Page 7 of Atlas
My phone buzzes and I fear it’s Atlas. While I do plan to text him, I really don’t want to have a conversation with him in front of the girls. Looking down, my heart sinks and my palms go sweaty. Not Atlas, no, it’s Andrew.
Slowly, I accept the call and place it to my ear. “H-hello?”
“Miss Locklear!” Andrew’s voice comes over the phone loud and too eager. “I’m so happy to find you are able to answer your phone calls now.” I see Stevie’s blue eyes look at me from the rearview mirror and I instantly avert my gaze, feeling like I am doing something wrong.
“I was just discharged,” I say softly while trying to get a handle on my nerves. “I-I will be to work tom–”
“Oh, no no no…” His chuckle is cold and full of malice. “You see, I received a photo this morning of Atlas Hart hanging around your hospital floor. Now, need I remind you of the heinous acts of violence I endured because of that man? The acts thatyouare responsible for, even if that was never brought up in court.”
Oh, fuck no. I feel the blood rushing from my face and my stomach begins to churn. “Andrew,” My mouth is bone dry as I try to speak. “What are you–”
“You’re fired, Miss Locklear. For not only fraternizing with a convicted criminal that nearly killed your superior and could still be a threat in the future, but due to your lack of availability.”
“Lack of–I’ve been in the hospital! You cannot fire me for being diabetic!” I yell into the phone, causing both women to look back at me.
“Well, then blame your idiot in shitty armor. I really don’t care. Either way, you can come get your shit, it will be at the front desk. Have a great day.” The call ends and I don’t know if I want to scream or cry.
“Ren?” Sunday says softly. I look up and see that we are in a parking lot and both women are turned to face me.
Holding back my tears, I give them the fakest smile I can as I shrug. “Guess I’m unemployed.”
Chapter 3
Atlas
“Bro, you’re going to hurt yourself.” I barely hear Ash’s hesitant voice over the loud metal music blaring through the gym, but I ignore him as I continue my weighted leg curls while hanging from the chin-up bar. I hope I do hurt myself. I pray that when I crawl into that uncomfortable fucking hotel bed tonight, I am so exhausted I cannot stay awake and overthink one more damn thing. I want the ripping pain to lull me into a heavy, dreamless sleep. It’s why I am constantly here. Breaking my body down is the only thing that shuts my mind up. Unfortunately, here lately, I’m needing longer and harder sessions to achieve the same temporary peace.
“AT!” Ash grabs me and rips the weights off my legs. I stare down at him. Ash is about my age, dark hair, piercing black eyes and swimmer’s build. He actually hates weight lifting, believing that endurance training is the best way to go. I know he is only here because Fox is playing the role of “dad” again and is “concerned” about my mental state or some bullshit. “You have to stop.” He growls, forcing me to give him my attention. Blinking, I pull myself out of the trance and I can no longer holdmyself on the bar. I let go and expect to land on my feet, but my legs give out and I collapse.
“Fuck…” I huff out a laugh from the floor as Ash helps me sit up.
“What the fuck dude,” he smacks my sore arm and I whine. “I stopped counting at fifty. You are going to rip your muscles apart.”
I smirk as I reach over for my water bottle. My entire body screams. Oh yeah, this is going to hurt tonight. “Fuck man, I hope so.”
Ash gives me the same look I’ve been getting from everyone lately. The“Are you okay? You’re spiraling.”look. I’m fine, great even. Top of my career, in excellent shape, can have any woman I want in my bed.
Well,almostany woman.
“Any news on Ren that you know of?” I ask, trying to appear casual. In actuality, I'm a ball of stress. Ren said she would text me when she got out of the hospital today, but she hasn’t. At first, I thought that something had happened that made her have to stay in the hospital longer, but while at the shop, Janie had to leave early, saying she was taking Bruno back to Ren. When I asked Janie about Ren, she just shrugged and said,“Ren who?”Those women and their fucking code of silence are driving me fucking insane.
Ash rolls his eyes before taking a pull from his water bottle. “Yeah, because you know I get all the hot gossip. I know nothing man, the only woman I talk to for more than five minutes besides Janie is Indy.” A smirk forms on his face. “Usually, I prefer conversations with ladies to revolve around grunts and moaning.”
It’s my turn to roll my eyes, which I know wounds my friend. Ash and I were notorious for one-night stands. No repeats, no dates, out every night finding the next lay. The only problem isI’ve stopped. I’ve tried, God knows I’ve tried to pick a woman up, the closest being Rachel from tinder the night I got arrested.
I’ve spent the last…holy shit. Has it been a year since I got laid?
I stare up at Ash in horror. “Dude,” I breathe out. “When did I have sex last?”
Ash’s face falls, “At, please don’t tell me the last time you fucked a girl was one of our nights out. Man, that was…holy shit you didn’t even fuck a girl in Vegas last year, that was Derek. It’s been like thirteen months. Are you ill?”
I stared at my gym short covered junk in disbelief.Thirteen months?
“Oh my god.” I whisper. “Is… am I broken?” I’m thirty-five years old. I am smack dab in the middle of peak sexual prime. But I don’t even think I’ve rubbed one out in a month.
Ash pats my shoulder. “I think you’ve just been stressed, man. Have you given any thought to moving back in with me? You know Indy stays locked away.” Indy is Ash’s baby sister who needed somewhere to stay, so I offered up my half of the apartment that I used to split with him.
Shaking my head, I begin to stand while biting back a cry. Fuck, this hurts. “Nah man, I’ll probably find my own place now that I know I’m not headed to prison.” I laugh lightly, but Ash doesn’t seem to see the humor.
