Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I blink. “No?”
Meg gives a small smile. “Was that an answer or a question?”
My skin goes hot and tight, but I fight for focus. Honesty is important right now, and I don’t want to promise something that I can’t deliver on. “I’m not sure I can.”
Her dark brows rise. “You’re not sure you can orgasm?”
Is it possible for a person to die of mortification? I fight to keep my spine straight and not melt into my chair. “I can orgasm,” I manage. “I mean I’m not sure I can with another person and in front of an audience.”
Meg tilts her head to the side. “Does being on the stage bother you?”
“Not as much as it probably should.”
She chuckles. “And Aurora?”
I look at the woman in question and, again, answer honestly. “She’s one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen.”
Aurora beams. “Thank you.”
“Do you have any issue with her touching you? Being intimate?”
I should. I really, really should. I have deep feelings for Alaric, and that means I shouldn’t look at this woman and have things low in my stomach clench. I shouldn’t wonder what she tastes like. I lick my lips. “No, I don’t have any issues with that.”
A small, dark part of me doesn’t feel guilty in the least. Alaric has been with countless people before I met him and who knows how many since. I don’t hold that against him. Not really. He’s not indebted to Hades entirely by choice, but before coming to the Underworld, I was under the impression that he’d been pressured into the sex work. After meeting Hercules and brushing against others who work here, I don’t think I can believe that any more. They’re too concerned with consent to force someone to do anything, bargain or no. Even Hades is checking in with me, which boggles the mind.
I wonder what else I was wrong about?
Meg nods. “Up. Let’s see how Hercules did.”
I stand slowly. Aurora moves behind me to help me out of the silk robe. Beneath it, I wear a deceptively complicated lingerie set. Thigh highs and a garter belt. Panties and bra. Even an underbust faux corset. All in a creamy ivory that makes me think this might be something a bride wears on her wedding night.
Meg whistles softly. Hades nods once. “Well done, little Hercules.”
For his part, Hercules is blushing in a really sweet way. He picks up a length of fabric and walks to me. “You’ll start in this.”
I take it from him, and it unfurls into a dress. I raise my brows. “Isn’t this a little redundant? Why not just walk out there naked like you said?”
“I didn’t say you’d walk out there naked. You’ll end up naked.”
Meg moves up and presses a quick kiss to his mouth before turning to me. “It’s about a show, honey. The more we rile the crowd, the more money you walk away with. You start in that sweet little dress, and they’re going to be howling by the time Aurora gets you out of your panties.”
It makes sense when she puts it like that. “Okay.” I step into the dress and pull it up my body. It’s a loose sheath dress that covers me from shoulders to the tops of my knees, but when I eye the fabric, it’s nearly sheer. Depending on how they have the lights on the stage, the audience will be able to catch glimpses of my body through it, even if it hangs loosely around me.
“I’m placing bets on Malone.”
For a second, I think Meg’s talking to me, but she looks at Hades. “She really goes for the innocent thing.”
“So do you.” Hades gives a small smile. “Maybe I’ll bid on her for you, love.”
Meg arches her brows. “You give the best gifts, Hades.”
My jaw drops as he rises and ushers a muttering Hercules out of the room. I turn back to Meg. “Isn’t there some rule against the host bidding?”
“It’s the Underworld. The only real rules here are Hades’s, and he does what he wants.” She shrugs. “Besides, if he wins the bidding, it will reassure Hercules that you aren’t going to be whisked off to be ravaged by someone else for the next seven days. He’s been driving us both up the wall worrying about you.”
Something relaxes in my chest. I don’t know how I feel about being shared amongst three people, but I like Hercules, and neither Meg nor Hades seems that bad. Maybe this really will be okay. “I don’t think I’d complain about being in your bed.”
“Honey, I know you wouldn’t.” She grins. “Let’s go. We’ll be getting started soon.”
I jump when Aurora takes my hand, lacing her fingers through mine. She smiles. “It’s normal to be nervous, but it will be okay. Hades runs a tight ship.”
The walk to the public playroom seems to take no time at all. One moment Aurora is leading me out the door of Hades’s office and the next we’re following Meg into the darkened room. As promised, there’s a stage set up in the middle, complete with lights pointed right at it.