Page 17 of Dark as Knight

“And that’s all the confirmation I needed. Goodbye, Atlas.” She slings her purse over her arm, turning on her heel as I reach for her.

“El, wait,” I say, but it’s no use. She brushes past me like I don’t even exist and marches downstairs to her waiting car.

I’ve been tempted a number of times to reach out to her but the embarrassment of crawling back to someone who made it abundantly clear they didn’t love me has kept it at bay. My phone vibrates in my hand, pulling me back to the present.

“Atlas Knight,” I say into the receiver, carrying on with my day and pushing any remaining feelings for Eleanor Tate to the basement of my mind.

Refusing to admit to myself that I counted down the minutes till I left work, I slide into the back seat of my car, a nervous energy vibrating through me. Elvis flows gently through the speakers. “Turn up the music, Oliver, if you don’t mind?” He obliges, “Suspicious Minds” filling the car as he pulls into traffic.

I make sure I give myself enough time to freshen up for dinner. I straighten my tie, buttoning my suit jacket, and running a comb through my mildly untamed hair. I debate on if I should shave again, running my hand over the layer of stubble on my jaw, but I decide against it. I pause, giving myself yet another once-over in the mirror. There’s something in the air around me—tension, perhaps? Or maybe it’s just my nerves. Either way, I shrug it off and make my way downstairs.

“Evening, Regina. Something smells amazing.” I lean over a simmering dish on the stove, Regina poking my side.

“No putting your fingers where they don’t belong.” She scolds, picking up a utensil and stirring the sauce in the pan. Regina has been my private chef for the last four years. Eleanor actually hired her.

“Yeah, I’ve been trying to remind myself of that,” I mutter under my breath, not expecting her to hear it.

“Ohhh, someone catch your eye, Mr. Knight?” She smirks.

“Perhaps.”

“And that’s a problem because…?”

She looks at me and I feel a weird tug in my gut, almost like a reminder that Eleanor became quite close to Regina over the years and I should watch what I say. I push it aside, reminding myself that Regina is a professional and I do trust her but at the same time, the less people who know my marriage isn’t real, the better.

“I guess I’m just nervous is all. I don’t want to ruin things. Tonight is kind of a big deal for Stella and me.” She pauses stirring and looks over at me when I say her name. “I know, it’s pretty quick after Eleanor moved out.”

“Pretty quick? It’s going on a year now.”

“I know. It just felt soon to me.” I hear voices in the entryway and I turn my head in their direction. “Well, it sounds like she’s here. Dinner smells excellent as usual, Regina.” I exit the kitchen and make my way down the hallway, Stella’s voice greeting me before I even see her.

“Damn, how did I already forget how insane this house is?” I watch as she twirls in the hallway, her head back, her eyes closed, her arms outstretched. “Makes me feel like a little kid again.”

I stand back and watch her for a moment, the way she naturally converses with Oliver, a smile on his face as she makes him laugh. She’s genuine and carefree. Her reactions aren’t calculated or designed to manipulate anyone; they’re just Stella. A smile starts to pull at my lips, a warmth settling into my chest at the thought and image of her in my home.

“Good evening, Stella.” At the mention of her name, she spins around, her emerald-green dress, which falls a few inches above her knee, lifting just enough it makes my cock twitch at the sight of her bare legs.

“Atlas.” She smiles, walking toward me with purpose. I expect her to stop but she doesn’t. She lifts her arms, wrapping them around my neck as she envelops me in a hug. My body tenses beneath her touch and she must notice it because she quickly releases me, stepping back and putting space between us. “Sorry.” She blushes, scrunching up her face in embarrassment. “I don’t know why I did that.”

“Well, are you hungry?” I gesture toward the kitchen.

“Starving and it smells fantastic!”

After Regina serves us and explains the dish, we both dig in.

“I don’t mean to be uncouth but I’m going to go ahead and just outline a few things regarding this business deal between us.” She stares over at me as she chews her filet. “You knew my company the second I said it which means the rest of the world is also very well aware of who I am. I’m not sure what your experience or comfort level is with your photo being taken or your name in the gossip columns but it’s a very real possibility.”

“I understand.”

“It also means that you’ll carry my family name so there will be a level of… expectation regarding behavior.” She crooks an eyebrow at me, her wineglass halfway to her lips.

“Sounds like you’re trying to scare me off.”

“Not at all.” I toss my napkin on the table, leaning back in my chair as she savors the last of her wine. “I just want to be clear with you about everything. I’m in the news. It’s not often my love life is. However, seeing as how this will be a whirlwind romance, I’m sure it’ll make a few headlines.”

“And that scares you because you think I won’t be able to handle it?”

“I didn’t say that. I think you are an extremely capable woman.”

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