Atlas
The sound of my phone ringing stirs me past midnight.
“Is she okay?”
How fuckin’ attached am I, that Summer’s safety is the only thing I care about? That my nerves won’t stop shaking until Link answers?
“She’s fine. Jacob—not so much.”
I sigh.
“What happened?”
“He came onto her.”
My knuckles go white and my jaw ticks as I fight the urge to get in the car, drive all night, find my cousin, and bury him alive for daring to go near my girl.
“Did you beat the shit out of him?” I roar, clutching the phone, imagining it’s Jacob’s throat.
“I didn’t. But she did.”
“Come again?”
“Summer tased him and beat his ass with a bat. And she made him thank her for not breaking his hand. It was wild.”
A moment of silence detonates into maniacal laughter as the twisted scene plays out vividly right before my eyes. I’d probably give my left nut to have been there and witness it.
“You don’t get it, Ace,” Link continues. “She’s no stranger to violence.”
It takes me time to calm down, the image of my precious little demon beating my cousin with a bat running on a loop in my head. I don’t know which feeling overtakes—finding it funny, exciting, invigorating, or sexy as hell. Fuck, I’m proud of her.
“No, you don’t get it. She likes me. If she didn’t, she would’ve done to me what she did to Jacob.”
“Need I remind you she knocked you out cold?”
“And then she stripped for me and complimented my dick, so shut the fuck up. She likes me.”
“Well, you’re still kickin’ after what you did last night, so you’re probably right.” Link snorts.
“I know I am. Make sure Jacob doesn’t even breathe the same air as her. I’ll update you on how the meeting on Monday goes.”
I dread having to ask Link to look after her. I want to be the one to do that. Summer wouldn’t have agreed to come with me, so I had no other option but to leave someone to watch over her. I should’ve kidnapped her. She would’ve loved a road trip with me.
“I will. But from what I’ve seen tonight, she can watch her own back quite skillfully.”
“That’s my girl!”
“I don’t think she’s gotten the memo.” Link snickers. If he were nearby, he would’ve gotten a punch to the throat.
“Fuck off!”
“You too. See you soon.”
I hang up and text Connor with a simple request.
Coffin. Filled with rats. Make sure it’s delivered to Jacob in the morning. Attach a note: “You come near her again, you’re gonna have starved company underground.”
Then I’m ready to dial Summer. But knowing her, what if she’s sleeping peacefully, like nothing happened? A text instead of a call?
I’m such a considerate person.
Thinking of me?
Summer
I have better things to do, like reading a book.
Well, fuck me if that’s not a fast response.
What are you reading?
Summer
An alien octopus smut. You have no idea what those tentacles can do.
I laugh. If she can joke like this, she’s okay.
Now you’ve sparked my curiosity. Can I borrow your book when I get back?
Summer
What would you give me in return?
I knew you were going to ask for my soul at some point.
Why the hell am I still texting her when she’s awake?
But I want more than her voice, so I opt for a video call, which she doesn’t pick up. But she will. Eventually.
“What do you want, Atlas?” Those are the sweet words Summer greets me with.
She’s leaning against the headboard I tied her to. The same one where she returned the favor.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want to see you, to hear you—”
“Link told you about Jacob.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m still furious at you for last night. Other than that, I’m okay. But you should see the other guy.”
Her smile is diabolical and I love it.
“I plan on seeing him. He won’t bother you again.”
“I took care of that. You should worry about yourself.”
The urge to kiss her is unbearable. That’s the effect her threats have on me.
“Working on your retaliation?” I tilt my head like it would let me see more of her, and Summer catches that.
She lowers the phone, letting me find her fully clothed, with jeans and a cute “Duck it!” T-shirt on, before lifting it back to her face.
“Get back and you’ll see. Where did you run off anyway?”
“New York. Next time I’m taking you without asking.”
“Have you decided to branch out?”
What the hell does she know about my business?
Summer sits upright, taking a water bottle from the nightstand, and my cock stirs at the sight of her lips wrapped around the neck.
I struggle to shake carnal thoughts off, but the way she looks at me when she puts it down, a devilish smirk on her lips .
. . She did this on purpose, to elicit that reaction in me.
“What do you know about that?” I pull myself together and ask.
“I know Paolo Villarte is ripping you off with those extra five percent. The last art critic did what was asked of him because your guy screwed him, literally, and didn’t give him a single penny.”
How was she able to obtain information about Villarte? One even I wasn’t aware of.
I let my head drop for a moment to hide my smile. This really is my girl!
“Cat got your tongue, baby?”
“A Succubus did.”
She lies on one side, propping herself on an elbow.
“You seem to know a lot about what I do.”
“Maybe. But I’m not giving you any advice, though I do have a few that would highly improve both your efficiency and income.”
“You will, eventually.”
“Doubtful.”
Oh, she’s so smug.
“One contact—Eli. You’re with me now. His texts have no place on your phone.”
She sits upright in her bed, anger twisting her perfect features.
“You’ve invaded my privacy!”
I’m not apologizing for that!
“I invaded your pussy, and you loved it.”
“I fucking hate you,” she snaps.
“No, you don’t. Are the messages still there?”
I’m crossing a line. The warning is all over her face, but I don’t care. I need to know she erased him.
“You jealous prick! Not that it’s any of your business, but they are, and they are not going anywhere.”
“Why? You haven’t answered him. You don’t want him. And he doesn’t even deserve you.”
“Oh, and you do?”
“No, I don’t. But I’m taking you anyway, because at least I appreciate every part of you.”
“Appreciate?” She scoffs. “Do you think the belt around my neck felt like appreciation? Eli saved me.” I hate his name now more than ever, the way it falls from her lips.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.
And he’s a far better man than you.” She shouts, and even last night—when I hauled her over my shoulder, slapped her ass, and made her walk downstairs with my belt at her throat—she wasn’t this furious.
“Saved you?”
“My life.” A pause. “He saved my life.”
Eli is not simply her ex. He’s a man no amount of deleted texts can erase from her memory. And what the hell am I compared to that?
I want to know more, but instead, what slips past my lips are words I don’t mean to say.
“But even that wasn’t enough to make you love him.”
The inner corners of her eyebrows lift, before her gaze drops, like she doesn’t want me to see the damage I inflicted.
“Summer . . .”
Her eyes flick back to the screen as she swallows hard, and without giving me a chance to say another word, she disconnects the call.
I should call. Apologize. Fix this.
But she won’t pick up. She won’t text back either.
So, like a complete piece of shit, I do nothing.
A strained shout rips out of me as I hurl the phone across the room, not caring if it breaks. I already broke something far more precious.
What are you doing to me, Succubus?