Hades Hellraisers | 18+

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿

"I'm not really a fan of most of them, I don't like how they make Prez act," Sloane shrugged, placing her palm on the cheap wooden door, "Plus, none of them have experienced anything I have, it makes it hard to connect with them."

We spilled into the bar after her statement and I tried not to cringe at the obnoxious smell of alcohol in the room. It was like it seeped into the walls, and the floor was sticky with it. But I could feel the eyes on me as I walked across the bar, my arm linked tightly in Sloanes as an anchor. She was the person I felt safest with here, maybe it was because she was a female and she was kind to me, or because she was someone who had been through something similar to me. But I wasn't as terrified of the eyes on me with my arm locked through hers. I looked over my shoulder when we got to the front door, seeing Steve's eyes locked on my ass, and I felt my face heat. Sloane had insisted on me wearing these leather shorts, which clung to my skin and showed off places I had never shown off before. And when Steve met my gaze, he smirked, winking at me before turning back to his men. My stomach fluttered and I was so thankful to be pulled into the scorching heat. I could at least blame the redness on my cheeks from the heat instead.

The Hades Hellraisers had a mini-town, they called it Acheron, which Sloane informed me came from the myths. The Acheron in the Underworld is the river of lost souls. Which was oddly fitting. But as we walked through the abandoned town, with its empty gas station and bikes littering the dirt road, it felt like they were breathing life into a place that was full of lost souls. "Okay," I finally said as we approached the place that could be considered the town center, sitting on a bench, "Why with the Greek myth stuff?"

Sloane shrugged, "I mean, I think it's just because we are a whole bunch of lost souls if you think about it," She was wringing her fingers together in her lap, "Hades was the god of the dead, king of the underworld, and Steve, well Steve is like our Hades, his word is law, it just made sense."

I nudged her should with mine, gaining her attention almost instantly, "Hades wasn't a cruel god all the time," I smiled at her, seeing her grin back, "He was cruel when he wanted to be when it was needed, but he loved too, he was the only god who was mainly loyal to his wife, he adored Persephone."

"Steve just needs his very own Persephone," Sloane sighed, and I felt comfort in the fact that these people loved each other so deeply, it gave me hope that one day I would be loved deeply as well, "But he'll never find it here, not with the same group of women he surrounds himself with." We looked up when another pair of footsteps were heard, and approaching us was a blonde, the blonde that was kissing Steve last night, and it looked like she had a death wish for me as she approached. "That's Sharon, the person we're supposed to avoid."

I couldn't respond before Sharon stopped in front of me, she was pretty, and I could see why Steve wanted to be with her or sleep with her. This world was so strange to me. "You must be Aspen," Sharon's voice said my name with venom, but what she's failing to realize is I grew up with sharks, I knew how to navigate the waters when bleeding. And she was looking for a weak spot, one I wouldn't let her have.

"I am," I stated calmly, standing up and offering a smile, holding my hand out, "And you are."

"Steve's girlfriend."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "Ah, you're delusional, how's that working for you? Are you engaged too?"

I heard the crowd of women who suddenly surrounded us laugh, anger flashing across Sharon's face. "Well we would be, but he's just waiting for the right time."

"The right person," Sloane coughed out and everyone chuckled again.

"Stay away from him," Sharon stepped closer to me, and I felt the anger flare in my chest. I had no intention of doing anything with Steve, but I wouldn't let someone bully me because she was jealous, I wasn't even here for twenty-four hours yet and she was acting like I was the reason her life was falling apart. "If you have any knowledge in that spoiled rotten brain of yours, you'll stay the fuck away from him. You don't want to cross me."

"Maybe I do," I smiled, looking over her shoulder to where Steve, Bucky, and the rest of the guys had come out to see what was going on. "And I do have knowledge in that spoiled rotten brain of mine, I know damn well he doesn't want you. He made that clear when he dumped you. I have no interest in him, but all you've done is embarrass yourself. Have a wonderful day Sharon."

"Steve!" Sharon yelled when she turned around, and Sloane grinned, wrapping her elbow with mine again when she stood next to me, laughing quietly. "The new bitch is being mean! Take me on a ride!"

Steve raised an eyebrow before holding his hand out, eyes never leaving mine. "Aspen come on, you're on my bike. Everyone get loaded up, we're riding out."

I rounded Sharon, walking up the small incline to where Steve stood, my fingers being placed in his palm. "I figured last night was your true personality, quiet and timid," Steve chuckled, leading me to his black bike, grabbing the leather jacket off the handlebar, "Seems to me I have a lot to discover about you, Miss Thatcher."

"I don't know," I shrugged, spinning around when he twirled his finger so he could place the jacket on my shoulders, "Seems to me you've got a good look at what there is to discover."

Steve grinned at me, taking his sunglasses from his head, aviators, and placed them on my face, "You have a nice ass, what can I say?" He straddled his bike, holding his hand out so I could get on, "Place your feet on the pegs, I'll hold you up." I placed one foot on the peg before throwing my leg over the back of the seat, "And those leather shorts do nothing to hide it, it's hard not to imagine what's under there."

"You just broke up with your girlfriend," I teased, wrapping my arms around his waist when he started the engine, making our conversation quiet while his guys got everything loaded up, "You shouldn't flirt with someone so soon, it's rude."

Steve looked over his shoulder at me and gave me one of the most charming smiles I have ever seen. No wonder women fall into his bed all the time, how could they not? He's a masterpiece. "I'd have to have a girlfriend to break up with, to begin with," Steve's tongue ran across his bottom lip, his eyes trailing down my front, landing on the cleavage that was shown, before his eyes trailed back up to my face, smirking at the blush I could feel on my face, "Ending a hookup is not the same as ending a relationship."

"Well, she seems to believe you're going to propose to her, should I help you plan it?"

Steve let out a bubbling laugh, one loud enough that people around him stopped for a moment, before quickly rushing off so he didn't notice the shocked faces on them. But I did. And it made me wonder if they had never seen him like this, so, human. And if they haven't, why was he comfortable showing me this side of him? Was it because I was a stranger? Someone he didn't have to wear a mask around? I wasn't sure, but his laugh was melodic, and I wanted him to continue. "I like you Aspen, stick around for a while."

I smiled, nodding before he turned back around, the heel of his boot hit the kickstand up, inclining his head towards Bucky. "Let's head out."

Steve was the first to peel out, leading his pack and I smiled, feeling the warm air brush my face, because maybe I would stay for a while.

Maybe this place wasn't so bad.

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