Page 13 of Atlas

The spoon freezes on its way to my mouth. “Um, North,” I say.

“North?! True North?”

“Yes, True North.”

“That’s really your name? True North?”

I sigh a deep breath, “Yes that is really my name.”

And I didn’t lie, not really, True North is my name but I don’t go by that. I have always used the last name of the parents that raised me, Silva. If I was to give Atlas that name he would be able to find out who I am and possibly piece together why he found me in that house almost dead. If he looks for True North I know he won’t be able to find anything.

Once he asked me for my name, I knew other questions would begin to follow. His finding out who I am is the real problem. If he knew, would he continue to let me stay here? Or would he put me out and if he did put me out where would I go? Victor would definitely come for me and this time he wouldn't waste time torturing me; he’d just pull the trigger.

It’s obvious Atlas hates Victor as much as I do but I am not sure if our mutual hate for him will be enough for Atlas to overlook my real identity. But it’s not just about me it’s about Atlas, me being who I am puts him in danger so for better or for worse I’m going to have to tell him the truth, the whole truth I just hope I can when the time comes.

I look in the mirror and do not recognize the woman looking back at me, the treatment, trim, and silk press were so needed and my hair looks healthy again. I went shopping and grabbed some sundresses, jeans, tanks, underwear, flip flops, and sneakers, damn near a new wardrobe but considering I have nothing it was all needed. I opened a bank account online and had my money transferred from the new account I set up that I was supposed to use to start over once I left Texas. Over the years I have put every penny I’ve made away in an account no one knew about. My dad would give me a monthly allowance every month and that went in there too. Knowing what I know now I know exactly where that money came from, in the beginning, I didn’t want to keep it but then I said fuck it I deserve that money and more. When I turned 21, I received a million-dollar insurance policy payment that was waiting for me to become of legal age to claim it.

So yeah I am not poor and I haven’t had to work since my dad provided everything for me, and that left me more time to train so training is what I did and hard. I learned as much as I could from anyone who was willing to teach me. I learned hand-to-hand combat, guns, knives, explosives, and poisons, you name it I learned it. But thanks to my mom, no amount of training could give me the svelt body I always desired. Five feet six inches and one hundred seventy-two pounds I fluctuate between size sixteen and eighteen, and on a good day I might be able to squeeze in a fourteen but I generally wear oversized clothes to hide my shape. I might be plus size but I have the shape men desire just super-sized. Hips, ass, and titties made me a target for all the men that were always around my family so I learned how to hide it. And even though I hide my body in most cases, I know when and how to use it to my advantage. This sundress I decided to wear on a whim doesn’t hide my shape at all. I am honestly not sure why I decided to wear this dress, since I am usually a jeans and t-shirt type of chick. The only thing I can think of is Atlas, he makes me feel like a woman without even trying. If I could get my stomach to be flat I’d be a plus-size baddy, but being around a bunch of men and being raised like a son instead of a daughter I learned to bury that girly part of myself, so jeans and t-shirts are my security blanket. Atlas texted me to let me know he is outside waiting on me and I head out to meet him.

Atlas

I literally freeze when I lay my eyes on True, holy fuck I have seen this woman naked but this dress shows off her curves in a way her being naked never could. When I fuck her I want her in this dress, one leg on my shoulder and the other in the crook of my arm up against a wall... hard in this damn dress. I get out and come around the car to open her door. “True, you look good enough to eat,” I say to her and she drops her head so I cannot see her embarrassment, well fuck that I want all of her emotions and I reach out lifting her face to me, before she can say anything I take her mouth. I crush her lips under mine and plunder her mouth thoroughly right there in the doorway of the car. When I finally let her up for air it takes both of us a minute to get our bearings before I help her in the car and come back around to get in the driver’s seat. “Let’s go to dinner,” I say to her, as I pull away from the curb without waiting for her to respond.

---