Eve
I leaned into his touch, if only to steal a little more warmth from him, to hold onto this fragile moment where I wasn't Eve or Ellen—just the broken pieces of both.
"I don't want to hear that name," I whispered, barely able to push the words out. "Not from you."
Hades stiffened slightly, his thumb brushing along my cheekbone in slow, careful circles. "Then what should I call you?"
The question lingered between us, weighted with more meaning than either of us dared acknowledge.
I hesitated, but only for a breath.
"Call me Red," I said softly, leaning closer until my lips nearly brushed his again. "Your Red." To think that nickname had once unnerved me.
The possessiveness in those two words slipped out before I could stop them, but I didn't regret it. I wanted to be his. In this moment, I needed to be something other than the fragile lie I'd wrapped myself in.
