Chapter 12: The Dinner

Hades took one step toward the bodega.

The streetlight over the man's head went out with a pop.

I grabbed Hades by the sleeve with both hands.

"Rule two," I said.

He looked down at me.

His eyes had gone black from edge to edge again, like in the ballroom.

"He's selling you," he said.

"I know. I saw. Rule two."

The man put his phone in his pocket, glanced at the dead streetlight, and walked off fast toward the train.

Hades watched him the whole way.

Then he breathed out, and the cold went back into him.

"What do you want to do?" he said.

It was the first time anyone had asked me that in seven years.

"Nothing," I said. "Yet. He doesn't know I know."

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Unknown number. A gold heart emoji.

"Dinner Sunday, darling? Just us girls. I think we got off on the wrong foot. 8pm. xo"

Underneath was the name of the restaurant on the roof of a hotel in Midtown, the one with a waitlist into next year.

Jody read it over my shoulder.

"Oh, she's scared," she said.

"She doesn't sound scared."

"She's buying you dinner. That woman has never bought anyone dinner. She expenses breath mints."

The restaurant was all white tablecloths and candles and a view of the Empire State Building, lit gold.

Aphrodite was already there, in white, at the best table.

She stood up and kissed me on both cheeks.

Her lips were hot.

"You look tired, darling," she said. "Sit."

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