Page 1 of Atlas
Prologue
ATLAS
The pounding of my rapidly beating heart and the whooshing of boiling blood rushing through my head is all I can hear. I look at the beautiful blonde standing in front of me. Her long hair acting as a curtain around her soft, and oh so fucking breathtaking face hides her rich chocolate eyes. Her lush body trembles and I watch as her tears hit the picnic table we are standing over.
I’ve had enough. I can handle many things but…not this. Not her crying. Reaching my hand out, I catch her soft chin in my grasp and force her to look me in the face; the fading bruise on her cheek fills me with a dark murderous rage I’ve spent most of my adult life suppressing. But not anymore, the light, fun version of Atlas that I’ve spent so long creating, he’s nowhere to be found right now and the monster that has laid dormant inside me has taken the reins.
Through teeth gritted so tightly I don’t know how they haven’t cracked, I growl in a voice I barely recognize as my own. “Where did the bruise come from?” I enunciate each word as my hand holds her trembling chin firmly, making her look me in the eye.
“Atlas…” My name is a weak and desperate plea falling from her full lips. I watch fresh tears slip from her red eyes and splatter against my hand. Later, I will relive her tears, the look of terror in her eyes, the wobbling of her lips, and it will tear my heart apart. But right here, right now, all I can feel is this fire coursing through my body. “Please, you don’t have to do this.”
Don’t have to? What other choice is there? Looking once more at her abused cheek, I run the back of my fingers across it, ever so gently. I see the wince on her face and I take that slight expression as the green light I need to end this. To end him. So yes, I do have to do this. I have to protect her.
“Get out of here, Princess.” I say as I move away from her to head back inside the bar. I had come here earlier this evening just for a beer and to meet a tinder match. Then Ren showed up withhim.I chose to ignore them and try to be the mature adult that no one thinks I’m capable of being. It was going as well as it could until Ren saw me and our eyes locked. Being the polite people pleaser she is, Ren came over to say hi and that is when I saw the layers of makeup she had applied to her face to cover what appeared to be a bruise over her cheek. In that moment I realized two things. One, Ren absolutely sucks at cover-up makeup and would’ve done well to have her best friend, Janie, teach her the art. And two, I was, without a doubt, going to get arrested tonight.
I’ve been waiting for the moment I could beat her dick-less, mother fucking loser ass boyfriend’s face in for far too long and I am about to enjoy every fucking second of it. She deserves better than him, better than his wandering eyes, better than the way he looks down at her, how he doesn’t spoil her. She deserves everything that he is unable and unwilling to give her. And now? Now that I know he is hurting her? Well, now is when I can no longer stand back and “stay out of it”.
“Atlas, please!!” Ren cries as she grabs my wrist to stop my movements. “Please, I'm sorry! But please, if you do something, it could ruin us both.”
I run my fingertips along the side of her face as I tuck some of her hair behind her pretty ears. I love her ears. She has those constellation piercings that go all the way up in this unique design and I love looking to see what cute little pieces of jewelry she adds in to reflect her mood. Right now they are plain silver colored balls, and it doesn’t sit well with me. Ren is anything but plain with her pretty dresses, bright blonde hair and knee-weakening smile. It angers me to my very core that the bright goddess I knew has turned into this dimmer, quieter version of herself, and it’s allhisfault.
“Princess,” I let out a breath, trying everything in my power to not allow her to see the level of fucking rage I have inside. I don’t want her to be scared of me. “I need you to trust me on this, okay? I would never let anything happen to you. Andhewill never hurt you again. You hear me?” My heart skips when she grips the chest of my shirt in her hands and buries her face into me.
“Atlas,” she sobs as her body crumples against mine. “I don’t want you in trouble over me. I’m not worth it. Please.”
Not worth it?I’m going to kill this fucker and anyone else responsible for making her believe such an asinine thought.
Wrapping my arms around her soft body, I give her a squeeze and silently mourn over the fact our first real embrace is like this. It’s not fair. The woman I’ve been pining over in secret for more than a year, waiting for the right moment, the perfect romantic setting for our first hug, and it’s been stolen from us. Leaving her and I in a desperate embrace in the back patio of a local bar by the employees’ break table and the trash bins. I’m going to punch him extra for this moment.
“Listen to me,” I say as I pull her back, my heart breaking all over again. There is a part of me screaming to forget all of this and to leave with her. I could force her into my car and I would take her back to my place, where I could protect her. But that isn’t enough. He deserves to pay for what he has done. He needs to realize that he cannevertouch her again. And I need her to realize that she is worth protecting and fighting for. “I want you to get an Uber and go to Janie’s, alright?” I watch as she opens her mouth to fight me, but I stop her by pressing my index finger to her swollen, wet lips. “I wasn’t asking Lauren. Go.”
I don’t give her the opportunity to argue again, because I know she will. I turn my back to her and head into the bar, only one thing on my mind now.
Walking up to the bar, I see him,Andrew. He is flirting with my tinder girl, Rachel. Rachel is twenty-three with raven hair, grey eyes and a gymnast’s body. Her hobbies include celebrity-hunting and spending her days looking for ways to “live her best life” and “find the vibe” or something. Also, her favorite color isPurple Pizzazz.I looked it up. It’s a real color, it’s also known as hot pink, but that debate is neither here nor there.
I smile at the two as I pat Andrew on the back, just afriendlyslap that makes him cough out a cry upon impact. It makes me wonder, did Ren cry out when he hit her across the face?
I give Rachel my best flirtatious smile and it works like a charm. She swoons and her cheeks go pink as she giggles.
“Sorry Rach,” I say, my voice low and husky, even though the heat and anger rushing through my body is making it next to impossible to stay in my “sexy Atlas” persona. “I’m going to have to get a raincheck. Andrew and I actually have some important business to take care of.” I don’t wait for her response as I grip the man by his boney shoulder and shove him towards the front door.
“What the fuck, man!” Andrew shoves me off of him once we are outside. I look down at him, yes down. I have at least six inches on this fucker, and I’m loving every bit of it. I am not one that believes in criticizing others based on looks, especially something they have no control over, like height. But nothing fills me with joy quite like looking down at this guy and knowing that I’m taller, stronger and bigger than he will ever be. Andrew is forty-two, balding with strawberry blond hair, a goatee, zero muscle mass, and this one eye that looks slightly outward. When I first met him in person, I knew exactly how he landed the absolute knockout that is Lauren Locklear. Ren works for the shit stain and he made her go out with him. I never could prove my theory though, and my best friend Fox told me not to make those assumptions if I ever wanted the tension between Ren and I to go away. I should’ve never kept my mouth shut. She’s been in an abusive relationship for months now, and I could’ve stopped it sooner. That is a guilt and shame I will live with for the rest of my life.
“Fuck you asshole!” Andrew growls as he tries to push past me, but he fails to move me even the slightest. I almost feel embarrassed for him…almost. “I’m going back in, get out of my way, Hart. I need to get back to my girlfriend.” I am not sure why that sets me off. In all honesty, that phrase is the most respectful way he could’ve addressed Ren. Maybe it was the “my”he had added? I don’t know, I’m sure my therapist would be able to unravel and explain the reasons behind the emotions. But we aren’t there and I am completely fine with not understanding the emotion. Andrew tries to move away, and in an instant, I grab him by his polo shirt and shove him up against the brick wall of the bar.
“You hit her.” I snarl as my grip tightens. The absolute fear in his eyes is not as thrilling as I had been hoping for. All I keep thinking is–did Ren look this scared when he attacked her?
“Atlas,” Andrew whimpers as he shakes in my grip. “I-I didn’t hit her!”
My fist collides with his face, and I nearly groan at the satisfyingcrunchof his cheek and nose I feel upon impact. He lets out a cry that I feel is way too dramatic for the blow I delivered.
“Shut up,” I groan as I look around to see if anyone is noticing our commotion. “You know people are trying to have a nice night out, and you screaming like a bitch is going to really put a damper on their evening.”
Andrew snots all over my hand, which…fucking gross. He looks up at me, blood covering his face. “You hit me!” He yells and I jerk my head back as blood and saliva land on my face.
“Say it, don’t spray it, man.” I groan as I wipe my face on the sleeve of my black henley. “Alright, so here are your options. You can tell me the truth about beating Lauren, or you can lie to me. Keep in mind the outcome of your ass kicking will vary drastically depending upon which way you decide to go.”
There is a pause before the sniveling idiot looks at me with watery eyes. I mean seriously, grow a pair and take the beating like a man. Of course, I suppose referring to him as a man is incorrect. Real men don’t put their fucking hands on women in violence.
