Page 99 of Hades

“What was all that about?” I ask.

He glances at me. “I agreed to ride with you because it is safer than riding right now. Don’t make me regret that.”

I scoff. “Linus, do not make me go all batshit on you.”

He stares at me with that weird robotic look he sometimes gets. I don’t look away.

When he finally sighs, I know I won whatever game we were playing.

“Atticus and I are not friends, as you said. We are acquaintances. He is a necessary evil for the club. However, it seems our interests outside of the club and his work have overlapped. Atticus wishes to discuss the interest, while I believe we should stay in our own lane. It has caused some…friction between us.”

I blink twice, my head hurting from all the coded terms he used.

I shake my head. “Fine, don’t tell me, but he seemed to want your attention. Maybe you should give it to him.”

He snorts. “Maybe he should keep his attention elsewhere. That would have saved us both some trouble.”

He doesn’t reveal anything else, and I don’t ask. I’ll let him keep his secrets. As long as they aren’t going to affect anyone else, those two can figure their own problems out.

I have enough to worry about.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Hades

The doorbell rings, and Evelyn sits up from where she’s lying on the couch.

“Are you expecting someone?”

“Yeah, I ordered us some lunch,” I tell her as I walk toward the door.

“Hey, man,” the guy says as he shoves the bag into my arms.

I watch as he rushes down the sidewalk like his ass is on fire.

“I guess he didn’t want his tip then,” I mutter.

When I turn back to Evelyn, she’s smiling.

“Damn, Hades, you scared him just by opening the door. That’s a new record for you,” she teases.

“I didn’t do anything,” I protest as I go to sit next to her.

“What did you order for us?”

“Burgers, chicken tenders with honey mustard and barbecue sauce, and fries. Oh, and I got you some fried pickles.”

Setting the bag down on the coffee table, I start laying everything out.

“How did you know I love tenders with honey mustard and barbecue sauce?”

Not looking at her, I shrug. “I texted your mom.”

“My mom and you text?”

“Sometimes. She likes to check in with me because she knows I won’t hold back when it comes to how you are doing.”

“And she told you to order some of my favorites?”