He held a dress that looked like a patchwork of strategically placed gold-leaf appliqués held together with air.

“Where did you get that?” she asked, because she knew she didn’t own anything like it.

Hermes grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

She narrowed her gaze. “Did you steal it?”

He probably teleported while he was in the closet.

“Just put it on,” he said, laying it on the bed.

“I can’t wear that, Hermes.”

“Why not?”

“Because it will look like I’m wearing…nothing!”

“No, it won’t. It will look like you’re wearing strategically placed gold leaves.”

She glared at him. “Did you miss the part where I have to go out with Apollo?”

“Did you miss the part when I asked about Hades?”

“You’re just going to piss him off.”

“You want Hades pissed off. Don’t lie to me, Sephy. You’re looking forward to hot makeup sex when you two reconcile.” Hermes shoved the dress into Persephone’s hands. “Now, go.”

She headed for the bathroom.

There was a part of her that wanted to make Hades jealous, especially after the whole Leuce situation.

She slipped into the dress. She was a little surprised by how perfect it fit, and stepped out of the bathroom to show Hermes, who whistled.

“That’s the dress!”

“Let me get this straight. You want me to wear this in the event that I run into Hades tonight?”

Hermes shrugged. “There’s always the possibility, but if you don’t see him, you know there’ll be pictures.”

“I can’t wear this,” Persephone said. She started toward the bathroom again to change, but when she turned, Hermes was blocking the door.

“Look, you need to show Hades what he’s missing.”

“What if Apollo thinks I’m dressing up for him?”

Hermes snorted, and Persephone glared.

“Okay, okay. Look, Apollo’s a lot of things, but he knows you belong to Hades. He might flirt with you, but he won’t try anything. Despite what you think, he knows when he’s in danger of losing his balls.”

“If that were the case, he wouldn’t have struck a bargain with me at all.”

“Sephy, I have known Apollo for a long time. He’s a lot of things—selfish and self-centered and rude...but he is also lonely.”

“Well, maybe if he wasn’t so selfish and self-centered and rude, he wouldn’t be lonely.”

“My point is, he wants a friend. And yeah, it’s a little pathetic that he had to make bargains just to have friends, but in case you haven’t noticed, Apollo doesn’t know anything about genuine relationships. It’s why he fucks up all his lovers.”

“He doesn’t even try to get better.”

“Because he doesn’t have to. He’s a god.”

“That isn’t an excuse.”

“And yet it is still an excuse.”

“You aren’t like him.”