Текст книги "Atlas"

Автор книги: Alyne Roberts

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XIII

Stella

At home, I was limited to a ten-minute shower. Either the water would go cold or someone would flush, scalding me. Every morning, I rushed to get clean and get out. When I was in the house alone, I got a full fifteen minutes because no one was waiting on me. But the fact that I was alone was too depressing to enjoy it.

Here, I could spend as much time as I wanted. I was well stocked with gels and scrubs, so I always came out soft and smelling nice. The water pressure was perfect with an endless supply of hot water. It was the one thing that took my mind off all my worries. I probably wouldn't be killed in the shower. I was alone and the guards would never dare to step inside the bathroom. Both men actually seemed pretty uncomfortable even in the bedroom.

I was relaxed and content, until I stepped out of the steam to find Atlas leaning in the doorway, waiting. I quickly wrapped the towel around my body, almost falling in the process.

"Atlas," I hissed. "What are you doing in here?"

"Waiting. You were taking a while," he answered casually. He seemed completely unfazed with his invasion of privacy or a naked woman in front of him. He was probably used to both of those.

I was not unfazed or unaffected. Atlas ditched the jacket today, wearing his white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His muscular forearms were crossed over his chest and I stared at the patch of skin peeking from the open buttons of his shirt. I clutched the towel tighter and tried to get out of the shower without getting close to him.

I wrung my hair out, getting used to the lighter, shorter hair. It took less time to wash and dry. With Atlas watching, I wasn't going to stall any longer in the small space. The bathroom was the size of a normal bedroom, but it shrunk with us both in here. The last time we shared this room, I was pinned below him on the floor.

"Hurry up," Atlas said sharply. "I don't have all day."

"Move then," I said, coming to stand in front of him in effort to get out the door.

Atlas didn't move. He just stared down at me, and I swore the steam grew thicker around us. There wasn't much protecting me from him but the thin towel that barely covered my butt. I might as well have been naked because I felt his stare on every inch of my skin. He reached forward and I held my breath as his fingers grazed my neck.

"I will only say this once, Stella," he said, his voice low and deep. "Don't ever let me touch you again. I will leave bruises deeper and darker than any other monster can."

He turned and took the heat with him. When I heard the door of the bedroom close, I finally came out of the bathroom. Unsure if he was still waiting, I dressed quickly. I grabbed a sweater dress from the closet and brushed my hair with my fingers. In the hallway, Atlas was waiting.

"Come on," he said before turning and heading down the hall.

"What's the rush?" I asked. I had to run to keep up.

"The guys are off for a few days," he told me. "I have stuff to do and you need to stay with me."

We entered his office and Atlas sat in his chair, leaving me to stand awkwardly. I had spent a lot of time in here before and was always so stuck in my own head that I had never really looked around. The dark wood shelves were stocked with books. Most were classic literature or history, others on art. I browsed the titles, hoping to find something to keep me busy for who knew how long.

"Where did Sal and Tony go?" I asked. "They weren't around yesterday. You give them vacation time or something?"

"No," he said with a laugh. "They went to pick something up for me."

I walked over to his desk where he sat at the computer. Papers and Post-It notes covered the surface. I had the strange urge to organize it for him. How could anyone get anything done in such madness? Behind his desk was a large painting, grabbing my attention. I had never really looked at it before.

A muscular man was crouched down on one knee, holding the world above him. Chains bound the man to a rock below him. The world was resting on his shoulders. It looked an image from Greek mythology. Atlas noticed me looking at the painting.

"It's the Greek Titan of strength. He held up the sky," he told me.

"I see where the saying 'holds the weight of the world on his shoulders' comes from," I said.

"The myth is that when the Titans went to war against the Gods and were defeated, Zeus sent most of the Titans to Tartarus," he explained. He pointed to another painting that looked like Hell.

"As punishment for leading the Titans in the war for the Heavens, Zeus chose one Titan to stand and forever be forced to hold up the Heavens, to make sure it never touched and mixed with Earth again," he explained. "His name was Atlas."

I turned and looked at him. He was watching me carefully, waiting for my reaction. A man stronger than human, but not quite a god. Someone punished and forced with the burden of holding the sky forever. Did Atlas feel he could relate to the mythology in some way?

"Over there," he said, pointing behind me to another painting of the night sky. It looked like a connect-the-dots between the stars. "The constellation of Atlas."

"Pretty full of yourself," I joked. He actually laughed, and I liked the sound.

"Interested in the family history," he said. "Without knowing your history, you are doomed to make the same mistakes."

I wondered what mistakes Atlas was trying to avoid. Being caught or defeated? Trying to wage a war against the ones more powerful than him? Atlas hinted that he was on some mission and that I was a part of it, but I didn't know his end game. I had a feeling the more I knew, the more likely I would end up dead. What I saw one night had already determined my fate.

Atlas went back to his computer and left me to entertain myself. I felt like a pet. His cat that prowled around his office. Company if he wanted it, but not really needed or desired. I almost felt like I should purr and rub against his leg. Asshole might actually like that though.

He made phone calls about websites and bank accounts. He arranged for new slot machines to be installed in Vegas. It actually all sounded legit, but I knew Atlas enough to doubt that. He argued with someone for a while about a gambling website being shut down. The more frustrated he became, the more buttons on his shirt came undone. His hair was becoming a mess from tugging and running his hands through it. It was barely noon and he already looked wiped out.

Anyone else, I might offer words of comfort. Like my mother, I was caring and nurturing. I might have tried to distract him and calm him down. I needed to remind myself we were not friends. He was the man who kidnapped me, threatened me, and kept me here against my will. When he wasn't directly mean or abusive to me, I tended to forget all that.

"You have a lot of books on art," I pointed out when I couldn't find a single thing I wanted to read.

"I was an art major," he explained.

"Really?" I was surprised. I couldn't imagine Atlas walking a college campus like a normal student.

"Well, yes. I didn't really need a degree for my line of work, so I chose something enjoyable instead."

"Makes sense."

Atlas watched me whenever he wasn't looking at his computer screen. I felt his eyes on me while I browsed the shelves for something to read or look at. Having him watch me so closely caused a strange combination of emotions. There was the fear of what he would do and what his intentions were.

There was also a feeling of being protected and safe with him around. The most disturbing emotion, though, was the excitement. It was a rush of heat and tingles because his attention was on me. It was how I had felt at the club when we had met, but everything had changed since then. Or maybe nothing had changed after all.

I pulled a book from the shelf and sat on the floor, careful to keep myself covered in the dress. It was an art collection with a naked woman on the cover. What drew me in was how beautiful she looked. Not in an overly sexy or pornographic way. It was the lines of her curves and the soft lighting on her stomach. The way her back arched was sexual, intimate, and gorgeous. I flipped through the pages, finding each photograph more intriguing than the next. I stopped on a naked woman with a rope wrapped around her body.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Atlas asked from behind me. I jumped when I realized he was right behind me. "The naked body," he clarified.

"Yes," I agreed, flipping more pages.

Every photo was in black and white. The naked torso of a woman. A man's hands on a bare back. A couple intertwined, bodies pressed together. They were classically erotic and enchanting. It made nudity and sex something brilliant and natural. There was nothing dirty or shameful about it.

"I love a woman's naked body," Atlas practically purred behind me. "The softness of her skin. The curve of her hips. The roundness of her breasts. The arch of her back."

I swallowed and tried to ignore his deep voice. It made me shiver, and I imagined what he would see if I was naked. Those were dangerous thoughts.

"My favorite," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders, "is the neck."

His hands came up and smoothed over my throat. I held my breath as his fingers glided over my collarbone.

"I love the way it looks when her head is thrown back in pleasure."

I instinctually dipped my head back, looking up at him.

"I love the way the muscles feel under my hands," he whispered, gripping my neck in a gentle choke. "That sensitive dip under your chin."

I gasped when he tickled over the mentioned spot. My body heated and I felt my pulse pounding against his hand. My own heart was betraying my reaction to him.

"Tell me, Little Star. Has anyone appreciated that body the way it should be?" he asked.

I shook my head but I didn't know what I was saying no to. No one ever touched me the way I want you to? No one made me feel like I'm sure you would? No, don't touch me? My mind was a hot, swirling mess and the room grew hotter.

Atlas came to kneel in front of me. His hand reached out and his thumb rubbed my bottom lip. He studied my face, almost like he was seeing me for the very first time. I watched him, fascinated with how expressive those dark eyes could be. They were deep and endless, but I could almost see the fear and anger burning in them. I could even make out the hint of want and need.

Atlas inched forward slowly, crawling over me. I leaned back as he came closer. Soon, I was lying back on the floor, looking up at him. His legs were pressed to mine and with each deep breath, my chest brushed his. His knee slipped between my legs and wedged them apart so I could feel how hard he was. I could feel him all over me now. My body was heating up and melting under him.

Atlas lowered his face but froze when a noise came from outside the door. The door flew open and slammed against the wall. Atlas jumped up at the bang and I hurried to sit up. With quick and trained movements, Atlas pulled his gun and aimed at the open door.

"Shit," breathed Sal, holding his hands up in surrender. "Don't shoot, boss."

"What the fuck are you doing?" Atlas growled at him, lowering the gun. "You know better than barging in like that. Asshole."

"We have company," he said gravely. "Now."

"Who?"

"Xander. I rushed in before Tony and him to warn you," Sal said, glancing behind him.

Another face appeared in the doorway. He looked like Atlas a little, with dark hair and eyes. He smiled as he took us in, me sitting on the floor with a red face.

"Dude, didn't you know you had a chick with you," he said with a wink to me.

"Get out," Atlas barked.

Sal pushed the stranger back and closed the door. Atlas quickly locked it behind them. I could feel the rage rolling off him and it scared me. I wanted out of this room but I didn't know what dangers lurked outside the door. Atlas paced the room while I slowly stood up and backed up against the wall.

Atlas turned and glared at me. I wished I was invisible because when he looked at me like that, I feared for my life. If I could rewind to several minutes ago, his eyes would make me hot and want to do things I shouldn't.

"Stella," he whispered, coming at me in long strides. He put his hands on both of my shoulders, pressing me to the wall. "I told you not to let me touch you. Do you ever do what you're told?"

"Not often," I admitted quietly.

"Well, you're life depends on you doing what you're told tonight."

XIV

Atlas

I was a planner. Every plan had a back-up plan, exit plan, and even back-up exit plan. I never let a detail get overlooked. It was how I was raised, or trained, and how I operated. There was a plan to prevent anyone from finding out I had the Harlow girl alive. If anyone was about to discover her, I would make sure she wasn't alive to be found.

Xander's surprise visit could ruin this plan. As my cousin, he had loyalty to my dad and his own dad. I didn't know whose side he would stand on if a war broke out. I didn't know his involvement or what he knew. I could find out, or I could dispose of Stella now, eliminating the risk.

I gripped my gun and looked down into her terrified eyes. Moments ago they were passionate and ready for whatever I could give her. Sal saved her from getting exactly that. There was so much I needed from her still. And there was still the promise I made to Ace. I should at least try to make this work before I put a bullet between her gorgeous blue eyes.

"Stella, I need you to look at some photos," I told her.

"What photos?" she asked with a shaky voice.

I pulled her over to the computer and opened a folder of photos, flipping through them for her. Ace and I had spent months collecting these photos and evidence.

"Tell me if any of these men were the shooter."

Tears welled in her eyes and she swayed on her feet. I put an arm around waist to hold her upright.

"This is very important, Little Star," I said in her ear. "Stay with me. Don't you dare fucking shut down now."

"No. He's not there," she choked out.

I sighed, both relieved and disappointed that Stella didn't recognize any of the guys I showed her. Although I was able to eliminate about a dozen men I thought may have been involved, there were tons more who could be. These were just the guys who went missing in the past few months. If you left behind a witness, you were in a world of trouble. A smart man would disappear on his own or one of us would make it happen.

With everyone denying that we had anything to do with the Harlow killings, there was no one I could interrogate. Chances were that very few knew the real truth. If they knew what was good for them, they would make sure that I never found out either. Taking out Ace was a grave mistake on my father's part if he ordered it. And if a bigger and darker secret was lurking in the darkness, everyone would go down.

In this life, we had few real rules. Spilling blood wasn't a crime, but sometimes it was as necessary as taking out the trash. Lies were a weapon and a defense. The only people you feared or respected were those above you on the family tree. Within the family, you protected your own. As the boss’s son, I was practically a prince. I was in the inner circle, or I thought I was.

"How did you manage getting away that night?" I asked. If anyone saw her, he should have killed her then. You never leave a witness behind.

"When I saw," she paused and swallowed. "I went across the hall to the laundry room. I climbed on the dryer and up into the attic above until he left."

Sneaky. Smart. She would do just fine tonight. I was risking exposing what I was doing to Xander but it was the best option we had. Since he already saw her, I couldn’t just hide her away and lock her up. We would need to be creative. This was one of those moments I wished Ace was here.

"Me too," she whispered. I didn't realize I said that out loud.

"Did he have the power to get you to follow directions?" I asked, earning a small smile from her.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Shower, get dressed and meet in the living room," I told her. "You are not Stella tonight. Be anyone else you want to be, but not the girl I was supposed to have killed."

Her eyes widened but she nodded. I waved her off, needing a moment alone to regain my control. Between the surprise visitor and her, I was losing it.

"Oh, and Stella," I called as she reached for the doorknob. "Don't try anything stupid or I will kill you. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," she whispered and hurried through the door.

I ran my fingers through my hair and grabbed my jacket off the back of my chair. Time to work. I found Sal and Tony with my cousin in the living room. Tony was mixing a drink at the bar and the sliding doors were open to the patio. Xander smiled widely when he saw me.

"Atlas," he said, coming at me to shake hands. "Sorry to interrupt you and the little hottie. I thought you were alone up here."

I laughed and smiled like I wasn't on edge. "I'm never alone," I quipped with a cocky smirk.

"When I heard the boys here were on the way to your lake house, I demanded to hitch a ride back with them," he said. "It's been too long."

"Too long," I agreed. It had been a while since I trusted anyone. "Did Sal give you the tour? There's an amazing wine cellar downstairs."

"I forgot the tour," Sal jumped in. "In fact, there's a bourbon about a hundred years old we should get for tonight."

"I heard Bourbon," Xander said, standing. "Lead the way, Sal."

Sal led Xander out of the room and I hoped the bourbon really existed. Xander was a laid back guy but he was raised in the family as I was. He wasn't stupid.

"What the fuck?" I hissed when they were out of ear-shot.

"He wouldn't take no for an answer," Tony said. "We couldn't push anymore without him getting suspicious."

"You couldn't have called?"

"He wanted to surprise you," he said quietly. "We didn't feel secure using the phones to call you. What are you gonna do about Stella? And what the fuck did they walk into?"

"I have a plan," I said just as Stella walked into the room.

She looked around the room nervously and pulled on the hem of the dress she changed into. I should have told her to wear pants because seeing her long, bare legs brought me to my knees in the office. It would have been so easy to slip my hand up and into her panties. It probably would have happened if we hadn’t been interrupted.

"Where is he?" she whispered as she walked over to us at the bar.

"Sal is giving him a tour of the cellar in the basement," I told her. "Getting bourbon."

"Do you really have a cellar or is he going to kill him?" she asked.

"Shit," I said with a laugh. "I didn't think of that. You look nice."

"Thank you." Her cheeks blushed lightly. I got off on being able to do that.

My cousin's laughter and loud footsteps sounded down the hall. Stella's body stiffened so I reached for her and pulled her close. Tony pushed a pink drink over to her and she took it, quickly taking a drink. I put a hand on her back so she would know I was here and in control.

"Ah, the beauty has joined her beast," Xander said as he entered the room, expensive bottle in hand. It did exist. "Xander," he said, extending his hand for her.

"Alexa," she offered easily. I rubbed her back to let her know she did well. She looked different enough with the new hair that I was sure he wouldn't recognize her right away but her photo circulated for a while within the family.

"Nice to meet you," he said, already busy trying to pour a glass. If all went well, he would be wasted and passed out before the sun was down.

"Now I see what has my cousin hiding away for months," he joked. I felt Stella go stiff and her grip tightened on her glass. I knew those words reminded her of Hector. It reminded me of Hector, and pissed me off.

"Fuck off," I said, shooting him a deathly glare. Xander got the message and poured a drink.

"So tell me, Atlas," he started, handing me a glass as well. "How did you manage to get out of the city? I would kill for a vacation."

I laughed because no one got time off and he knew this. I just took off and no one dared to ask me to do any dirty work. Xander never showed the initiative that I had when we were young. He never seemed to want to run the casinos or gambling sites. Xander always appeared perfectly fine chasing down money or doing the ground work. That's why he never had the same responsibilities that I did.

"I'm not too far from the city," I told him. "It's not like I'm sitting in the Miami sun."

"Right," he said, all the humor leaving his voice.

Interesting. Party boy should love it down there. Sal gave me a look so I know he caught the shift as well. Although Xander had never had much responsibility in Chicago, that could've changed in Miami.

"No talk about work," Xander announced, finishing his drink in one gulp. "Where are you from, Alexa?"

"San Fran," she lied quickly.

"Tell me you have a hot and single sister," Xander said, putting his hands together in prayer.

Stella laughed and shook her head. "Sorry. Only child."

The words stabbed me and I'm sure they hurt her, too. I snaked my hand around her waist and pulled her into my chest. She slightly leaned back into me.

"Damn it," Xander whined playfully. "I had sisters once. It was amazing."

Xander grabbed his drink and Sal led him over to the fireplace. Tony followed as Xander gave a graphic retelling of hooking up with sisters in Vegas. It was a story I heard a dozen times already, so I stayed at the bar with Stella. I was sure she didn't need to hear his exaggerated story anyway. I don't even think the girls were actually related.

"You're doing fine," I whispered in her ear.

"You sure? I feel like he can see right through me," she whispered, leaning her head back so I could hear her.

Looking over, I found Xander watching us. I could tell he was suspicious. Understandably, since I wasn't someone often seen with a woman. Needing to convince him this was another fling, I ran my hand up her waist and over her chest. Stella inhaled sharply as I grazed over her nipple and up her neck. I wrapped my fingers gently around her throat and put my mouth on her ear.

“We're being watched," I breathed into her ear before pulling her earlobe into my mouth.

Stella's eyes fell closed and she went weak in my arms. I pulled her closer and licked the shell of her ear. She tasted salty and sweet at the same time. I tasted the spot behind her ear and down the back of neck. A soft moan left her mouth and I pushed into her in warning.

"Don't," I said against her skin with a soft bite to make a point. "Don't make me lose control."