Page 79 of Brutal Mercy

“It means I love you, my dark moon goddess.”

He loves me. My heart bursts open in a cacophony of joy. And then I’m coming, screaming. My climax shatters me open, and I’m crying tears of happiness. Because I found the one soul who completes mine.

“I love you.” He groans and follows me over, filling me with his cum.

And then he carries me to bed, still hard inside me. He lets his pants fall as we walk. And then he’s following me down onto the mattress, practically ripping his shirt off. I’m no better as I yank my dress off over my head.

But he’s on me, thrusting inside me. Driving my body back toward ecstasy. I don’t ask how because I know it’s just us. We’re combustible. And with our newfound love, I don’t see either of us stopping until we get word about my sister.

Chapter twenty-two

Luna

OneminuteI’msoundasleep, cuddled against Hades’s chest. In the next, an explosion rattles the compound. We bolt up in bed. A second explosion booms. This one is even closer and makes the house tremble.

“Fuck, we’re under attack. Get up. We’ve got to move.” Hades rises from bed and rushes naked into the closet.

With fear gripping me by the throat, I follow him. The pop of gunfire erupts outside the windows. And I’m thankful our room is two stories up. In the closet, I grab jeans and a long-sleeved top, shoving them on, not bothering with a bra or panties. But I do put socks on before I grab a pair of combat boots. They’re one of the purchases I made with Athena that day. We added them to the cart because we thought they’d look cute.

Once he’s dressed, Hades opens a vault and starts pulling out guns and ammo. He looks at me over his shoulder. “I need to get you to safety.”

“Go. I’ll be fine.” I want to pee in my pants. I’m fucking terrified. But I won’t tell him that. He doesn’t need anything to distract him. Or he’ll get himself killed. And I can’t lose him.

“Like hell you will. There’s a panic room in my office down the hall. I’ll drop you off there on my way down.”

I know where his office is. I remember his office quite fondly. “I can reach it on my own. You’re needed elsewhere.”

He looks at me, then pulls out another handgun. He snaps a clip into it and chambers a round before turning my way. “Have you ever shot one of these before?”

My parents were pacifists. They wanted nothing to do with guns. And the irony that they were gunned down by one just the same isn’t lost on me. “No. But you just point and shoot, right?”

He stares intently, weighing the risk of giving it to me versus not. “Yes. Remind me once we make it through this to give you lessons.”

And he gives me a three-second lesson, showing me how to remove the empty clip and replace it with another. He grabs two more loaded clips and has me shove them in my pockets. He’s got a shoulder holster loaded with two and another one on his belt.

But then he finally hands the Glock over, and I take it from him. He leans down and kisses me. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Please don’t die.”

“Not a chance you’re getting rid of me this easily.” He flashes a sexy smile I feel down to my damn toes. This is not the time to feel horny. “Get to the safe room. The code is nine-two-one-two-zero-two-three.”

“Why does that feel familiar?”

“Because it’s our wedding day.”

Oh god, this man! He is everything to me. I go up on my toes and kiss him. And he kisses me back like we might never see each other again.

But the sound of gunfire tears us apart. It’s getting close. And we’re out of time. Hades must leave me and join his troops. “Go. Help your men.”

“Please be safe.” At the door, the look he gives me is laden with emotions.

Then he’s gone, closing it behind him to keep me safe while he clears the way. And I hurry and grab my phone from my purse, shoving it in the back pocket of my jeans. With the gun in my hand, I head to the door. Fear thicker than sludge clogs my throat. I just have to make it down the hallway to his office and the door beyond his desk. Then enter the code to let me inside, where I can hide out until he comes for me. How hard can it be?

***

Hades

I knew Diego had been acting far too fucking smug last night. It set off alarm bells. And I should have been more thorough when we arrived home. But I thought there would be time. And Luna and I needed to be with each other. We needed to speak our truths.

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