“Tell me you didn’t.”
She’s got that look on her face again, the stubborn one that says I’ll never win this argument. “If anyone can understand political maneuvering, it’s our mother. Give her the benefit of the doubt.”
I stare at her. I stare at her long enough that Persephone has the grace to blush and look guilty. “Give her the benefit of the doubt?” I repeat. “That’s quite the statement coming from you. You know what she did in an attempt to remove you from Hades’s grasp. Do you really think she’ll be any less ruthless when it comes to me?”
“That was a different situation.”
“You keep saying that. I keep not believing you.” I start to reach to twist my hair but stop before I make contact. “She was trying to introduce me to Zeus.”
“What?”
“Even if Mother can appreciate political maneuvering, she had plans for me.” Plans I wasn’t entirely opposed to, even if I wasn’t thrilled about them. “In her eyes, Eros is going to be a downgrade.” The words feel a little like a betrayal, but that doesn’t make sense. If I wasn’t forced into a choice between death and marriage to the man, I never would have consented to his ring on my finger.
Right?
“Psyche, I—”
A knock on the door interrupts us, and it’s just as well. I give her one last glare and turn in that direction. “Yes?”
“We need to talk.”
Eros.
Gods, I hate how my heartbeat picks up just hearing his voice. I move toward the door even as I tell myself to plant my feet. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”
“Neither of us is the superstitious type.” He lowers his voice. “Open the door, Psyche.”
I ignore my sister’s huff of displeasure and do exactly that. For a moment, all I can do is stand there and stare like a fool. He’s wearing a tux that highlights his golden skin and blond hair.
I want to tear it off with my teeth.
Holy crap, where did that thought come from?
I’m so shocked at myself that I don’t tense as he steps into the room and slides his arms around my waist. “You look divine.”
“You too.” I sound distant and strange, but I’m fighting so hard to keep my grip on him light and not wrinkle the fabric of his shirt. “What’s going on?”
He smiles at Persephone. Even knowing it’s an act, I can’t help being drawn into his aww-shucks expression. “If I could have a moment alone with my wife?”
“She’s not your wife yet.”
Eros stares at my sister for a moment. “You’re protective of her. I understand, but—”
“Do you understand?” Persephone draws herself up. She’s never looked more like a queen than she does in this moment. More like our mother. “You don’t have siblings, Eros. I’m not even sure you have friends. Do you really understand what it’s like to care about someone so much, you’ll burn the city down if they’re hurt?”
“That’s enough.” They both look at me, and it’s everything I can do to keep my voice even. My sister isn’t wrong to be protective of me, but if this was a real relationship, I would never let her talk to my partner like that. “That’s enough,” I repeat.
“I just want you happy.”
“Then support me in this.”
She hesitates for so long, I think she might continue arguing, but finally Persephone squeezes my shoulder and moves past us out of the room.
Eros releases me once the door is shut, and even then it seems reluctant. At least he drops the happy groom act. “Your sister doesn’t like me.”
“Are you really surprised?”
“No.” He gives himself a little shake and refocuses. “I co-opted a room downstairs. It’s normally used for… Well, I honestly don’t know what it’s used for, but it’s ours for the wedding ceremony.”
“Okay.” He didn’t need to kick my sister out in order to tell me that. “What else?”
“My mother called.” He says it so neutrally, I half think I misheard.
I jerk back a step. “What? I thought you said she was still at the spa.”
“Apparently some well-meaning soul managed to get in contact with her. She’s too far away to stop it, but she knows.” His mouth twists. “She left a colorful voicemail.”
“Let me hear it.”
He shakes his head. “That’s not necessary.”
“I don’t care if it’s necessary or not, Eros. Either we’re full partners in this charade or we’re not and there’s no point in getting married.” I make myself hold his gaze. “Let me hear the voicemail.”
For a long moment, I think he’ll keep arguing, but he finally sighs and pulls out his phone. “It’s not pretty.”
I take his phone and pull up the voicemail. My hands are shaking as I push the Play button. Immediately Aphrodite’s voice permeates the room. For once, she doesn’t sound sweetly poisonous. She’s too furious.
“What part of ‘Bring me her heart’ did you not understand, Eros? Why am I hearing that you’re going to marry the woman?” She draws in a harsh breath. “I thought you could follow simple orders, but apparently even that’s beyond you. It must be that, because I know you’re not trying to play white knight to her damsel in distress. You’re not capable of it.”
I flick a look to Eros, but he’s got his face arranged in an unreadable mask.
On the phone, Aphrodite’s voice is vibrating with rage. “I was willing to do this the nice way, out of respect for you obviously having a soft spot for the girl, but you’ve spit in my face. She’ll pay the price. Your bluff about marrying her isn’t cute, and now she’s going to suffer for it. Before the end, she’ll be scared and alone and in pain, and it will be your fault.”
My chest is too tight. There isn’t enough air in the room. I march to the window, intent on wrestling it open, only to find that it doesn’t open at all. “What the fuck?”
“Psyche.” Eros takes the phone back and then catches my hands, bringing them to his chest. “I won’t let my mother harm you.”
I give a harsh laugh. It hurts my throat—or maybe that’s just the tightness there that isn’t dissipating. “I think we’ve more than established that you can’t control your mother.”
“She won’t harm you,” he repeats. “I promise. After tonight, it will be a moot point. You’ll be beyond her grasp.”
I shouldn’t believe him. All these years surviving in this cutthroat city, and I’ve never had an issue with keeping my emotions in check. The only time I let down my walls is around my sisters, and even then not always entirely. They’re dealing with their own stuff, after all. We’ve taken turns propping one another up when the situation gets tough.
Trusting someone outside that tiny circle is unthinkable.
Eros isn’t promising to prevent his mother from killing me out of the goodness of his heart. It wouldn’t further our mutual goals if she managed to do something to stop the wedding. He’s invested in marrying me, and if I don’t fully understand his reasoning, I can at least trust that it’s what he wants. That knowledge should comfort me, but it rings hollow.
“I believe you.” I clear my throat. “I suppose now’s a good time to tell you that Persephone told my mother about the wedding and she will be attending.”
Eros stares at me a long moment, and then he throws his head back and a laugh booms forth. The sound surprises me so much, I jump, but he’s too busy laughing his ass off to notice. He actually has to wrap an arm around his waist to maintain his upright position.
I cross my arms and wait him out. “By all means, get it out of your system now.”
To his credit, he doesn’t make me wait long. He straightens and shakes his head. “We’re going to have to up our game to stay one step ahead of our mothers. This should be interesting.”
“Interesting. That’s one way to put it.”
Eros moves to the door, but he stops before opening it. “Trust me.”