingers through my hair.
When I’d thought about the women who’d replaced me during our estrangement, it made me so sick. His admission that there had been others made it worse. But now that I had him back and he loved me, I had to force myself to let those thoughts go. None of them mattered…only I did. “You seem to love me, no matter what.”
His eyes grew intense before a slight smile moved across his lips. “You have no idea how true that is…”