My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #2)

That Was Unexpected (Part 3)

I'd been stupid. But not in the way I'd previously thought. I should have said I loved him back. Maybe the damn kiss would have worked. Maybe he would have believed me now.

Maybe he wouldn't be looking at me like I was a stranger.

Frantic, I grabbed his hand, desperate to make him stay. Make him see reason. "Not because I don't love you. You have to believe me. I love you and I'd never betray you."

Kai sent me a look of pure anguish. "You already have." He shook me off and walked away, his head bowed.

I'd lost him.

I tried to go after him but Felicia kept me in place with a tut. "Time to go home, darling."

There were so many times I'd thought I'd hit rock bottom. But the total heartbreak I felt right now? I couldn't imagine feeling worse than this. I hoped shock would kick in soon and numb me out because I wasn't sure how long I could bear the sharp pain knifing through me and stay sane.

I turned on her. "Why now? You could have killed me as a baby. Since you hate me so much."

Felicia slapped me across the face. "Don't ever say that. I love you." She smoothed down her coat which was slipping off my shoulders. "You made a mistake, that's true. But you can show you're sorry. We can still carry out our plan. Kyrillos will come around. You can be with him and I can have the power. We both get what we want."

Felicia had just cost me my heart's desire. Both Kai and Demeter. "I would rather die than help you."

Felicia thought this was hilarious. "Always with the melodrama, Sophie." Her amusement turned to annoyance. "Fine. I thought I'd missed my chance at revenge when Prometheus saved you."

She leaned in with a cruel smile. "This is even better. I'm going to enjoy watching all those humans you love die. And the best part is, it's all your fault. You were always so proud, Persephone. So much better than everyone. Then came Sophie. Poor little Sophie. The world's victim. What a joke. But now you're going to pay."

I didn't answer, rooted to the spot, staring devastated at Kai's retreating figure.

"Come along, Sophie." She sighed as I ignored her. Then her tone hardened. "You can either get into this car with me right now and be kept safe from the Photokia and Pyrosim after you," she nodded as I startled. "Yes. I know all about it. Or you can be a brat and find your own way home. Since I've just pulled the plug on your little stay here behind Theo's wards."

I met her eyes. "I'm. Not. Going."

She patted my cheek and got into her car. "Good luck, darling." With a laugh, she slammed the door shut, pulled out of the spot, and drove off without another look back.

I had been so wrong. Had lost so much.

Bitterly, I remembered how badly I'd wanted to get Persephone's memories so I'd know what it had felt like to be loved.

And now I did.

I also knew what it felt like to hurt so many people.

To betray that love.

Everything I'd accused the gods of, and I'd been the worst offender.

My head bowed under the weight of my wrongdoing. Sophie, Persephone—Kai was right. I was both. My blithe sense of self was shattered. I didn't like a single part of me.

I felt gutted.

I wrapped my arms around myself, burrowing deeper into Felicia's coat, as if that could somehow stop the ice hardening in my veins.