Chapter 63

Beatrice

Hades was nothing like I’d expected. While there had been a few uncomfortable staring incidents, he’d stopped as soon as Persephone had called him on it. He was putting some effort into getting to know her, rather than acting like nothing beyond her name mattered.

We’d just finished watching a movie in Lucifer’s viewing room. The man had a huge screen on one wall and several comfortable sofas. I’d love to cuddle up with Lucifer, but I was sharing a sofa with Persephone at Lucifer’s suggestion. He was doing his best to avoid tempting Hades too much.

“I need to go to bed,” Persephone announced when the closing credits began to play on the screen. “I have work in the morning.”

Hades’ eyes darkened, and his lips parted. Someone needed to say something, but I wasn’t sure what to say. Please, don’t kidnap my friend seemed like a bad choice, but it’s what I was thinking. I half-expected him to leap to his feet, toss her over his shoulder, and run for the door.

Lucifer looked like he was about to speak, but Persephone beat him to it. “I like you Hades,” she told him. “It would be nice if we could spend more time together.”

“Yes,” Hades rasped out. “That would be nice.”

“If you kidnap me and make me miss work, I’ll be really angry with you,” she added. “I like my job, and I’d hate to have your obsession inconvenience my bosses.”

Hades chuckled. “Then I’d better go, and you’d better continue to stay away from doors and windows when I’m around.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied, giving him a sweet smile.

“I’ll see Hades to the door,” Lucifer told us as he rose.

“It was a pleasure meeting both of you,” Hades said with a genuine smile. “This has been the best time I can ever remember having.”

“That’s very sad,” Persephone remarked. “You should enjoy life more.”

“Perhaps you’ll teach me how.” On those words, Hades inclined his head before turning to walk out of the room with Lucifer behind him.

“Hades is a very nervous fallen angel,” Persephone said with a shake of her head.

“I think he likes you,” I mused.

“Yes, he does,” she agreed. “I think he’s surprised by that.”

“The other Persephones haven’t been very fond of him,” I reminded her.

“If he’d tried talking to them, they might have felt differently. I wouldn’t like him if he kidnapped me,” she pointed out before standing. “I’m heading to bed.”

“Goodnight,” I told her.

“Goodnight,” she replied. “I’ll stay up in my room in case you and Lucifer end up playing naughty angel games around the house.”

“Naughty angel games?” I asked with a laugh.

“That sounded better in my head,” she admitted with a shrug before heading out of the room.

I was still seated on the sofa with my legs tucked under me when Lucifer returned.

“You are beautiful,” he murmured as he took a seat beside me.

I shifted to settle against his side. “When I’m with you, I feel beautiful.”

“You didn’t feel beautiful before?” he asked.

“I’d never given it much thought,” I admitted. “It’s not that I don’t know men find me attractive. I’ve just never had anyone tell me I’m beautiful before.”

“The men from your past must have been fools,” he murmured as he slipped an arm around my shoulders. “I’m glad dinner is over. I was worried Hades would lose it several times.”

“He seems to be trying,” I remarked. “Is it just me, or did he dress up for dinner?”

“This isn’t his normal attire,” he replied.

“I could tell,” I told him.

“How could you tell?” he asked.

“Even when I was a young girl, I never dressed up,” I explained. “I can tell when someone isn’t comfortable in their dress clothes, because that’s how I usually feel when I dress up. Comfort has always been more important to me.”

“I prefer you in nothing,” he uttered. “Though, I have to admit that your relaxed attire is also a huge turn on.”

A startled bark of laughter escaped my lips. “You like my casual clothes?” I asked.

“I do,” he admitted.

Here was a man who wore suits that cost more than my monthly rent. He was always well put together, even when he chose to dress in jeans and a t-shirt. As for me, I shopped at discount or secondhand stores, and I liked it that way. I didn’t need fancy dresses. I cut my own hair and had never worn makeup. Before meeting Persephone, I’d never had a pedicure. Despite our differences, I had no doubt I was beautiful in Lucifer’s eyes. It made me feel warm all over.

“I’d say you’re beautiful, too, but something tells me you hear that a lot,” I told him.

“It’s still nice knowing you find me attractive,” he admitted, lifting me onto his lap and kissing me.

I moaned into his mouth, and his tongue slipped past my lips before retreating again. He teased me with his kiss, only giving me his tongue for brief moments. My hands clutched his shirt as I shifted so I was straddling him. Lucifer’s hands slid under the front of my shirt, gliding along my belly, making me shudder with need.

“Lucifer,” I breathed out against his lips.

He growled low in his throat. “Say it again. Say my name.”

“Lucifer,” I uttered before biting down on his lower lip.

One hand moved out from under my shirt and settled on the back of my neck, holding me in place as he kissed me again. This time, he put everything into his kiss. There was no teasing. His other hand moved up to cup my breast, and I quickly worked at the buttons on his shirt. At times like this, I hated dress shirts. It took far too much effort to get Lucifer naked.

When I finally got to the last button, I pushed the shirt aside and sighed at how good his bare skin felt. He broke the kiss long enough to strip my shirt over my head and remove my bra.

“Perfect,” he rasped out as he stared at my breasts. My nipples were already hard just from his gaze.

“Touch me,” I pleaded.

His thumb brushed across my left nipple, drawing a ragged whimper from the back of my throat. I arched my back, pushing my breasts out to him. Lucifer shifted us so quickly, I gasped in surprise. He had me on my back, laid out like some offering on his sofa, before I knew what was happening. His tongue swirled around my nipple as he used his fingers to stroke and pinch the other one. Releasing my nipples, he kissed his way down my body, swirling his tongue in my belly button.

My hands gripped his shoulders, and I wiggled under him.

“I want you,” he uttered. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to control myself. If you want to go upstairs, you should say something now.”

“Go upstairs?” I asked in a daze. Was he asking if I wanted him to stop? I wasn’t crazy. No way did I want to stop.

His lips curled into a devilish grin. “Got it. We’ll stay down here.”

On those words, he undid my jeans and tugged them down my legs, leaving me in nothing but my lacy boy-shorts. I was already reaching for his belt as he kicked out of his shoes.

“I love how impatient you are,” he praised, pulling the condom from his front pocket and tossing it on the coffee table.

“Fuck patience,” I told him as I pushed his pants down.

“I’d rather fuck you,” he rasped out before covering my body with his.

My legs wrapped around his waist, trying to get closer to each other. His lips continued to move against mine, hungry and desperate. When I sucked on his tongue, he growled and kissed me harder. I was ready to scream with frustration, needing more. I’d never imagined a kiss could bring me this close to the edge.

Lucifer slid a hand between our bodies. When his finger slipped into my panties, I sighed. One long finger pushed into me before retreating to stroke my clit. His finger moved lightly at first, circling the sensitive bud. His strokes built in speed and intensity until I broke our kiss, unable to focus on anything other than the pleasure he was giving me. My moans grew louder as my body coiled tighter. Lucifer’s teeth scraped against my neck as he continued to drive me toward my orgasm, an orgasm that seemed just out of reach.

“Please,” I panted out.

“Please what?” he growled.

“I need you in me,” I begged. “I need you now.”