Page 354 of The First Taste
“So,” Hades says, studying me. “Are ye hiding out from Constantine, then? Is that why ye live in such reduced circumstances?”
I dart a glance at him and then busy myself by loading a heap of steaming tomatoes and peppers onto the bread. The aroma itself is tantalizing. I can practically taste the hot, savory, salty mixture before it even hits my tongue. When it does, my toes practically curl up in satisfaction.
Hades is actually a good cook, despite my doubts.
I chew and swallow, trying to parse the flavors of the tomato-pepper blend. When I look up again, Hades is giving me a rather impatient look.
I lick my lips, savoring how the dish has a little spice that still clings to my tongue. I wave my hand at Hades.
“I didn’t just decide one day to leave Constantine,” I explain. “There was…” I pause, thinking of how exactly to say it. “An incident.”
“Would that be the murder that ye are wanted for?”
“I didn’t murder anyone,” I fire back, my expression hardening.
“No?”
I look up, my chin rising, my mouth turning down at the corners. “I’m wanted for questioning. There is no one that actually believes that I murdered anyone. Especially not…” I trail off, my mouth twisting. “Constantine chased my best friend and I off of a cliff. He wanted us dead. Maddie… Maddie died. And he was almost successful in killing me, as well.” I bring my hand up, touching the back of my head. “He put me into a coma for three days. When I woke up, I figured it was as good a sign as any that the breakup was final.”
Hades cocks his head, his eyes tightening on my face. “Why didn’t ye just stay and tell the police what ye just told me?”
I snort, shaking my head. “The New Orleans police would have pinned it on me. Either because they were in Constantine's pocket… or maybe just because they are too lazy or incompetent to find out what really happened. As soon as I could walk, I got the hell out of Dodge.”
He considers me for another few seconds and then nods. “I’d have done the same.”
“Thank you,” I reply, my tone tart. “Are you satisfied now that you’ve dug around in my past?”
A blip of humor passes over his expression. “No. I’m never content. Not really.”
“No?” I ask. I use the corner of my hunk of bread to break the yolk of one of my eggs. “Well, at least you can be certain about one thing. I make terrible decisions when it comes to men. I dated Constantine for two years, even knowing that he was a drug addicted piece of trash who did illegal things. And before him, my high school boyfriend was a psycho too. After we broke up, he killed two people in an attempted liquor store robbery.”
Hades is quiet for a long moment. “So ye are attracted to criminals, it seems.”
I crack a cruel smile as I take another bite. “Yup. There is something seriously wrong with me. After Constantine, I just decided to take myself off the market permanently. One brush with death was enough for me. For a whole damn lifetime.”
Hades scrapes the last bite from his bowl into his mouth, chewing. All the while, his gaze is heavy on me.
“Can I ask ye something?”
I give a humorless chuckle. “Why not? I’m an open book today, apparently.”
He pushes out a long breath. “Ye said the Constantine chased ye off of a cliff. Ye hit yer head?”
I nod, my mouth twisting to the side. I am not sure I like the area Hades is probing. “Yeah…”
“I noticed when we were on the beach the other day that ye were heavily favoring yer left side. Is that because?— “
“I don’t like to talk about it.” I shoot to my feet, my face radiating heat. “Look. I know that I’m damaged. There is no need to rub my face in it, Hades.”
“What? That’s not— I do not think yer damaged. Jesus.” For the first time ever, he looks like he’s at a loss for words. “Lass, I didn’t mean anything by it. Ye can’t honestly blame me for my curiosity.”
I clench my right hand, grimacing. I feel myself begin to tremble and tear up. “I’m going out for a bit. Alone.”
He scowls at me but I just whirl, heading toward the front door.
Hades
In the darkness, I head outside to the beach. The moon is high, scattering shadows over the sand dunes across the grotto. It’s still sticky and warm outside and the water stretches out before me like a dark, sleek cloud. I listen to it lap gently against the shore as I disrobe. First my shoes, then my pants. I glance back at the house for a moment before I unbutton my shirt and slide it off, carefully folding it and placing it on top of my pants.
