Текст книги "Atlas"

Автор книги: Alyne Roberts

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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

XXXII

Atlas

I was still awake when the sun came up. After taking Stella hard, I gave it to her slow to make up for the marks she would show in the morning. Even in my frustration, anger, and built up hate, Stella was able to handle me. She could always take me at my worst and was probably the only person that ever could. She finally passed out after we showered and I carried her back to the bed.

I stared up at her ceiling as sunlight stared to fill her room. It was a dark blue with silver balls scattered. The paint was thick and wasn't there when I checked the place before she moved in. I finally realized it was the night sky with the stars. I recognized the pattern of the stars placed in the sky. It was the constellation of Atlas.

"When did you paint that?" I asked her when I felt her waking. She rolled on her back and looked up at the ceiling with me.

"A few nights after we moved in," she said. "This way, you are always watching over me."

"I was always watching over you, Stella," I told her, rolling over to look at her.

"I needed you with me," she whispered.

"I thought you were safer away from me. Everything you went through was because of me. You've seen too much spilled blood and that's my fault."

"Why did you come back then?"

I sighed and pushed myself up in the bed. Stella looked up at me, waiting for me to explain why I kept hurting her.

"I wanted to leave you alone. I thought I could get rid of you easily and move on with my life. I watched you to make sure you were safe and it killed me not to go to you. I realized I might never be okay with letting you go, but I was going to for your sake. For once, I didn't want my selfish actions to hurt you."

Stella sat up ready to argue and I placed a finger over her lips, silencing her.

"You didn't look happy though. I had this image of you moving out here and becoming someone different, but you still looked lost. Like you were missing something."

"I was."

"I waited for the day you would find it. I told myself that I would walk away then and never look back. But then I saw you and Liddy go to that club. It reminded me of the night I took you. I couldn't help it."

"That was you on the dance floor." It wasn't a question because she knew.

"You didn't react the way you should have. I expected fear or for you to run, reminding me of what I did to you. But you melted into me like you had been waiting for that moment."

"I was. You never hurt me, Atlas. You hurt me when you left me," Stella said.

"I have hurt you, Stella. You are just too strong to see it but I am prepared to make it up to you."

"How?"

"Every tear," I said pulling her face to mine, "I will kiss away." I kissed her cheek and moved to her neck.

"Every bite, I will soothe. Every bruise, I will cover up with pleasure. For every moment you spent alone and hurt, I will make you happy."

I lowered her back to the bed and took her lips. I hoped she believed me, trusted me, and wanted me enough. I took my time with the kiss because for the first time, there wasn't a deadline. The ticking clock that had always hung over my head with her was gone. We weren't going anywhere. I was done being without her. Neither one of us were happy like that. And if you couldn't be happy, what was the point? Why fight a war when you had nothing to fight for?

A bang in the kitchen broke us both apart and Stella jumped from the bed. I grabbed her just before she pulled open her door.

"Stay," I said, pushing her back a few steps.

Silently, I walked down the short hall and heard a scream. I came around the corner quickly to find Liddy with a pan in her hand, looking ready to swing. Ace leaned against the counter with his hands up in surrender.

"What the fuck?" I growled at him. Liddy jumped when she heard my voice.

"I just touched her hand," he explained as he slowly removed the pan from her shaking hands.

"Ace?" Stella asked from behind me. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to check on my girls and to make sure the boss here behaved himself," he said as put the pan on the stove. "By the looks of your hair, he didn't."

Stella blushed and ran her fingers quickly through the mess until Ace swept her up in a tight hug. I stepped aside and joined Liddy in the kitchen.

"So, you're back?" Liddy asked me. "Finally pulled decided to put her out of her misery?"

"I'm not here to hurt her," I snapped.

"I meant by coming back for her," Liddy said, stepping away from my outburst.

"Right. Sorry," I told her. "I came back for you both."

"What?" Stella asked, looking between her brother and me.

"I'm not taking you away. We can go where ever the fuck you want to go," I told her. "You aren't leaving behind your best friend either. I have casinos and homes in almost every major city. Wherever you want. I'm not tying you down."

"But I like the ropes," Stella blurted.

I ignored Ace's glare and rounded the counter, pulling her little body flush against mine. Her eyes widened when I poked her in the stomach with the proof of what her words do to me.

"Don't you worry, Little Star. They will go wherever we go."

The war within the family was far from over. There were still enemies hiding and women missing. In the last month, Ace and I had managed to take down three other holding spots for the girls. Ace hadn't found his girl yet. Every time we would think we were close, he'd come up empty-handed. After everything he had gone through, it couldn't all be for nothing.

Ace grew concerned with his sister and Liddy living alone in San Francisco. Neither one looked happy or well. Stella held her head high, but her eyes were dull like before I took her to the lake house. Liddy wasn't healing or dealing with what had happened to her either. That angered Ace even more, and he fought harder to find every man who was to blame for the way she cried herself to sleep at night. I promised her the best help we could get her. And revenge.

"Anywhere?" Stella asked, her eyes clouded over and barely focused.

"Anywhere. You won't get away from me again."

EPILOGUE

Stella

Six Months Later…

Paris was beautiful in the spring. The fog of the winter had finally lifted. The trees sprouted into full bloom, covering the land in flowers. The air smelled sweet with the cherry blossoms decorating the sky. The warmer air wrapped around me as I stood on our balcony, watching families board their sailboats for the first time this year. It was perfect, calming, and inspiring. I never wanted to leave.

"You ready, Little Star?" Atlas asked.

He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my stomach gently. The large bump made it hard to fit his thick arms around me. I never thought I could see him as gentle as he was with me in the last few months. Atlas touched me like I might break or he would hurt the tiny life growing inside me.

"I guess so. I hate leaving."

"I know. We will come back, I promise. We need to fly out before you can't do it safely anymore. Liddy and Ace are waiting for us."

I reluctantly came back inside, leaving the beautiful view I had fallen in love with behind. Atlas would keep his promise so it made waking away a little easier. I hoped to love the view at our new lake house just as much.

When Atlas asked where I wanted to go to have our child, the lake house was first place I thought of. But I couldn't go back with all the blood that I knew was on the floors and the pain inside those walls. Atlas built us a new one in the area. I wanted to be close to the city so he could still work, but far enough from the corruption and poison.

I should have been scared to bring a child into this world. I was. I was terrified of what could happen, but that wouldn't stop me from trying to give him or her the best life ever. Atlas had saved my life many times over, and he would do so for his baby. He would never turn into his father, that much I knew. Ace teased that the baby would make him soft. I didn't think that would ever happen. Not in any one else’s eyes anyways.

"The plane is waiting," Atlas told me, taking my hand and leading me out the door.

This penthouse had been my home for the last six months. While Atlas and Ace had trailed leads about the trafficking ring and had made alliances, I had enjoyed Paris and the art here. I no longer felt in danger, although I probably was now more than ever. I was the boss's woman and just as hated or respected as he was.

There was no doubt Atlas would keep us safe. Even as we get into our car to travel to the airport, I was surrounded. Sal and Tony were in the car with us and were never too far away. Ace was with Liddy in the states and would be joining us at the lake house. Knowing I would see them soon made our departure less bittersweet.

Our car parked on the runway and we boarded our small plane. I would never get used to the money Atlas seemed to have. I knew not all this money was earned legally, but this was the life I had chosen for myself. I would like to think my dad was proud that I had found someone to take care of me, and who was good on the inside, despite what he'd done on the outside.

"I think the belt is buckled," I told Atlas who was still checking the seat belt on my lap.

"Just making sure," he mumbled. He still didn't look satisfied with the hold.

"Atlas." I waited until I had his full attention. "I love you."

"I love you too, Little Star."

Forgetting about buckling me in so tight I couldn't breathe, he stood to tell the pilot we were ready.

"Let's go. Uncle Ace and Aunt Liddy are waiting for us at home!"

I smiled during takeoff with excitement and squeezed Atlas's hand tightly. I missed my brother and my best friend. I was anxious to see how Liddy was doing. Ace was trying to help her and get her revenge, but I knew she hadn't healed yet. Maybe she never would. Maybe none of us would ever be the same.

I knew I still had wounds and cuts that would never close. Some pain would never go away and some nightmares would always come back. Certain things would forever haunt me and I wasn’t sure I could get rid of them. I might always see the death of my parents when I slept or the way it felt to shoot and kill a man. Those nightmares might not go away, but I wouldn’t let them consume me again. The only thing I could do was to fill the holes with enough happiness and love to make the bad worth it.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed Atlas, please consider leaving a review.

Thank you

Atlas is the sixth book I wrote. I am lucky enough to say that I have a few people that stuck with me through most of them. Atlas, and the others, would not be here without my little support system. The people that stood by me, virtually and physically.

My husband rocks because put up with me when I was crabby, tired and stressed out as I worked on Atlas. He deserves a medal for that. I was a witch. My fur babies never left my side either.

My family never stopped believing in me. Thank you for your never-ending support and love.

Thank you Steph. I love you and you were always there to talk me down or just keep me company. I needed that. I have no idea what I do without you.

Tiffany. You are amazing and came into my life when I needed you the most. Thank you for your kind words, support and loyal pimping.

Thank you to the small group of Alyne’s Angels for your help spreading the word. [Jordan: you are a superstar!]

Huge thanks to R.B.A. Designs. Thank you for making the perfect cover for Atlas. You never cease to amaze me with your talent!

Thank you Jen at Beyond the Cover Editing. You fixed my hot mess. I don’t know how you sorted it all out.

Thank you to my beta readers, Missy and Ashley. You ladies have been with me though every book now!

Thank you to every blog, reader and reviewer that has shared or will share Atlas. It means the word to me and I would be invisible without you!

Most of all: Thank you for picking up this book and taking a chance!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alyne lives in Ohio with her husband, two dogs and cat. Working full time in an office all day, she spends her nights reading, writing or watching an entire TV series in a night. She refuses to grow up and loves Disney movies and anything with owls. She couldn't live without her coffee or her furry "children".

Alyne wrote her first novel titled "Light to the Darkness" in 2014, followed by the Conflicted Encounters Series.

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She loves to connect with readers so feel free to stalk her!

Website: www.AlyneRoberts.com

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Books By Alyne Roberts: 

Light to the Darkness

Memorized

Conflicted Encounters Series:

Jolted

Impacted

Shaken

IN MY HEAD

S.L. Schiefer

Prologue

It’s amazing, looking back, what all I missed. Things that were obviously right in front of me. I couldn’t see how things looked from the outside, because I was in my own world of denial. I had no idea how I got to where I did.

If I had known, I would have gone about things differently.

I would have stayed out of my head.

Chapter One – Last  Call Wonders

“LYLA! What are you doing here?” Ben asks over the thump of the bass in the bar we’re in. We just finished our first semester of college so we decided to come out and celebrate. We being myself and my roommate Michelle.

Ben is a sophomore, studying business management. We don’t have any classes together, but every time I’m at the library he’s always there. So we’ve become study partners. Even though we can’t help each other at all. The only reason I agreed is because he’s nice to look at. Okay, nice might be putting it mildly. Ben is the epitome of my wet dream. He’s has black hair, green eyes, a strong chiseled jaw, and a constant stubble. It’s like he uses clippers to keep his beard trimmed down without getting rid of it completely.

“Celebrating! What are you doing? Here with a hot date?” Ben goes out a lot, but never with the same girl twice. He’s not a bad boy, but he does have the reputation of one.

“I’m kind of hoping I can get this one girl to go home with me,” he says, then puts his bottle of beer up to his lips to take a drink. I watch his throat as he takes a long pull of the amber liquid.

“Oh, ya?” I start glancing around the bar, trying to see if I can pick out the girl he’s trying to hook up with. “What’s she look like?”

“She’s a little short, has the stubbornness of an eighty year old man, and has the deepest brown eyes I’ve ever seen.”

I turn and give him a puzzled look. “That does not help me pick her out in this crowd of people.”

“I think you’ll have a hard time picking her out. She isn’t like anyone else I’ve ever met before. I’ve actually been trying to catch her attention for a while now, but it seems she doesn’t have the slightest idea that I’m interested.” He stares at me intently, while I just stare back. I’m not really sure what to say to that. It’s no secret, well to me and Michelle, that I want this guy for myself, but I’ve never let him in on that secret. I couldn’t take the heart break of rejection that would likely occur. I’m not on the same level as this guy. To even delude myself into thinking that is absurd.

“Well, whoever it is had better realize just how lucky she is. To have a great guy like you wanting her.” I turn away and take a drink of my amaretto stone sour. This stuff is like candy, and almost just as good to fix a heart ache.

I feel Ben come in close behind me, and I feel the brush of his lips on my ear right before he says, “Lyla, I’m positive she would feel that way if she would open her eyes and see what’s standing right in front of her. Or, right behind her in this case.”

Butterflies burst into flight in my stomach. What the hell is he going on about? If he’s toying with me, he won’t be able to perform in bed for a very long time. “What, Ben?”

“Lyla, for as brilliant as you are, you’re so blind,” he chuckles and I feel his breath on the back of my neck. My skin breaks out in goosebumps from the intimate feel of the situation.

He grasps my shoulders and turns me around to look at him. All the while I stand there frozen. “Lyla, I’ve been trying like hell to get you to see how I feel about you.”

“Is this some kind of joke? It isn’t April. This is seriously fucked up, even for you, if you’re toying with me,” I growl at him.

“Sunshine, why would I play around with you about this? I’ve seen the way you check me out when you think I’m not paying attention. What you fail to see, though, is how I look at you. Even when you’re looking.”

This is like a dream come true. Finding out that the guy you’ve been lusting after is actually into you after all. But, is it possible to go from good friends to boyfriend and girlfriend? Without it being weird?

“Now, let me take you to the bar and buy you a drink. I have no expectations of tonight. I just want to get to you know better, but know that I don’t want to see you with another guy after tonight. You’ve been mine for a while now, you just didn’t know it.” He smiles his panty dropping smile and takes me by my hand and leads me to the bar.

We’ve been at the bar ever since he told me the truth. I’m unaware of how much time has went by. But, the next thing I know “last call” is being shouted throughout the bar.

“You want to come back to my house?” His green eyes are so hopeful. It’s not like I haven’t been back to his house before. Since we ran into each other, and became more comfortable with each other, we’ve been to each other’s houses a lot. But, this is different. So different.

I look away from his eyes, and mumble, “Sure.”

***

Walking in his front door, he leads the way to the kitchen. Where I hop on yet another bar stool. But, I put my arms up on the counter top and prop my head on my hands. Watching Ben work his way around the kitchen making me a drink. Which gives me a minute to check him out.

He’s wearing dark wash jeans, and a tight black button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black chucks, and a light blue beanie. The beanie is the only amount of color he has showing. I know for a fact he has the start of a sleeve on one of his arms that has a lot of color in it, but they’re covered up.

“What makes you decide you want a specific tattoo?” I break our silence as he turns to place a drink in front of me.

“Meh, whatever strikes my fancy is usually what triggers me wanting a tattoo,” he tells me.

“I don’t have any tattoos. I’ve always wanted one, but never could decide on one when it came down to it.”

“Well, I can draw. If you can think of something you want, let me know and I’ll draw it up for you.” I smile at him, but don’t say anything.

We just sit there and stare at each other. My eyes scan over his face, finally locking in on his eyes. Trying like hell to read into his mind through those green depths. I want to be cautious of this, but I want to dive head first into it. What does that say about me? I feel like we’ve had months of foreplay, so this is the right next step… right?

I sigh, “What do you want from me, Ben?” I need to know what he wants out of this before we go any further.

“Lyla, I may not always be right about things when it comes to my life. But, I know I’m right about this. You’ve given my life a giant amount of sunshine in the short time I’ve known you. You’ve brought smiles to my face, even when I’m not with you. The only thing left, that would make me even happier, is giving yourself to me. One-hundred percent giving yourself over to me, to this, to explore what we could have. Because, sunshine, what we could have could be some epic fucking romance. One that I don’t want to let myself miss out on.”

Well. What do you say to all that? I stand up, walk over to him on the other side of the counter, and press myself against his front. Running my hands up his chest, up the sides of his neck, and into his hair. I push my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, the hair that’s too long to fit under his beanie. I pull his head down to mine, and right before I press my lips against his, I whisper, “I can’t miss out on epic, either.” Then I kiss him, and he furiously kisses me back. And if our kiss is telling of our future, it will be nothing short of passionate.