Bonds of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #2)(59)

I stared at him with incredulity.

He knew we’d been out all night killing and torturing people for our wife.

Kharon narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in Alexis’s direction.

“Amazing,” I deadpanned as I realized what Kharon was doing. “I feel so well rested.”

Kharon stretched his arms above his head in an imitation of someone waking up. “Same—I think I got a full ten hours last night.”

Real smooth.

Helen made a sound as she she neared, openly staring at the scar on the side of Kharon’s head where his ear used to be. The fucking Falcon Chronicles still hadn’t stopped writing articles about what Kharon had done.

The headlines called it “the most romantic sacrifice of the century.”

They should have been working on finding out why the fucking Titans were mutating, not glamorizing my wife’s suffering.

Heart thudding painfully, I turned to Alexis, mouth opening to ask her to— My jaw clicked shut.

Poco was sitting on Fluffy Jr.’s back, holding his ears like reins, and his gray fur looked more unkempt than usual.

Is anyone spritzing him with water? He clearly needs a trim. What are they doing?

“Is anyone brushing Poco?” I asked. “He needs four brushes a day.”

Helen laughed. “Yes, we do it constantly. His fur just looks puffy because he keeps wrestling with Fluffy Jr.”

Since my wife’s protector was borderline obese, that did not make me feel better.

Poco chittered shrilly as if agreeing with her.

I glared down at him. “Don’t you dare take that tone with me, mister.”

Poco crossed his gray arms and stuck his nose into the air, staring up at the ceiling.

I leaned down and got in his little face. “No fish treats for you.”

His black eyes widened and he shook his head as if he didn’t believe me.

“I already threw out the bag.”

Poco tipped his head back and screeched like he was dying.

I’d actually just paid a seven-figure sum to have a box of them personally shipped from the other side of the world because global supply chains no longer existed, and I was stooping to bribery to get him back.

“Yep,” I said. “That’s what happens to bad raccoons who don’t take their afternoon naps.”

Poco wailed mournfully, still stuck on the treats.

Someone laughed.

It took me a moment to realize everyone had stopped moving and was staring at me.

Flushing with embarrassment, I stood up straight.

“Open the box,” Kharon said as he quickly snatched my gift out of Helen’s hand and held it out for Alexis to take.

She stared at it, but didn’t move.

“Please,” I said.

The urge to fall to my knees at her feet and beg for forgiveness was mounting. My legs shook.

I would do it.

I’d do anything if it meant she’d look at me without a pained, guarded expression.

“Please,” I repeated. “I promise, it’s not jewelry.”

Alexis reached out and gingerly opened the box. She peered over the side.

Helen frowned. “Ew—what is that? No girl wants—”

“For me?” Alexis’s lips parted with awe as she stared at the black item.

“It also has a built-in recorder,” I said, desperate to keep the smile on her face as I pointed to the button on the side. “I had it custom made, so if you don’t have a pen or paper, you can still record your findings and play them back. And a cable port to hook it up to a computer and transfer your findings.”

“Thanks, Augustus.” She smiled at me.

Kharon puffed up his chest. “I designed the metal holder—it’s bulletproof titanium.”

Alexis stared at him like she couldn’t tell if he was joking, then she shook her head and beamed at us.

Her smile was as breathtaking as sunshine on a cloudy day. The pounding in my skull lessened.

I’d had to pay our weapons manufacturers a small fortune to create one from scratch, because they’d had to consult with an Olympian lab, but it was so worth it for the joy on her face.

“Can someone please tell me what in Kronos’s kingdom is that ugly thing?” Helen asked with a huff.

“It’s a graphing calculator,” Alexis said reverently, her fingers trailing over her name engraved in gold on the back.

“Wow,” Drex said as Alexis held it up for him to see. “I didn’t know they still made those.”

They don’t.

Alexis grinned at Drex, and I cleared my throat, tamping down the urge to slaughter him violently.

“Thanks again.” She glanced up at me through long lashes. A single curl hung against the delicate column of her neck.

“Anything for you,” I said, feeling faint.

Alexis turned back to the calculator and resumed walking toward the dining room, Charlie and Drex following.

Helen leaned close as she walked past. “You’re acting pathetic,” she whispered. “It’s embarrassing me.”

I nodded dumbly, too busy trying to remember how to inhale.

Seconds later, we were once again alone in the hall.

Kharon’s face twisted, sharpening into cruel edges. “I just remembered—I’ve been waiting to tell you what I saw while we were away.”