Cruel Seduction (Dark Olympus, #5) (102)

Perfect.

At least until Thanatos leans back and I catch sight of the previously unoccupied chair across from us. It’s not unoccupied any longer. Now it’s been claimed by a large white man with intense blue eyes, shoulders that fill a doorway, and dark hair that reaches nearly to his shoulders. My heart gives a horrible thump in my chest.

Charon.

Thanatos goes still in response to my tension. He turns to follow my gaze and seems to stop breathing. “Charon.”

“Thanatos. You’re overstepping.” His voice is calm. It’s always calm. I once overheard Hades speaking with my sister, expressing concern that Charon had lost his customary humor in the last year. Persephone had responded that he’d grown up a lot because of the events that continue to destabilize Olympus. I think they’re both wrong. He’s still got humor, but it’s become a dry thing that flies right over my head at times.

He doesn’t look like he’s laughing now.

In fact, he looks almost murderous.

Thanatos shifts away from me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize she was yours.”

“She’s not.” He doesn’t move, doesn’t take his gaze from the other man. “But she’s not for the taking.”





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


This series continues to evolve in the most delightful of ways, and I cannot thank my readers enough. None of this would be possible without you, and I am so incredibly humbled by your support.

Endless thanks to Mary Altman for always “Yes, and”ing my wild plans. This is my most ambitious book to date, and I would never have dared try it without your support. Can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to my agent, Laura Bradford, for continuing to champion this series!

To Pam Jaffree and Katie Stutz for being the best publicist duo an author could ever want! You wrangle my chaos, and I deeply appreciate it!

Thank you Dominique Raccah and Todd Stocke; Rachel Gilmer, Jocelyn Travis, and Susie Benton; Diane Dannenfeldt and Carolyn Lesnick; India Hunter and Heather Hall; Tara Jaggers, Stephanie Gafron, and Dawn Adams; Brian Grogan, Sean Murray, and Elizabeth Otte.

Endless love and appreciation to Jenny Norbak and Melody Carlisle for being the best group chat a person could ever ask for. I don’t deserve you! Thank you to Nisha Sharma for always having my back and talking me through some truly ridiculous situations. Thank you to Piper J Drake and Asa Maria Bradley for dragging me out of the house to a writing retreat that was one of my favorite experiences this year!

To Tim… Man, look at us now. I still can’t quite believe that this is our life now, but you never once doubted that we’d get here. Your faith in me has gotten me through some tough shit, and I wouldn’t want to be on this journey with anyone else.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over two million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs. You can visit her online at kateerobert.com or on TikTok @authorkateerobert.


Discover more from Katee Robert