Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
“My father had no control. He was like a wild animal when he attacked. He enjoyed causing others to suffer.” As a rule, Atlas didn’t discuss his father.
Plenty of people had wanted to talk to him about his father over the years—reporters, private investigators, women who just loved the thrill of fucking a villain and they thought Atlas was that villain…
The devil’s son.
Typically, Atlas just had one response for them all. He’s burning in hell. He’s exactly where he needs to be. But, Lily wasn’t like the others. And he actually found himself wanting to talk more with her. Because maybe…
Does she understand? Could she understand?
Instead of appearing alarmed, Lily nodded as she stared out of the window. “I never wanted to be like my mother.”
Ah, sweet Lily. “I just met your ex-lover. He’s still alive and breathing. I’d say that means you aren’t like her.”
Her long lashes flickered as her head tilted, and her stare shifted to the diary near her.
“As far as what the book is worth—it’s worth a great deal to me.
The diary, that is.” A long inhale. Her shoulders straightened.
Her spine stiffened. “You helped me a great deal by retrieving it. Retrieving, not stealing. So tell me what you want. Tell me how I can repay you.” Her gaze came back to him. “Make your demands.”
I want you to fuck me. The words would be so easy to say. When Lily was near—even if they were handcuffed in hell—he wanted her. His physical reaction to her was so far over the top that it should probably scare him. Then again, plenty of things in this world should have scared him.
They never had. Truth be told, Atlas could not remember the last time he’d ever been afraid of anything or anyone.
Maybe I never have been. Because maybe his emotions didn’t work properly.
But…as he stared at Lily…
He didn’t want her fucking him because she owed him.
He also didn’t want to say those words to her because—Lily wasn’t some whore.
She wouldn’t trade her body for a damn book, no matter how important it was to her, and he would never, ever cheapen Lily in any way.
He could want her, he could lust after her, but…
I will not hurt her. Not Lily. She’d be the one thing in this world that he never damaged.
The one thing he protected. He could have one thing, couldn’t he?
“You saved my life. Giving you a book is the least I could do. Consider the matter settled.” He closed his eyes.
Maybe it would be easier to keep his control—because it was far too frayed—if he didn’t look straight at Lily.
“You still shouldn’t have fucked the Fed,” he muttered.
“He wasn’t worthy of you.” Maybe he should go back and break the guy’s fingers so he’d know not to touch her.
Wait. Was that over the top? Maybe. Probably. He really did need some sleep. He’d think more clearly after sleeping. And his damn head had been aching dully all night.
He heard the rustle of her clothing. He figured she was scooting away.
Instead, her leg brushed against him. “Let me guess…I shouldn’t have fucked Gage, but I should fuck you? Because you’re…uh, worthy of me? Does that pickup line always work for you?”
“I don’t usually have to bother with pickup lines. Honestly, a lot of talking isn’t needed. Women fuck me because I’m stupid rich.”
“Well, I don’t fuck men because they’re stupid rich.”
“No, I didn’t think you did that. I think you are very, very choosy when it comes to your lovers.” He actually knew every lover she’d had. Their names were in his Lily file. In case he had to kill them.
A joke, of course…
Or maybe not. He kept his eyes closed but not seeing her wasn’t helping with the temptation he felt.
If anything, his senses seemed heightened.
Her vanilla scent enveloped him, the softness of her leg against his maddened him.
He wanted to reach out, lock his hands around her waist, lift her up, and fuck her right there.
In the back of the moving limo. “I am not worthy of you, don’t make that mistake. ”
“Uh, you’re kinda running hot and cold on me.”
His eyes opened. His head turned toward her. “I will not be an easy lover. You need to know exactly what you’ll get with me. I am demanding. With you, I will be possessive.” Probably to an extreme degree.
“And you aren’t with others?”
“You will be different.” And I may not be able to let go.
“I’ve always been different. That’s the problem.”
No, that was the perk. “You don’t need to worry about me today. Or tomorrow.”
A little line appeared between her brows.
“I won’t fuck you when you’re falling off an adrenaline high. I won’t take you when fear still beats in your heart or when you’re dead on your feet from exhaustion. There won’t be any excuses later, no reasons for regret. You’ll come to me, you’ll choose me…and I will possess you.”
She wet her lips. “So, you’ve basically told me that you’re a walking red flag. Yet you still expect me to choose you. To fuck you.”
“Ah, sweets, you really going to tell me that you don’t enjoy a red flag?”
“Red flags are dangerous.”
“I will never be dangerous to you. You have my word. I’d cut off both my hands before I hurt you.”
“No need to get bloody. I like your hands.” Her gaze did not waver. “I like the way I feel when you touch me.”
Every muscle in his body tightened. Oh, Lily, you do not know how dangerous the beast I carry truly is, and he wants you. You’re making so many mistakes with me.
“You seem incredibly certain of yourself.” The gold gleamed in the darkness of her eyes.
“I’m not. Not when it comes to you. Forty-eight hours.” That was the clock he was running. “I figure in forty-eight hours, you’ll either tell me to fuck off…or you’ll say, ‘Fuck me.’”
“I’ve never jumped into bed with someone forty-eight hours after meeting them.”
No, not his careful Lily. “Good thing you’ve known me much longer than forty-eight hours.”
“Atlas—”
“That’s how long you get to decide. Will we be real lovers?
Or just pretend? Because if I’m a line you don’t want to cross, a monster you just can’t handle, I will keep my hands off you.
The world can think you belong to me, that cover will protect you, my guards will protect you, I will protect you, but if you don’t want to be in my bed…
I will stay away.” The choice would be hers.
Forty-eight hours.
The clock was ticking.
“You are very blunt,” Lily noted.
“With you, yeah, I am.” Why? “I feel like I don’t have to pretend as much with you. I know how to play the game. I could be a charming asshole, but I don’t want to do that.” A pause. “I don’t want to hide who I am with you. So I’m saying what I feel. I. Want. You.”
“It’s probably adrenaline. It’s confusing you. Making your emotions and your, ah, lust, seem heightened.” She swallowed. “We’ve had one hell of a first date.”
A first date? His eyes narrowed. “Are you joking with me?”
“I have a terrible sense of humor. Ask anyone.”
“I don’t care what anyone else says. I care…” About you. Whoa. Bad. So bad. “I want to know what you say. What you think.”
“I say it’s probably the adrenaline impacting us both. I mean, you’re handsome. Obviously. And I do feel some attraction to you—”
“Some? Ah, Lily, just stab me in the heart, why don’t you?”
“No.” Sharp. “I won’t.”
He already knew that. But he took her hand, lifting it off the diary, and he placed it over his heart.
“Some attraction? Some? I feel more than some for you. I knew you were going to be a problem from that very first email.” He kept his hand curled around hers.
“Kiss me, and tell me that you don’t feel the connection, too.
I’m not talking about some mild attraction.
I’m talking a consuming lust that makes you want to forget every single rule you’ve ever followed.
” He suspected she followed lots of rules. “And just take what you want.”
“I…” A ragged breath. “Too much has happened. I’m too tired. Too on edge. I am not in control right now.”
“I am.” Barely. “I’ll keep you safe.”
She wasn’t going to do it. She wasn’t going to kiss him. Too bad. He’d really wanted her mouth.
She leapt toward him. Straddled him. His unpredictable Lily. She pressed her mouth to his, and she kissed him as if she had forgotten every rule. Her mouth was hungry and eager and so incredibly sweet, and she had to feel the giant dick shoving against her.
His hands dropped to her waist. Hers pressed to his jaw. His tongue thrust into her mouth, and he took and took, and when she moaned, he greedily swallowed the sound.
She was warm and soft and sexy. Every single thing he wanted—the only thing he wanted.
Her hips rocked against him as she rode his dick through their clothes.
Over and over, and she kept kissing him.
Open-mouthed, sweet tongue, hungry need.
Driving him wild. Closer and closer to the edge, but he held on to his control with both hands because he’d made a promise to Lily.
He would not break his word. Not to her.
But he took her mouth. He kissed her, he savored her, he kept his hands on her waist, the grip probably too tight, but by holding them there, he didn’t touch her in other places.
Places that tempted and beckoned. Places like the soft heat between her thighs.
He didn’t slide his hands down to her core.
Didn’t stroke her through the soft sweats.
Didn’t shove the sweat pants aside, shove aside the panties she wore, and touch her bare skin.
Didn’t stroke her clit the way he wanted.
Didn’t thrust one finger into her, then another, to see how tight she’d feel.
But he could imagine…imagine all of that so easily.
Could almost feel her clinging tightly to him as he stroked and stroked and…
A low hiss of sound.