Page 104 of Atlas
Atlas shifts me off his lap and rises slowly, placing himself between me and them. His whole-body changes. The soft, steady man from a second ago replaced by the one I’ve imagined. Broad. Coiled.Lethal.
“Can I help you?” His voice is calm, but there's a warning beneath it.
The man at the front stands tall, broad, and he’s dressed like he belongs on a battlefield, not in the woods. He takes a step forward. His lip curls as he glances past Atlas and straight at me.
“We’re here for the girl.”
My breath catches.Me. They’re here for me.
Atlas doesn’t move, doesn’t flinch. “No,” he says. “She’s not going anywhere.”
The man smirks like he expected that. “You don’t want this to get ugly.”
Atlas steps forward. “Then walk away.”
The man nods. It’s an unspoken order and suddenly, the other seven are moving towards us.
Atlas swings, hitting the first one hard enough to drop him. But it’s eight against one, and he gets two more good hits in before they drag him down. I scream his name, fighting to get to him, but someone grabs my arm and hauls me back.
“No!” I shout, thrashing as the man yanks me away from Atlas, who’s now on his knees, blood dripping from his lip, arms held by two men while others lay into him.
“Rue!” he shouts, struggling against them. “Let her go, you f—”
The leader steps forward and punches him hard in the gut, and the sound Atlas makes rips through me like a blade.
“Take her,” the man orders.
“No! No, please . . .” My voice cracks as rough hands shove me towards the trees.
Atlas lifts his bloody face, staring right at me. “You have to go with them, Rue, but I’ll find you.”
I kick out, screaming angrily as I’m dragged away. It makes no difference, and as I try to turn back to see Atlas, a sack is placed over my head and everything goes dark.
Anita
I sit straighter, and Tom places his hand over my own on the table. “Relax,” he whispers. “It’s going to be okay.”
“You don’t know my parents,” I mutter, looking towards the entrance for the hundredth time.
“I’ve met my fare share of money driven arseholes, Nita. I’ll win them over.”
I half smile, loving how optimistic he is. “What is this, exactly?” I ask, because the question has been playing on my mind all day.
He grins now, relaxing back in his seat and snatching up the wine menu. “A chance for you to see the life I can offer you.” Ifrown, surprised by his words. “Nita, I’ve been crazy about you since . . . probably the first day I ever set eyes on you. But you’re not like other women,” he states, smiling fondly, “and I had to be the man you deserve before I put myself on your radar.” He looks past me. “We’ll talk later. They’re here.”
My head whips round as my heart slams harder. I’m unsure if it’s from his confession or the fact my parents are walking towards us.
I stand clumsily, almost pulling the tablecloth with me. Tom stands too, reaching past me to shake my father’s hand. “George, it’s great to see you again,” he says, his shake firm. Then he moves past me, fixing his eyes on my mother. “And you must be Carol,” he says fondly, kissing her cheek. “I’ve seen you many times at various gatherings but never had the chance to meet you officially.”
Mother looks startled, smiling as he kisses her other cheek. “You look amazing,” he continues, pulling out a chair for her.
My father eyes the Champagne. “Are we celebrating?” he mutters, sitting beside Mother.
I glance nervously at Tom because I have no idea why he ordered the four-hundred-pound bottle either. “I haven’t even told Anita yet,” says Tom, taking his seat as he waves the waiter over to open the bottle. “But I made partner today at Jackson and Holden.”
I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth in shock. The firm is huge, one of the biggest around here, and I know my father is secretly jealous of the owner, Amber Jackson.
“That’s amazing,” I cry as the Champagne cork pops. I throw my arms around him, and he drags me closer, placing a lingering kiss to the side of my mouth. I feel my cheeks flush and bite my lower lip to control the smile. “Well done,” I whisper.
