Sinful Hearts: Chapter 32

“Hey!”

My face splits into a grin when I answer the phone, the sound of Elsa’s voice making my very skin tingle like it always does these days.

What the hell has this girl done to me?

Thing is, I no longer scowl in confusion or turmoil when I consider that question.

I just fuckin’ smile.

“Hey yourself,” I grin into the phone.

“So, I’m afraid I’m running a bit late in terms of the soft opening tonight,” she sighs. “I’m just finishing up a deposition in Brooklyn. But quick question, is that blue dress of mine at your place?”

It’s almost surreal. I’m actually having the “whose house is that piece of clothing at” conversation with a woman for the first time in my life. And I fucking that I’m having it with her.

Yes, her dress is at my place—still there from the night last week where she rode my cock on the kitchen floor before I fucked her bent over the counter.

“It is, yeah.”

“Oh, wait, yes, I think I wore it the night…” she trails off, and I can practically feel the heat of her blush through the phone.

“Go on.”

She laughs quietly. “I think we both know which night that was,” she murmurs.

“Oh, we totally do, I just want to hear you say it out loud.”

“I’m standing in the hallway of the Brooklyn Court House.”

“And your point is?”

She giggles. “I’ll talk dirty to you .”

I grin. “I’ll hold you to that, counselor.”

“Deal. Do you think I could stop by your place and grab it before I head home to change? I think I’d like to wear it tonight.”

“Here’s a better idea: just get ready at my place and I’ll come give you a ride to the soft opening after I finish helping the girls with the last of the setup here.”

“Really?”

“You know the code for my front door, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then do it. Get ready at my place and I’ll call you when I’m on the way. Deal?”

“Deal,” she gushes. “Thank you, you’re the best.”

“No problem. See you soon.”

“Yeah, see you soon. Lo—” she stops short, clearing her throat. “Right. See you soon.”

She hangs up abruptly. I’m grinning ear-to-ear as I slip the phone into my pocket and turn to head back into The Banshee, where there a fair amount of setup still to do.

Callie steps right in front of me, giving me one of her patented “I’m about to give you shit about something” looks of hers.

“Yes?”

“Who was that?”

I shrug. “Nobody.”

She rolls her eyes. “Bullshit. You’re grinning like a schoolgirl.”

“Not at all. Just psyched about the free cocktails tonight.”

She shakes her head, turning to walk away. “Whatever, fine. Keep your secrets.”

.

I clear my throat. “That was Elsa, actually.”

Callie turns, looking extremely curious. So does Eilish, popping up from behind the bar.

“Wait, what?” Neve’s blonde sister arches her brow.

“That was Elsa.”

Callie frowns. “

?”

“And she’s coming tonight.” I glance at the two of them and clear my throat. “As my date.”

Callie’s eyebrows shoot so far up they almost disappear into her hairline. Eilish grins impishly.

“No “Don’t make it weird.”

“My nearly thirty-year-old terminally single brother is about to go on his first date. It’s already fucking weird, dude.”

I flip her off as she and Eilish snicker. “Well, just don’t be a bag of dicks about it.”

“What’s she being a bag of dicks about?”

I turn, grinning when I see Sean lugging three huge cases of liquor bottles into the bar from a van outside.

“Nothing. Thanks for helping, man.”

“Any time. Drinks are free tonight, yeah?”

I snort. “Most definitely.”

“It’s nothing,” Callie smirks. “Hades has a girlfriend.”

Sean smirks. “I think Hades has of girlfriends.”

“No, no,” Eilish grins. “Like a real girlfriend-girlfriend.”

Sean glances at me with an astonished grin on his lips. “No shit?”

“Why the fuck is everyone making this so ,” I grumble, turning to head out the door.

Sean follows me out, helping me lug a few more cases of stuff into the bar before I see a familiar black town car pull up in front of the building. I head to the curb, opening the passenger door and helping my grandmother out.

She beams at the newly remodeled front of the Irish pub that her granddaughter, Eilish, and Neve are about to open.

“Hard to believe she actually pulled it off, isn’t it, Ya-ya?”

Dimitra chides me, playfully slapping my hand as I grin.

“Not hard to believe at all, Hades. She’s a Drakos, after all. A Dragon. The blood of the Spartans—”

“Hey, Ya-ya?” I clear my throat. “I, uh, wanted to tell you something.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve…met someone. She’s not Greek, but—”

“But she’s very smart, pretty, and quite intimidating,” she finishes for me, grinning at my confused look. “And British.”

I blink. Dimitra chuckles, reaching up to pat my cheek fondly.

“I’m old, Hades. Not blind, or stupid. And I think she’ll be good for you.”

I grin. “I do, too. She’s coming tonight.”

“Good,” she beams. “Good. She should be part of this. We can toast to your sister, and your sisters-in-law, and to falling in love, and having lots of babies.”

I snicker, rolling my eyes. “Yeah, let me get a cocktail in me before we start talking babies, okay?”

She laughs, patting my hand as I walk her into the bar.

“

,” she suddenly gasps, frowning as she turns. “I left my bag in the car.”

I grin, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “I got it.”

“Hades!” Callie stops me on my way out. “Where’s this hot date of yours?”

I roll my eyes. “Let me get Ya-ya’s bag, then I’m going to get her.”

She grins. “Good. And hey…” She lifts a shoulder and smiles. “I’m really happy for you, you know.”

I give her a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Thanks. And I’m really proud of .” I raise my eyes, looking around the brand-new pub. “This place is insane, Cals. And .”

She beams.

“Okay, let me get that bag, then, you and I are drinking.”

“Before Ares shows up.”

I laugh. “Definitely before Ares shows up.”

I head out, clapping Sean on the back as slips past me into The Banshee carrying in the last box of liquor. I find Ya-ya’s bag on the back seat of the town car, and I’m turning back to the pub with a grin on my face when the blast shatters the world.

The explosion punches out the windows and blows the door off The Banshee, slamming me back against the car so hard I see stars as I drop to my hands and knees.

.

I stagger to my feet, my eyes wide in horror and a ringing sound echoing in my ears. It’s all I can hear as I stumble like a drunk toward the gaping black maw that not four seconds ago was the front of my sister’s beautiful new pub.

.

I start to run, heedless of the shards of glass and flaming bits of wood raining down around me. Heedless of the blood pouring down my face. Heedless of anything as I charge into the burning wreckage.

Where my family was just standing.