Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
To say that this had been over-the-top was an understatement, but I kept my mouth shut, let the sales associate, and even Hades, grab items for me before she ushered me into a room and hung up everything Hades selected.
“Come out here, Persephone. Let me see the outfit.” I could hear the smugness in his voice outside of the dressing room.
I opened the door to see him sitting on a plush chair he’d pulled over so it was in front of the dressing room. He leaned back, arms on either side of the chair, one leg crossed and the ankle resting on his knee.
For a second, he had no expression as he looked me up and down. My outfit wasn’t anything extravagant, just a pair of skinny jeans and a cashmere sweater, but it had been an outfit he picked out, so it felt almost… intimate.
He lifted his hand and made a circle with his finger, indicating I should turn around. My belly tightened, and my heart raced as I did just that. And when I heard this deep rumble come from him, my body lit up in the most intimately obscene way.
“Try on the dress now, sweetheart.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see his focus on my ass, and when he slowly lifted his gaze to my face, he gave me a slow, satisfied smile. He didn’t give two shits that I’d caught him checking me out.
“You realize checking out your niece is so inappropriate?”
His grin widened until he flashed his straight, white teeth. “No blood relation, Princess. And I’m all about being inappropriate.” He flicked his hand toward the dressing room. “Now go on. Change for me.”
Oh my God, this was so wrong, yet why didn’t it feel that way?
I closed the dressing room door and leaned against it, my head gently connecting with it and making a soft thud. My heart thundered, and there was something new and confusing as hell happening to me.
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply before exhaling, trying to center myself and not allowing my body to wage war with my mind. I could blame this all on the fact it had turned my world upside down, and I was just in a weird place in my life.
The tragedies that had been thrown my way launched me into a dark spiral.
Maybe that was why Hades affected me the way he did? Maybe that was why I was looking at him in a way a niece shouldn’t look at her uncle. He’s not my real uncle. Not really.
When I opened my eyes, I trained my focus on the black garment bag that hung on the silver hook to my right. The staff who’d dropped it off said Hades had picked the dress out himself.
I didn’t know when he’d gone shopping but had to assume it had been during the three days he’d been like a ghost.
My hand shook as I reached for the zipper and pulled it down, not sure what exactly I’d find. And when I pulled the material apart to reveal the dress inside, my breath caught.
It was beautiful.
With delicate straps and a plunging neckline, the dress was a blood-red that looked like liquid silk.
A wide belt of what appeared to be rubies—which I refused to believe were the actual gems, even though they probably were because this was Hades who’d bought it—wrapped around the waist.
I let my fingers skate across the little stones. They resembled the pomegranate seeds I’d eaten at dinner with Hades.
The dress was far shorter than anything I’d ever worn, with the hem falling mid-thigh and exposing more leg.
“I’m waiting.”
The deep drawl of his voice coming from the other side of the door came through, and I snapped out of my thoughts. I took another shuddering breath.
Once I dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror, wondering who the person was that stared back. I looked like a… woman.
My body was curvy, my breasts filling out the bust, the cleavage spilling over the top. I’d piled my hair into a messy bun and little, wispy strands framed my face.
I felt beautiful, and the thought of if Hades would also think so played through my mind before being whisked away.
I heard Hades’ deep voice rumble as he said something to the sales associate and gave myself one more moment to gather my composure before facing him.
When I opened the door, I watched as he sat in the leather chair. Whoever he’d been speaking with was nowhere to be seen, with the dressing rooms being slightly secluded so we couldn’t see the main part of the boutique.
He shifted slightly and relaxed all the way back, his legs spread, his forearms resting on either side of the chair.
He made a very slow show of looking me over from the top of my head, lingering on my breasts, moving to my abdomen, and down my legs. He let his gaze linger on the heels I wore, ones he’d picked out for the dress.