Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107826 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107826 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Her lips quirk. “Poor thing.”
I ignore her amusement and continue. “Some nights, he brings in professionals for the shows, but while those are like watching living art, they aren’t my favorites.”
Pandora hesitates, but finally says, “What’s your favorite?”
“Amateur night.” I smile slowly. “Not as perfect a show, but they have so much fun with it, it’s infectious in the best way.” I lean forward until our exhales mingle in the bare space between us. “Tonight is amateur night, Pandora. Are you sure you don’t want to join me? Not to participate. Just to watch.”
I see the exact moment her curiosity gets the best of her. “Fine. Tonight.” She licks her lips, her voice breathy and filled with desire. “But only because I want to see the club.”
I take a slow step back and allow myself to look her up and down the way I’ve wanted to since meeting her. Pandora is one of those people who is beautiful, but for the life of me, I can’t tell how much of it is physical beauty and how much of it is pure presence. Either way, I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted her. “Tonight, then. Your invitation to the lower city will hold.” A favor from Hades, though if he thinks for a moment it will endanger his people, he’ll withdraw both our invitations.
She looks like she wants to say something else, but finally nods. “Okay.”
I let her get her hand on the door before I speak again. “Pandora.” She glances at me, something almost like hope in her dark eyes. “There’s a car waiting for you in the parking garage. Go to the second level. No one will see you leave.”
She hesitates. “Oh. Right. Uh, thanks.”
This time, when she opens the door, I don’t call her back. I allow myself to feel a deep satisfaction that things are going to plan, but only until I get a text from my driver confirming she got to the car. Then I head back into my room to get dressed properly.
It’s time to see my allies.
* * *
My siblings have told me to see to my husband and leave the rest to them, but I am who I am. I won’t interfere with the layers and layers of plots they have going on, but I read the last report Apollo sent.
He might have seen promise in turning Ariadne against her father at the house party, but he hasn’t been able to get close to her since. Her father is actively blocking her access to any of the Thirteen, and that includes Apollo. One could argue that he’s doing what any devoted father would do for his beautiful daughter when faced with the circling sharks of Olympus, but considering he auctioned off a date with her at his party, I’m with Apollo on this. Minos knows she’s a weak spot and he’s trying to keep her locked down.
That’s fine.
Some things just require a softer touch than the Thirteen can manage.
My destination is a little bar right on the edge of the upper warehouse district. It’s far too early for it to be open, but this is one of Dionysus’s personal businesses, so he let me borrow the keys for this meeting. Not even our friendship is enough to get him out of bed before noon.
I’m still turning on the lights when Eurydice slips through the door, followed by her ever-present shadow. I give Charon a long look, but they’re a package deal, and neither of them seem to have much sense of humor when it comes to people asking questions about their relationship.
Eurydice, of course, looks fresh and lovely and like she had a full night of sleep instead of being out all hours of the night at a kink club. She’s also not wearing one of her customary pretty dresses, opting instead for a pair of cutoff shorts that leaves her long legs bare, and a slightly oversized T-shirt.
I barely manage to resist asking if it’s Charon’s. If I do, she might leave in a huff. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.” She walks up to the bar and leans against it, looking around with interest. “Dionysus owns this?”
“You’ve never been?”
“No.” Her mouth twists. “My mother and sisters have strong opinions about what is appropriate entertainment for me, and this hardly qualifies.” She motions at the wallpaper filled with pinups, their mostly bare bodies on display.
I don’t comment on that, though I have my own thoughts on how the Dimitriou women treat Eurydice. No one stays sheltered in Olympus for long, and trying to make that happen does a disservice to the person in question.
Look at what happened with Eurydice’s ex, Orpheus. Or, rather, the stunt my father pulled in order to draw Hades onto the wrong side of the river. She never would have fallen for such a trap if her family didn’t insist on wrapping her in gauze to keep her safe.