Inked Desires

Chapter 16

"Stephen!" I gasped in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the tattooed but gentle-faced man who was keeping company to the elderly man, whose smile had now spread to his ears. "I didn't expect to see you here." I continued returning the hug as he stood up from the bench and leaned in to gently wrap my waist with his muscular arms.

"Looks like you're not too happy to see me," he chuckled as he released me, causing me to blush.

"God, please do not misunderstand me. I am really delighted to see you." I attempted to apologize for my reaction. "However, what wind brings you here?" I then asked him, casting a quick glance at the elderly man who was keeping him company.

"I came to visit my grandfather, but he seems to be going after the neighbor women." He laughed as he sent a text message from his phone, causing John to shake his head in frustration and chuckle, and me to look at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed once more, realizing that the man John had told me about the night before is Hades himself.

"I'm too old for that, kid." He stated bluntly, justifying himself, in a tone that indicated he missed those days. "And you,little girl,close your mouth, because you might swallow a fly. My boy over here is married, but since you've already met, I suppose you know that." He lectured me, attempting to appear severe, but his soft expression gave him away.

"God, John, don't speak nonsense. Stephen is a very handsome man, but I would never interfere with his family or harm Lara in any way. She's too sweet to deserve that." I defended myself promptly, making the two of them chuckle at how quickly I shouted the words.

"You're a good girl, Milla. However, I guess you're already aware that I have an equally handsome nephew." John finally muttered something, and an electric charge ran through my body as my thoughts flew to Stephen's brother.

"Hades!" I said gently, looking nowhere and I  instantly saddened . "It's different with him, John. Hades hates me just because I work in a strip club. What he doesn't realize is that I'm doing this for..."

"Your grandmother." Stephen finished the sentence for me, looking at me sympathetically, and I hesitantly nodded. " Understand that there is no shame in working at a strip bar. It is a more...special job, and few people respect the ladies who work there, but Hades is a kind guy, and I am confident that if he understood who you were sacrificing for, he would appreciate you as much as I do now that my grandfather has told me everything. I believe that anyone, including Hades, would make sacrifices to save a loved one.

"I don't want to cry for myself, I've never liked to do this, so I'd rather take all the insults from Hades and let him think of me as an easy woman, than tell him the truth and let him think that I'm looking for excuses." I said, and Stephen and John looked over my shoulder at something behind me, trying to hide a smile, but I ignored it and continued, "Whatever, I don't have the strength or patience to sit around and explain my life story to Hades, and I don't think he's interested in listening to it either."

"Maybe I'm interested, Milla." I heard a low, sensual voice behind me, and when I turned, my heart stopped and I nearly hit my forehead into a hard, muscular chest.

I instinctively took a step back, but I stepped crookedly and nearly fell, but Hades' arm caught around my waist just in time before I hit the deck's hard wood.

Our bodies were stuck together, making it impossible for me to breathe. My heart was racing, both from dread and from the sensation of Hades' muscular arms wrapping around me.

"Thank you." I murmured slightly, unable to express any more coherent words.

He didn't respond, simply pulled me back to my feet, but he didn't move away; he remained a few millimeters away from my body.