Текст книги "Atlas"

Автор книги: Alyne Roberts

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X

Atlas

I watched her silhouette in the shower without disturbing her. She was completely silent as she washed and scrubbed. The bathroom was filling with steam, and I wondered how she could stand the heat of the water. I was sure she knew I was out here, but she didn't ask me to leave. I wouldn't have anyway.

A knock sounded at the door and I opened it a crack to find Tony on the other side.

"Cleaned up?" I asked quietly, opening the door a little wider to see him. I wasn't going to leave this bathroom.

"Yeah. Sal is bleaching the floors. Might smell for the night," he told me. "She alright?"

"Not sure yet," I said with a glance back at her. I couldn't make out much with the frosted glass but I could see her leaning back against the wall, letting the spray hit her face.

"She might be in shock," he offered. "Especially if you're right and she saw her parents knocked off."

"I know she did. Being covered in blood probably isn't helping. Police found her holding her mom, covered in their blood."

"Shit," Tony hissed. "You are just determined to make that girl relive it aren't you?"

"You know I need to."

"The front door's lock was broken. That was probably how Hector got in,” he told me.

"What the fuck did he want?" I asked.

"He wanted to know what you were so busy with," Stella called from behind me. The knobs twisted and the water cut off.

"Did he tell you that?" I asked as I grabbed a towel and closed the door so Tony didn't get a show, too. A possessive feeling raged inside when I thought of him watching her get out of the shower with water dripping down her body.

"Yeah," she admitted, taking the towel and wrapping up in. "He thinks you're hiding away with a new plaything."

I grunted and tilted her head back to look at her neck covered in bruises.

"I'm sorry I shot him," I told her, looking into her confused eyes. "I should have beat him to death instead."

"I'm okay. Just sore," she told me

I clenched my fists and let her into the bedroom where the guys were waiting for us. Stella sat on the bed, keeping the towel tightly wrapped around her. My men kept their eyes off her and on me, waiting for their next orders.

"Find out what he knew," I told them. "If he talked to anyone, we are royally fucked."

"He didn't have any outgoing calls on his phone for the last hour, so I doubt he told anyone about the girl," Sal said.

"We need to be sure," I reminded.

"I watched Stella come inside just a few minutes before we found Hector with her. He couldn't have known about her before that," Tony said.

I looked over to where Stella was watching us calmly. She was too much in shock to care about how big a deal this really was.

"Stella, get dressed and I will be right back," I told her.

She nodded and I ushered the guys out into the hall. My nose stung with the smell of the bleach. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. I doubted she would try an escape tonight, but it was not the time to take any more chances.

"If anyone hears I have the girl here, it's over. For all of us," I told them.

"You cut her loose now, all this shit will be for nothing," Tony argued. "You got nothing from her so far."

"I fucking know that," I growled at him.

"You said when the risk was greater than the outcome, we would end this," Sal reminded me. "Hector is high ranks. He probably knows her face."

"But instead of reporting it, he tried to get him a fucking piece," Tony said. He was in the girl's corner, which was clear.

"If someone comes looking for him and finds her," I started, but Tony shook his head. We all knew there was a plan for that.

"Give it a few days," Tony urged. "You just killed a man for her. You saved her ass. That may convince her to cooperate."

I looked over to Sal while I debated my options. We could kill her now and dump her with Hector. No one would know the difference. The family wanted her dead and thought I had already done the deed. We could keep her and hope no one knew she was still alive in the meantime. Once I got what I needed, it was all over anyway. One sacrifice to save many.

"Keep your eyes and ears open," I told them, my mind made up and plan formed. "And double up the security on doors and windows. No one gets in and no one gets out."

"Got it boss," Tony answered, pleased with my decision.

"We get so much as a feeling that they know she is here, get rid of her," I told them before pushing back into the bedroom.

Stella was curled up in the center of the bed, passed out cold. She looked so small and alone on top of the covers in the big bed. Rage and hate burned inside me to see the finger marks on the side of her neck. She was mine to mark up and push around, but I never liked hurting her.

I pulled the blankets back and covered her up. I don't know how long I sat on the bed and watched her sleep. It was a few hours before she started to toss and turn like she usually did with the nightmares. I wondered what she was dreaming about tonight. Was it her parents or Hector she was seeing in a pool of blood?

In the morning, I woke in the bed next to Stella. My eyes sprung open and I shot up when I realized where I was. I hadn't meant to fall asleep, let alone in here. Reaching to my back, my gun was still there. When I looked down, Stella was already awake and watching me. By the looks of her, she had been up for some time. I glanced at my watch, it was almost afternoon by now.

"Morning," she said. "I'm starving."

I couldn't help but laugh as I got out of the bed.

"By all means, let’s feed you."

In the kitchen, Stella picked at her food. She looked fine, but seemed broken. She was putting on tough act, but inside, she was terrified. Was she scared of me since she had seen me kill a man? She knew that was the man I was. But I killed for her.

For the first time, I realized how she could interpret my actions. Did I just give her evidence that I needed her alive? I killed one of my own to save her. Before I had treated her like she was disposable. Now, she might think that she was valuable and worth saving. She couldn't think she had the upper hand.

"You need a haircut," I told her harshly.

"What?" she asked, confused. She ran her fingers through her hair, looking at the locks as they slipped between her fingers.

"If by chance Hector told anyone of a girl here, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out it was you," I explained. "You need to look different from the girl I was supposed to kill in the basement."

"So we need to cut my hair?"

"Yes, and dye it. It's that or kill you."

Stella's eyes widened and she swallowed the grape she had been chewing for the past several seconds. She grabbed some hair and looked longingly at it. I would miss her long, blonde hair too. I would never get to fulfill that fantasy of pulling it from behind her, tilting her head back to look at me.

"What color?" she asked quietly.

"Black."

She stood from her stool and looked right at me. "I lost bigger things than this. Let's get it over with."

Snarky. I had watched her for months. I had witnessed her go through the five stages of grief and come out on the other end. She wasn't the same person, but she was alive. Hiding, but alive. Just when I had thought she was down and wouldn't get back up, she did. Every hit took a little out of her, but she came out on the other side, still breathing.

I grabbed the bag Sal had left on the counter for me and scissors from a locked kitchen drawer. I led her back to her bathroom where we stood in front of the mirror. I let her twist some hair around her fingers one last time. It was a shame we had to get rid of it.

"Here we go," I warned her.

Stella closed her eyes, and I wrapped my hand around the bottom of her hair. I clipped away what was above my fist. The hair fell to my feet like gold ribbons. The rest fell around her shoulders. It was still long even though about nine inches were at my feet.

"May I?" she asked, reaching back for the scissors.

"You're fucking kidding me. No."

Stella sighed and met my eyes in the mirror. "I just want to even it out. It looks like shit. I won't do anything stupid."

I handed her the scissors and reached behind myself, pulling out my gun. I pushed it into her back, letting her feel the cold metal of the barrel between her shoulder blades. Stella nodded in understanding and leaned forward, closer to the mirror. She clipped a few pieces here and there, cleaning up my messy style and giving herself sweeping bangs. I held the gun to her and bounced between looking at her ass while she was bent over, and watching her wield a pair of scissors.

Stella finished and handed me the scissors. I put them and the gun back in my waistband and let her rinse the stay hairs from her hair. As much as I liked her long blonde hair, the new look was hot too. It brought out her high cheekbones, light skin, and bright eyes. I could see her pretty face better with less hair to hide behind.

"Looks good," I told her.

"I'll get used to it," she said.

Stella read the directions and mixed the hair dye. I leaned against the doorframe, not really much of a help. With the shorter hair, it didn't take much time to apply the black dye.

"Now we wait twenty minutes," she told me.

We walked to the back porch to escape the fumes in the bathroom. The sun was bright, as though it didn't know of the horror that had taken place behind these walls overnight. The sun seemed to rise every morning, never knowing what happened when she was on the other side. She graced us all with her light, even those who didn’t deserve it.

"Why?" she asked me.

I didn't need to ask what she meant. Stella always seemed curious as to other's intentions, like their actions could be explained. Why save her? Why kill a man? Why change her look?

"I'm still not done with you," I said. "I need something from you. I did you a favor, now you can return it."

"That's why you killed him?" she asked, looking at me with those big eyes that were no longer hidden behind her hair.

"Yes. Don't think I did that for you," I told her. "I still need answers and I’ve dealt with you too long to give up now."

"Times up," Stella said after a long moment of silence.

"What?"

Stella was already walking back to the house.

"Time to rinse," she called back over her shoulder.

XI

Stella 

I grabbed the shower head wand and dropped it in the tub. If there was one thing that didn't suck about being trapped here, it was this shower with two shower heads and the massaging water jets. I turned on the water and played with the temperature until it was perfect. Kneeling on the floor, I leaned over the drain.

"Here," Atlas interrupted. "You're soaking the floor."

Atlas took the shower wand from me and pushed between my shoulder blades so I bent over. Gently and carefully, he ran his fingers through my hair, letting the water wash out the dye. He was even careful to keep the water out of my eyes. I watched as the black dye swirled down the drain, washing away what I used to look like.

A virtual stranger was washing my hair. He was gentle, considerate and even consoling. His fingertips may have caused pain and death, but they were washing away all the memories of it from my mind at the moment. For once, I felt comfort and not the pain and fear that I had been living with for so long.

When was the last time that I hadn't needed to look over my shoulder? Was it before my parents were killed? Not even then. Before my brother became involved with the likes of Atlas? Maybe. It had been so long, it seemed like all I'd ever known. I didn't need to watch my back anymore. I knew what was back there now. I had already been caught in the chase.

Atlas applied the conditioner to my hair and slowly rubbed in it. His hands felt so big on my head, but I wasn't scared. I didn't want to shy away from his hands. I wanted them on me. They were a reminder I was done running and it was over. One way or another, I wouldn't walk the streets in fear that I would be taken at any moment anymore.

Weeks of deprivation made me desperate for contact. I closed my eyes,concentrating on the sensations of his touch and the warmth of the water. The water was running clear but we both ignored it. My hip was pressed against his, and I knew my breathing wasn't steady since his hands were on me. My mind refused to remember the bad and concentrated on the moment. For once, I wasn't looking behind me.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice low and husky. It reminded me of when he whispered in my ear at the club.

"For what?" I asked, knowing I was playing with danger. It was like sticking your hand through the fence when you knew the dog would bite.

His hand stopped at the back of my neck and he gave it a squeeze. I could feel the bruises from the night before under his touch. I wanted him to erase them. He could cover them up, make them something else entirely.

Atlas used his grip to pull me so I was sitting up. I gathered the nerve to look at him and saw what I was feeling reflecting back at me. It was a confused mixture of want and lust. Water dripped from my hair down my shirt, making the already thin material cling to my skin. I watched as his eyes followed the water, zoning in on my nipples that I knew where hard.

"Stella," he said in a warning. I wasn't sure what for.

"Atlas," I said back. My voice was breathy and low.

"Shit," he cursed before he pushed me against the vanity.

I spread my legs and he crawled between them, leaning over me. His eyes were everywhere, taking in all that he could. He was trying to read me, see what it was that I really wanted. I licked my lips and pushed my chest out a little more, letting him know what it was that I needed. His lips parted as he clenched my thigh. For this one second, he was the weakest I had ever seen him.

One hand was still on the back of my neck as he reached behind me, moving it to my throat. I swallowed and tipped my head back, letting him get a better grip. When Atlas finally realized what I wanted, he pulled my face to his. My eyes shot up to look into his. I saw the understanding flash in his face.

"I erased that motherfucker," he growled before crashing his lips to mine.

We clashed together like a tragic wreck. It was wet and hard, his lips taking mine and crushing them. I moaned into his mouth and his grip on my throat tightened. The pressure wasn't enough to cut off air, but I felt his touch and no one else's.

Atlas kissed like he lived. He was powerful and forceful, taking whatever he wanted. His tongue parted my lips and I opened to him. I felt the rumble in his chest when he tasted me. His hand squeezed tighter and I welcomed the pleasurable pain. It was exciting and daring at the same time; a toxic mixture.

I squeezed my knees together, pinning his hips between my shaky legs. His body was hard and hot on mine. Atlas grabbed behind my knee and pulled, making me slide down to the floor. He never once released my lips as he lowered me to the floor and hovered over my body. The tile was cold on my back, cooling me down as I was burning up.

I could feel him all over me, although he was only touching my lips and neck. He devoured my mouth and I let him. If I could remember these touches and this moment in the house, maybe I could keep my sanity. Something less devastating to concentrate on and relive in my memories.

Growing bold, or impatient, I put my hands on his shoulders. The muscles flexed under my palms, and I loved the powerful feeling. His hand tightened on my throat when I dug my nails into his back. Atlas was holding back and restraining himself. I could feel it in his body. He could easily break me into a thousand pieces.

"This is a bad idea, Little Star," he said with his lips brushing mine. "I will hurt you. That's what I do."

"I'm already hurt," I whispered back.

Atlas pulled away to look down at me. He took in my lips that were red and swollen from his kisses. My neck that was under his hand, covering any marks. He watched my chest heaving and panting under my wet shirt.

Without warning, he gripped the neckline with both hands and tore the shirt down the middle. He pulled it open and lowered his lips to the skin between my breasts. I gasped when his tongue tasted me. I squirmed under him, but he pinned me with his body. I was trapped again. No matter what I did, Atlas had me trapped. I'm wasn't sure I cared at that moment.

"You think I can make you feel better?" he asked, his mouth trailing down my stomach.

I couldn't answer him. I didn't know if I thought I would feel better. I might feel numb. I could feel less angry. Was someone who only brought me pain and fear capable of taking away those feelings as well? Even he said himself, he hurts. All I knew was that right then, I didn't feel any of that.

I opened my eyes and watched as Atlas licked and sucked his way back up my stomach. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the glint of metal on the floor. His gun. With my legs wrapped around his waist, the gun was in the way so he must have taken it out. He was preoccupied with my skin and didn't notice me staring at it.

I couldn't reach it but if I slid over a little bit, I could grab it. I wouldn't need much time to point and pull the trigger. I knew how to shoot and knew how to pull the safety and fire quickly. With a weapon, I could get past the guards and out of this house.

Atlas stopped what he was doing and I looked down to find him watching me closely. His eyes were dark, mixed with danger and lust. His lips were plump and wet from kissing me. I bit my lip in response to the heated look he was giving me. It warmed my entire body.

Atlas pushed himself off me and leaned down over my face. One hand gripped my chin as he kissed me hard and rough. When he released me too soon, I was gasping for the breath he had stolen from me. When he moved again, I thought he would kiss me once more, but he stopped mere inches from my face.

Atlas reached out and grabbed the gun from the floor. He never looked away from me as he pulled back and tucked it back into his waistband. I couldn't read his look. Was it anger? Was it indifference? My heart hammered in my chest as I held my breath. Atlas slowly rose to his feet and left the room, without a word.

I pulled myself up and sat on the bathroom floor. My veins were pumping with a fear, but not one I expected or understood.

I wasn't scared of what he would have done if he had kept going. I was scared of how I felt when he stopped.

XII

Atlas

I avoided Stella for a few days. Cleaning up a murder in your house was time consuming. Especially if the wrong people noticed the victim was missing. Loyalties were being tested and so was my plan. It was hard to remain undetected when someone was snooping around your shit. I couldn't even call my dad without getting questioned.

"Where are you?" my dad asked when I finally got him on the line.

"Lake house," I said with a sigh. I knew he already knew that. Not much got by him.

"Did Hector make it up there to see you?" he asked.

"No. Was he supposed to?" I asked. It was not in my favor that they knew he was heading here when he went missing.

"That's what he said," my dad said. I could hear the suspicion in his voice but I ignored it.

"Are you in the city?" I asked him. I needed to know where he was, or rather, how close he was.

"No, Miami this week," he said.

My father told me he bought a "vacation home" in Miami and was spending a lot of time there. The boss didn't give a shit about anything other than money, so I didn't believe he was there for rest and relaxation. I couldn't leave to visit and scope out the place while I was tailing Stella, and I definitely couldn’t leave her now.

I had no idea what was going through her mind. I didn't know what to expect when I saw her next. I had one of the guys outside her room at night and they hadn't reported any escape attempts. That didn't mean anything though. I learned that Stella was smart and cunning. She offered her own body to distract me and get away.

"We can meet up next week," my dad offered.

"Sure," I said just to please him. We both knew that wouldn't happen. There had been a strain between us that neither of us had pointed out. Ever since the Harlows had been wiped out, I had more trust issues than usual.

We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone to continue pacing my office. I stopped at my computer to check the security camera stream. Stella was on the back deck with her feet dangling over the water. Tony and Sal both stood behind her on watch. She looked bored and lonely, or busy plotting. Hard to tell.

I lost myself in the bathroom with her the other night. When I saw the bruises on her neck, I wanted to kill Hector all over again. I should have drawn it out, made his death slow and painful. No man got to take whomever he wanted, and no man got to try to take what was mine and live. I wanted to cover his marks and erase him from her memory. I wanted to be the only thing she could think of.

I thought I was succeeding. It was a powerful feeling to know that you could make it all go away for someone. I made her forget. Stella seemed like she wasn't thinking at all and her body was controlling her. Her breathing was fast, as well as her heartbeat. Her back arched into me and her legs tightened on my waist. Just when I thought I had complete control, I lost it. I glanced up to see her eyeing the gun I had set aside.

I wanted to wait her out and see what she would chose. Would she grab it and try to shoot? Would she freeze at the last minute, fumbling over the trigger? Was she lost in me enough that she would ignore it and let me keep going?

I took the choice away from her. I didn't want to know the answer. Each choice left us damned. Either way offered an insight into her mind that I didn't want to see. I didn't want to know if she would have shot me or let me rip off the rest of her clothes. I had enough mysteries to unravel. Somethings were better left unknown.

Unfortunately, I still needed something from Stella and avoiding her wouldn't get it. I left the safety of my office and went to the living room. A quick survey told me there was nothing that could be used as a weapon in the room. The fireplace tools, any decorations and curtain rods were already removed.

"I'll take it from here," I told the guys once I was out on the deck. They both nodded and left us alone.

Stella didn't turn to acknowledge me but I knew she had heard me come out. Her back went straight and her body went rigid. I wondered if it was from fear or excitement. Stella reacted similarly to both emotions, and I could never tell which she was feeling. I doubted she even knew herself.

I stood behind her and looked out over the water. It was too cold to sit outside, but Stella didn't seem to notice. She was wrapped up in a hoodie and jeans, but barefoot. Her black hair was styled to sweep over one side of her head. With her light skin and eyes, the color looked exotic and beautiful on her.

"May I sit?" I asked.

I lowered myself next to her anyway. I didn't really expect permission.

"You've been avoiding me," she said bluntly. Instead of seeming gratefully, she sounded annoyed.

"I've been busy."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answers to," I warned her. "Your dad was a cop. Your brother worked with me. You're a bright woman."

"Not bright enough," she mumbled.

"Someone would have gotten to you eventually."

Stella shrugged and leaned back with her hands behind her. She looked up into the cloudless sky. It reminded me of the approaching winter. I was running out of time. Once the snow fell, I would need a plan. The lake house would need to be closed up and I’d have to return to the city. I couldn't leave with Stella. She would never be safe in the city, or anywhere else.

"Come inside," I told her.

Surprisingly, she followed without arguing. I pulled open the door for her and watched her ass as she passed. I knew better than to touch again, but I couldn't help looking. Inside the living room, Stella turned and looked at me for direction. I pointed to the couch facing the fireplace. I turned the dials and the flames came to life.

"You can come here, the kitchen and the deck," I told her.

"Thank you," she said. She watched me expectantly, knowing I had more to say.

"A trade. You tell me something and you get some more freedom," I offered.

"How am I supposed to trust you? You keep me here against my will and I'm pretty sure you had something to do with my family's death. How the hell do I know that you won't kill me the moment you get what you want from me?"

"Your brother trusted me. I promised him I would look out for you and I am holding up my end," I growled.

"My brother told me to trust no one."

Fucking Ace. Brilliant but probably just screwed us.

"I killed for you, Stella. I took a man's life. A man that dangerous people will come looking for. I did that for you. All I am asking for is for answers."

Stella chewed on her lip as I waited in silence. She had every reason to fear me, I made sure of that.

"You have an ultimatum, Little Star. We are running out of time. You tell me what I need to know and I will protect you. I will make sure people like Hector and the man who killed your parents won't hurt you. No one will find you or touch you as long as you're with me. But I need to know there is good fucking reason for keeping you alive."

"Why do you call me Little Star?" she asked instead.

"Your name means star."

She nodded and chewed on her lip. Stella was stalling but I was prepared to wait her out or resort to drastic measure to get answers.

"What do you want to know?" Stella asked and shifted in her seat. I hated making her go through it all over again.

"You know, I found my mom dead when I was seventeen," I told her.

Stella's eyes went wide. "I'm sorry."

"Maybe I didn't find both of my parents, but I found the only one that I loved floating in a bathtub of blood. I had to face the fact that my own mom didn't care about me enough to stick around and took the easy way out."

Stella was silent as I faced the fire, not wanting to see the pity on her face. I would save myself, and I tried to take comfort that my mom wouldn't be here to see it all go down.

"So I'm not asking about that night," I started. "I know Ace went home the day before. Am I right?"

She nodded and her eyes glistened. "He came to talk to my dad."

I came to kneel in front of her. I needed her trust even though I didn't deserve it.

"What did he tell him? This is very important," I said, grabbing her hands and squeezing.

"I didn't hear," she said, pulling out of my hold. "I caught the end of the conversation."

"Which was?"

"My dad was begging Ace not to leave. He wanted him to stay home, but Ace said he had to go."

Her eyes flashed with anger and pain. She felt betrayed. I knew the feeling. Ace left them there unprotected. For what reason? He had to know they would come for him and everyone important to him. I let myself believe he betrayed me, but I couldn't believe he would do that them.

"You don't know what he told your dad?" I asked.

"No," Stella snapped. "Take your pick of any of the crimes you guys committed. Drug dealing? Murder?"

"You watch too many mobster movies," I said with a chuckle. Stella glared back.

"We own casinos. We operate online gambling operations. We may traffic guns, drugs and even electronics, but the mob has grown more civilized than when you last watched Scarface."

Stella stared at me with confusion and anger. I doubted that helped my case, but I was giving in hopes of receiving in return. I’d give her some intel, she’d give me a little more. Unfortunately, this stubborn woman was the key to finishing what Ace and I started.

"Ace either ratted me out, or he ratted out someone more dangerous," I told her. "Either way, I need to fucking know because it got people killed."

"More dangerous? Than you?"

I laughed, but it lacked any humor.

"Yes, my Little Star. There are men colder than me, more evil. Men who would have killed you in the alley of that night club instead of keeping you alive like some fucking pet."

Stella looked down at the wooden floors, lost in her memories. She never made a move or made any indication in the past months that she knew the family's secrets. She told the police she didn't see anything. I was certain she saw the person sent to end her family.

"I don't know what he told my dad," she said and I knew she was telling the truth. "They were whispering and my mom was crying. Ace told me to stay in my room."

I rolled my eyes. "Which of course, you didn't listen."

"I'm not a child." She crossed her arms over her chest and I eyed her cleavage. No, she was not a child.

Did Ace finally find the proof we had been searching for? I just didn't understand why he would go home before coming to me? My dad claimed he didn't put the hit out on the family or Ace, but I didn't know who I could trust anymore. Why would he put the hit out on her if she didn't see one of his men?

"Atlas?" Sal called from the entryway. "A word?"

I nodded and met him in the hall. Tony was leaning against the wall, an anxious look on his face. Sal looked uncomfortable as well, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Boss called. Wants us to meet him in Miami," Tony told me.

"What the fuck? You are my men. Why does he need you two?"

"Pick up a package for you," Sal answered, knowing it was bullshit.

"Go," I told them. "I got the girl. If we put up a fight, he will only grow more suspicious."

Fucking fantastic. I'm losing my two guards and stuck for the next two days with Stella alone.