Hades placed his boot against the man’s side and pushed him to the ground. He landed on one of the snakes, who retaliated by biting into his flesh again. Kal screamed.

Persephone didn’t even flinch.

What was wrong with her? She should stop this. Except that a part of her believed Kal actually deserved it.

Hades turned to Persephone. She met his gaze, unable to discern his thoughts from his expression.

“Shall I continue to punish him?” Hades asked.

Persephone stared at Hades and her eyes dropped to Kal. She strolled toward him and knelt. His bloodied face was now streaked with tears.

“Will his face scar?” she asked Hades.

“It will if you wish it.”

“I wish it.”

Kal whined.

“Shh,” Persephone crooned. “It could be worse. I am tempted to send you to Tartarus.”

He quieted at her statement and then she continued. “Tomorrow, I want you to call Demetri and tell him you made a mistake. You don’t want the exclusive and you will never, ever tell me what to write again. Do we have an agreement?”

Shaking, he nodded his head. Persephone smiled. “Good.”

She straightened and turned to Hades. “He can live,” she said.

The god held her gaze for a long moment and then looked at Kal.

“Leave.”

In the next second, the man and the snakes were gone, and Persephone was left alone with Hades. Despite their distance, anger built between them like a solid, stone wall.

Before he could say anything, she spoke.

“You ruined everything!”

He looked startled, and then quickly took up the defense, moving toward her.

“I ruined everything? I saved you from making a huge mistake. What were you thinking coming here?”

“I was trying to save my friend, and Kal was offering a way to do that, unlike you.”

“You would give up our private life—something you cherish most—in exchange for something that will only condemn your friend?”

“Condemn her? It will save her life! You bastard. You told me to have hope! You said she could survive.”

They were nose-to-nose now. “You don’t trust me?”

“No! No, I don’t trust you. Not when it comes to Lexa. And what about this place, Hades? This is your club, isn’t it? What the fuck?”

Hades reached for her, clasping her shoulders, he drew her flush against him.

“You were never to come here. This place isn’t for you.”

Persephone flinched.

“Leuce works here,” Persephone snapped.

“Because it’s Leuce,” Hades said, as if that explained everything. “You told me to give her job back, so I sent her here. You…you’re…different.”

She pushed away from him. “Different?”

“I thought we established this,” Hades said through his teeth. “You mean more to me than anyone—anything.”

“What does that have to do with keeping this place from me?”

Hades was silent.

“Everything here is illegal, isn’t it? The Magi are here. What else?”