Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 215

Hades

"The audio went off again," I whispered as I stroked her back. Her heart continued its erratic beating as I spoke softly to her, trying to calm her after we watched their plane take off. We watched their aircraft exit the Obsidian Pack airspace, and that was when I finally heard her take a breath of relief. But she still looked like she had lost some color.

"When it comes to technology, Silverpine has always been forward. Especially in espionage," she murmured. "They must have tampered with the audio," she continued, snuggling closer.

"What happened?" I asked. "After the audio went out?"

I felt her tense up, muscles bunching. For a long moment, she was as quiet as death.

"They said... James said that... you don't love me," she muttered.

The way she paused made me wait for more. Was that all they had said—the part they made sure we wouldn't hear?

But when she snuggled even closer, as though she wanted to melt into me, I wavered from my questions. "I do love you. You know that, don't you?"

She pulled away so that she could tilt her head back and look into my eyes. She didn't say anything; all she did was stare, her eyes searching for something unknown. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, her pupils dilated as if to take in every detail. As if to make sure she found what she was looking for.

"Red," I breathed. "I love you," I reiterated.

She swallowed, her throat working, her fear palpable. Not doubt—fear.

What was she afraid of? Did it have something to do with the audio going off?

I pinched her chin between my fingers, shaking her face gently. I really wished that I had Kael's ability to pull out a joke from my ass, but I had come to terms with the fact that I was not that talented.

"I miss the way you were before," I told her, almost solemnly, but still managing to keep my voice light.

She blinked. "What?"

"When you despised my existence." I smiled down at her, my gaze tracing every inch of her ethereal face. "When you would kick me in the balls and make me wear sickeningly adorable pastel and sequin unicorn onesies. When you would call me by the cringiest names just to attack my enormous ego."

"So you acknowledge that you have an ego the size of..."

"Your ass?" I grabbed a handful and squeezed gently. "Yes, I do."

She laughed out loud, and my chest constricted. Fuck, I missed that sound.

"But you always knew how to humble me. I hated it, but goddess..." I let out a sigh. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Nothing could trump you, my wife, making a fool out of me and showing me my place."

The edges of her lips tilted up. "No one else could do it. The Hand of Death? Who would dare?"

"But you," I murmured as softly as I could. Jules' death had eaten up that part of her.

She let out another laugh, muffled by my chest, and I felt her whole body shake with it. It wasn't the bitter, hollow laughter I'd heard too many times in the past weeks—it was real. Light. Like the weight on her shoulders had lifted, if only for a second.

"Admit it, Hades," she murmured, her voice laced with the playful mischief I had been craving. "You liked the unicorn onesie."

I groaned. "Red—"

"I bet you still have it," she cut in, grinning up at me. "Tucked away somewhere in your mighty Hand of Death wardrobe, next to all your intimidating black clothes and guns. Maybe you even put it on when you miss me—"

"You think I miss you enough to willingly wear that abomination?"

Her grin widened. "I know you do."

I let out a long-suffering sigh and flopped onto my back, dragging her with me so she sprawled across my chest. "Fine. You got me, Red. Every night, when you're not around, I slip into the onesie, light some scented candles, and cry into a bowl of ice cream while writing poetry about my undying love for you."

She snorted. "Is the ice cream at least chocolate?"

"Triple chocolate fudge," I deadpanned.