Chapter 6

All I wanted was to lock myself in my room and disappear.

But I barely made past the living room before I heard her voice.

"You think you’re special?"

I stopped in my tracks. Elena was standing by the couch, her arms crossed, watching me with a look of pure disgust.

“You’re nothing to him,” she continued, her voice calm but sharp. “So don’t start getting ideas.”

I let out a quiet breath, forcing myself not to react too quickly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said.

Elena let out a soft, mocking laugh.

“Stop playing dumb,” she said walking towards me. “It’s embarrassing.”

She stopped right in front of me.

“Do you really think Atlas would stoop that low?” she asked.

“To be with someone like you?”

The insult stung, but it lit a fire in my chest. I finally turned to face her. "Well, he clearly didn't want to stay with you."

Elena didn't look offended. Instead, she gave me a look that wasn't even close to a smile. "What makes you think he ever left me?”

I frowned slightly.

She stepped closer, lowering her voice like she was letting me in on something I wasn’t supposed to hear.

“We’ve been together since we were practically kids,” she said. “Yes, we go on and off, but he always comes back to me.”

My stomach tightened.

“What we have…” she continued, her voice softer now, almost mocking, “is beyond a relationship.”

Her eyes flicked over me again.

“But you wouldn’t understand that.”

She paused,then she leaned in.

“A struggling college whore wouldn’t.”

My blood boiled. I felt the urge to do anything to wipe that smirk off her face. I turned to walk away, unable to listen to another word, but she reached out and grabbed my arm tightly.

“Go ahead,” she snapped. “Keep fucking him.”

I froze.

“That’s all you’re ever going to get from him.”

Everything went quiet for a second. I turned to face her.

“Then that’s exactly what I intend to do,” I said, my voice calm but sharp. “Fuck him right under your nose. Every single night.”

I yanked my arm out of her grip causing her to stumble back. I didn't wait for her to recover or find another insult to hurl at me. I turned my back on her and started up the stairs.

I didn’t even remember lying down.

One minute I was pacing, replaying everything Elena said, everything Atlas did, and the next…

I was on my bed staring at the ceiling. my head was spinning so much from the fight with Elena that I didn't even realize I was drifting off. I didn’t know how long I was out for because the next thing I knew, a hand was moving slowly across my back.

I froze for a second, still half asleep, until his scent hit me.

Atlas.

My eyes fluttered open just as his lips brushed against mine. It was soft at first, then deeper like he had been waiting.I didn't even try to fight it. I pulled him closer and let the kiss get deeper.

He groaned and hauled me up into his lap. I wrapped my legs around his waist and felt his suit trousers against my skin.

His hands were everywhere and he was squeezing my ass so hard I had to gasp for air. He started kissing my neck and for a second I almost let myself go. I almost forgot how cold he was this morning. Then I remembered Elena’s voice.

I put my hands on his chest and shoved him back so I could break the kiss. I was out of breath and my heart was hammering but I needed to know the truth.

"Stop," I whispered.

Atlas paused and rested his forehead against mine. He looked hungry for more but I wasn't going to give in yet. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"You," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You act like I don't exist all day. You treat me like a stranger and then you come in here and act like you own me. How can you call me yours and then act like I don’t even exist after"

Atlas pulled back a little and his face went totally blank.

"What exactly do you want from me, Leslie?" he asked in a dangerously low tone.

The question hit harder than I expected.

I blinked.

“What?”

“What do you want?” he repeated, his voice calm. “Why are you here? What exactly are you expecting from me?”

My chest tightened.

“Are you expecting something more?” he added. “Love? A relationship?”

The way he said it made me feel like an idiot. Every word Elena said was true.

"So when you said I was yours," I started, and my voice was shaking a little, "all you meant was that you have my body. That’s it."

"Precisely," Atlas said.

He didn't look away. "And isn't that the same thing you wanted? To fuck? To feel this?"

He gripped my hip tighter and I felt so much shame. I had been so naive to think anything serious could happen between us. I felt like a fool for even hoping. Atlas watched me and his face softened just a tiny bit. "Don't overthink it.”

I looked at him and realized I was doing the same thing he was. I wanted him just as much. I didn't know why I was letting my emotions get in the way when I could just play the game too. I forced a smile onto my face because I wasn't going to let him see me break.

You're right," I said, and I tried to make my voice sound light and teasing. "I want you. Fuck yes, I do. And I'm not going to hide that anymore."

I leaned in and whispered right in his ear.

"So as long as I get to have you deep buried inside me, that's fine with me."

I pulled back and gave him a look like it was all just a joke to hide how much it actually hurt. Atlas stared at me for a long time like he was searching for something. Then he just gave a slow nod.

"Good," he said.

He kissed me again, deeper and more desperate, I moaned right into his mouth. He pushed me back onto the mattress and hovered over me for a second before flipping me around so I was sitting right on his lap.

I could feel how hard he was, his cock pressing against my opening through my underwear. I started to move my waist slowly, straddling him while he just watched me with that dark, intense gaze.

I reached for the hem of my dress and pulled it over my head. Then I unhooked my bra and let it drop to the floor.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous, princess,” he said, his voice low, rough in a way that made my stomach flip.

“Come here.”

He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in close. He started placing hot, wet kisses along my jaw and down my neck, biting and sucking on my skin.

He was marking me, and I didn't even care if the whole world saw it tomorrow. I moaned loud and he groaned against my skin, sending shivers through me.

His hands came up to cup my breasts, kneading them roughly before he finally captured a nipple in his mouth. He sucked hard and grazed his teeth against the tip, making my back arch off his lap. I was so hot and soaking wet, my head was spinning with the need to finally have him inside me.

He found my lips again, his breath hitching.

"Now I want to know what it feels like to have you wrapped around my cock," he rasped against my mouth.

My cheeks flushed deep red. I loved it when he talked dirty like that. I gave him a small, wicked smile and leaned down.

"I will gladly do that," I whispered.

My hands moved down to his waist and I started to unbuckle his belt, my fingers trembling with how much I wanted him. But then, his phone rang. At first, he didn't even move, like he was going to ignore it, but then it rang a second time.

He let out a frustrated growl, his grip on my waist tightening for a second before he realized he had to pick it up.

I stopped what I was doing and watched him, still breathing a little uneven as he took the call.

Then my own phone buzzed.

I slid off his lap and grabbed it from nightstand.

It was a text from Maya.

“I messed up bad… I need your help, Les. Can you come over right now?”

The tension in the room vanished instantly. I looked at Atlas, then back at the screen, my heart sinking as I realized I had to leave.