She unwraps her gyro. “Because they’re safe.”
“Yes.”
“Because you make them safe.” She takes a bite before I can respond and gives a downright sexual moan. “Gods, Hades. This is amazing.”
We eat in silence, and the sheer normality of this moment hits me right in the chest. For just a little while, Persephone and I could be two normal people moving through the world without the entirety of Olympus threatening to topple if we make a wrong move. This might be a first date or a third or one ten years down the road. I close my eyes and push that thought away. We aren’t normal and this isn’t a date, and at the end of our time together, Persephone will leave Olympus. In ten years, I might be in this very spot enjoying a gyro alone just like I have countless times in the past, but she’ll be somewhere far away, living the life she was always meant to.
One spent in the sunlight.
Her empty wrapper crinkles as she wads it up. She leans forward, expression intent. “Show me everything.”
“There’s no way we can see the whole thing tonight.” Before she can wilt, I press on. “But you can explore a little bit tonight and come back again every few days until you see everything you want to.”
The smile she gives me is so pure, it feels like she cracked open my sternum and wrapped her fist around my heart. “Promise?”
As if I’d deny her this simple pleasure. As if I’d deny her any pleasure. “I promise.”
We spend an hour wandering the stalls before I herd Persephone back to the entrance. During that time, she’s managed to charm every single person she meets, and we end up with an armful of bags filled with candy, a dress that caught her eye, and a trio of glass figurines for her sisters. I almost feel guilty for cutting her time short, but the wisdom of it becomes readily apparent as we walk back home. By the time we reach our block, Persephone is leaning on me.
“I’m not tired.”
I fight down a smile. “Sure.”
“I’m not. I’m just conserving energy.”
“Mm-hmm.” I lock the door behind us and consider her. “Then I suppose I should resist carrying you upstairs and putting you to bed.”
Persephone nibbles on her bottom lip. “I mean, if you want to carry me, I suppose I can keep my protests to a minimum.”
That feeling of her squeezing my heart only gets stronger. “In that case…” I scoop her up, bags and all, enjoying her little shriek. Enjoying the way she lays her head against my chest so trustingly. Just flat-out enjoying her.
I hesitate on the landing of the second floor, but she leans up and presses a kiss to my neck. “Take me to bed, Hades.” Not hers. Mine.
I give a short nod and continue up the stairs to my room. I set Persephone on the bed and step back. “Do you want me to have your stuff brought up here?”
She does that adorable lip nibbling thing again. “Is that presumptuous? I know last night was one thing, but I’m being pushy about this, aren’t I?”
Maybe, but I like the way she carves out a space for herself in my home, in my life. “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want you here.”
“Then yes, please.” She reaches for me. “Come to bed.”
I catch her hands before she can start unbuttoning my shirt. “Put your things away. I need to do my rounds before anything else happens.”
“Your rounds.” She stares up at me, seeing too much, just like she always seems to. I tense, waiting for her to question, to ask why I feel the need to check the locks when I have one of the best security systems money can buy and a staff of security people. Instead, she just nods. “Do what you need to do. I’ll be waiting.”
Even though I want to rush, I know I won’t be able to sleep until I’ve checked all the entrances and exits on the ground floor properly. Especially now that Persephone is here, trusting me to keep her safe. By all rights, the knowledge should add weight to my shoulders, but it just feels strangely comfortable. As if things were meant to be this way. It doesn’t make any sense to me, so I put it from my mind.
I pause in the security room to check in with my people, but as expected, there’s nothing new to report. Whatever move Zeus makes is yet to be seen, but it’s unlikely he’ll do it tonight.
There will be a time for me to make another move, but I’m hesitant to do so. Not yet, not when things are going so well with Persephone. Better to let things simmer a bit and see what Zeus does before we do anything else.