Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
He replies straight away.
Atlas: You can give me the contract tonight.
Nope. No way.
Picking up my cell, I call Tina and fill her in on what’s happened. Then I ask, “Can you go instead? I don’t want to have dinner with Atlas.”
“Na, sorry, that’s your job. Go! He’s been asking about you.”
“Probably because of Lucy.”
“Nope, he’s been asking about you. There is a difference, believe me.”
We finish our conversation, and I hang up spending the rest of the day sorting out my life. I can move everything I have built until now into the business I’ve just purchased, incorporate it all together so it’s solely mine. I always wanted to change certain aspects of Chloe’s company, and now I will be able to do whatever I want with no one telling me otherwise. The only problem is, if I fail, it will all fall back on me, and that thought terrifies me.
I walk into my room and look at the dresses that are hanging in my closet. Taking each one out, I place them in a box and get changed into something that’s mine. The dress I have chosen is a burnt orange and is held up by the thinnest of spaghetti straps. A pair of spikey black heels finish off the look. My hair is hanging in a loose braid over one shoulder, and I have applied minimal makeup.
As soon as I walk outside, ready to catch the cab I ordered, I notice a car already there, with a driver waiting at the back door. “Miss Fitzgerald… sir asked that I collect you.”
I go to the app on my cell and cancel my ride as I walk down to the car. When I slide in, the driver shuts the door and drives me to the restaurant. Even though the restaurant is close to my house, I have never been here before, and I’ve been meaning to try it out. Every time I walk past, it always looks so busy and tonight is no exception.
“Please, miss, can I carry that for you?” the driver asks, trying to take the box I am holding, but I keep hold of it and simply thank him and walk away.
As I step inside, I look across at the walls which are made entirely of one-way glass. The tables have a marble effect surface, and the white wrap-around chairs are all occupied with formally dressed people. There is a bar on the left side with a selection of bottles in front of a mirrored background which is illuminated in silver. Above the tables hangs one giant chandelier with many dangling crystal beads which is spread over the entire ceiling of the room. The floor is gray carpet which looks brand new, and all I can think is, How do they keep it so clean. This place is simply stunning, and so far out of my league it’s not funny.
A few people look at me as I stand there scanning the area for him. I finally spot Atlas, and, of course, he has a seat right at the back with no other tables around him while everyone else is closer together.
I walk straight over to him. Atlas stands once I get close enough, and I push the box into his chest. He looks at it, pulling his brows together.
“What’s this, Theadora?”
“Your dresses. I’m sure Lucy or whoever you are fucking will enjoy them tremendously. I, on the other hand, cannot be bought, Mr. Hyde.” I smile at him—actually it’s more like a sneer. I turn to leave, but he reaches out and catches my wrist with one hand while the other holds onto the box which he has to juggle.
“Our dinner is coming. Sit and eat, Theadora.”
I look where he nods as the waiter walks over holding two plates of delicious-looking food.
“I ordered your favorite. Sit, please.”
Please?
He said please.
Atlas places the box on the floor and lets go of me, pulling the seat out as he goes. “I want to apologize…” he starts.
Dammit! I didn’t plan on staying, I wanted to prove a point, but as always, I’m pulled to him in ways I can’t explain. Plus, right now, I’m hungry. That’s the real reason I decide to stay, well, that’s what I tell myself anyway. So, I sit, and he pushes the chair in and heads around the other side of the table.
“For what?” I ask as I start to eat. The steak is amazingly tender and mouth-wateringly delicious.
“For how I treated you. It was wrong of me. I was hurt, and you were the easiest one to blame. You were the closest to me, and I lashed out.”
“I did nothing wrong. You did all of this to me, Atlas. You kidnapped me. You pulled me into your world without my consent.” I place the knife and fork down, losing my appetite.