Lexi's Undoing

~42~

* Steamy Content *

Despite the extra weight, Jackie O kept up her urgent pace after they left the woods, jostling Lexi in the saddle as she navigated roots and potholes. Lexi knew her horse hated riding in the dark, so she kept her complaints to herself. It was the biting wind that annoyed Lexi more, and she shivered even with Luke's godly heat at her back.

Sensing her needs, Luke snaked his arm further around her waist and tucked her in, bringing his chin to her neck and warming her with his breath. A violent shudder overtook her, which she knew had been triggered by his closeness, but she used the wind as an excuse to snuggle closer.

"I'm sorry you heard the truth about your parentage this way," he said. "Z is as stubborn as they come, and he likes to have the last word on everything. But, to his credit, he never condemns without due cause, even if he is the only one who believes in the cause. With a little patience on both sides, the damage can be repaired and you can move forward with your relationship."

Lexi tried to focus on the meaning behind Luke's words and not the sensation of his lips moving against her ear, which had her groin clenching. "He has a lot of apologizing and kissing up to do before we can move forward. He's insane for wanting his own daughter to serve him. Or am I overreacting? Is this how all gods behave?"

"You've read the stories, what do you think?"

Lexi didn't have to dig hard to recall some of the greatest hits, like Zeus throwing his father into the pits of Tartarus, and the battle between Ares and Athena during the Trojan War. Those were gods behaving badly. "I still haven't wrapped my head around everything, although now that I know Uncle Z is my birth father, it kind of makes sense why he always sticks his nose in my business."

"His business is to know everyone else's business."

"Well, it's annoying. And he's been a real lunatic this weekend."

"What did he say to you in the study? If you don't mind me asking."

Lexi remembered the conversation and how it detoured to a poorly-timed confession on her part, which had her thinking about her groin again. "He asked me to stop cavorting with you."

Luke chuckled. "Cavorting? Was that his word or yours?"

"His. Why is he so adamant about keeping us apart? Why does he hate you?"

"Oh, he doesn't hate me. He has a misguided opinion of me and the world I live in. Z doesn't believe any goddess should spend eternity in the underworld when she has been given the privileges of Olympus. It has been an ongoing issue between us."

Lexi felt an opportunity open-up as Luke filled in some plot holes. If she wanted answers to the questions she'd been avoiding, now was the time. But, first, she needed to stop focusing on her crotch. "Is Persephone the only goddess who lives in the underworld with you?"

"Yes, although she is with me only three months of each year. Hers is a special case, as you well know."

"So...is she your mate? I was just wondering if the books got that right."

"Yes. The texts are correct in that respect."

A twinge of jealousy hit Lexi when she pictured Luke's arms around another woman. It was pretty clear he and Persephone loved each other, but the gods were a horny bunch, and she had to come to grips with that if she was going to continue cavorting with him. Wasn't she a goddess, herself? This could be her fate if she chose to embrace her future as the daughter of Zeus. She also needed to start calling Luke by his real name.

"There's something else I've been wondering...Hades. How many consorts do you have, other than Persephone?"

He sighed against her neck, probably wishing she hadn't asked about his many love interests. Or, maybe, he was reacting to her calling him Hades.