Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
On the weekend, I start moving more, the pain being much less and almost tolerable now. I tell Atlas I will be going back to work, but he looks at me as if I have grown a second head and instantly starts shaking his.
“That’s not going to happen,” he says with victory in his tone as if he’s won a fight I didn’t even know we were having. He places the food in front of us, as he does all the time, and starts eating, then he pushes a glass of water my way. He kicks his legs up on the coffee table and switches on the television.
“This is weird. Is this not weird?” I ask, looking at how comfortable he is. His cell starts ringing, and he studies it before he answers, his eyes on me, ready to answer my question.
“Hello.” He continues to watch me. “Yes, soon.” He hangs up, not breaking eye contact. “What is weird?” he asks me finally. “Us?”
I nod.
“Is this not what you want?” He indicates with his hand between us.
“You can’t ask me that. We don’t even know what we are. How do you start something from something so wrong and dark?” I ask him.
“So, you want this to end?”
I scrunch my brows. “I didn’t say that.”
“But you indicated it.”
I shrug. “They say you shouldn’t be sleeping with your boss anyway.”
“That’s an excuse. You know your job is safe, no matter what.”
“I don’t know that,” I argue back.
“For fuck’s sake, Theadora…”
“Yes, Atlas?”
He stands, frustrated. “I have to go to work, and I guess I’ll go home after.”
“Home? You have one of those?” I ask. “How come you never take me there?”
“Is that the problem? That you haven’t seen my house?”
I shrug, looking away. It’s not the problem, but it’s also a part of himself that he keeps away from me. While he can delve into all of my affairs, it seems a bit unfair that I know very little about his personal life.
“Get dressed, you’re coming with me to see what I do, then you’re spending the night at mine.”
I look to the food and don’t move.
“Theodora, get dressed. Or do you want me to pack your bag for you as well as dress you?”
I stand, and he watches me as I walk into my room.
Tina brought me some nice button-up shirts and black leggings. I put them on carefully and sit on the bed to slide my boots on. When I stand, Atlas walks over to me and starts doing up my buttons at the front.
“My men will be surprised to see you,” is all he says, doing up the last button. He leans in and kisses my lips softly, then pulls away, picking up the bag I packed. I follow him out until we reach the front door.
His car is parked out front behind mine, and he holds open the door as I get in, then does the same.
“Why? Why will they be surprised to see me?”
Atlas turns to face me and shakes his head, “Because last time they saw you, they kidnapped you,” he says matter-of-factly. My body starts to shake at that thought. “They will never hurt you again.”
“Do they do that often, kidnap people?” I ask.
He cracks his neck as he drives. “Only those who need it.”
“I didn’t need it. They took me from work, and I didn’t even know why at the time. I didn’t deserve it.”
“Unfortunately, you are related to her.”
“Yes, very unfortunate,” I reply. My cell rings and I see Tina’s name.
“Hey,” I say, as we drive up to his casino.
“Hey, was going to pop in, but wanted to see if you needed anything first.”
“Umm…” I look to Atlas as he slows the car down to park. “I’m staying at Atlas’s house tonight,” I tell her.
“Ohhh… is he putting on his big boy undies and taking this relationship further?” I turn to Atlas and see him smirking, obviously overhearing what she’s said.
“I guess so.”
“Okay, good. I expect a full report tomorrow.”
“Okay,” I say with a smile.
“Thea, remember if you take it up the ass to use heaps of lube,” she yells.
I hang up on her and turn to see Atlas in full smirk mode.
“She’s trouble that one.” He gets out of the car, walks around the front, and opens the door for me.
“The best kind of trouble, though.” Stepping out, he nods and starts walking toward the casino. The doormen let us in, and Atlas takes us to a private elevator. When we fly up to the top floor, I see Sydney sitting out the front at what I guess is her desk. Her eyes skim me before they go back to Atlas. “Are you sure she should be here?”
Atlas looks to me and tips his head toward Sydney. “She will keep you company. I won’t be long.”