Page 57 of Tamed

“Ah, kids, eh?” Atlas rose in his usual predatory grace from the couch and strolled over to where Dad stood. “Come on, Ten.” His tone was mild, but the look on his face was not. “You need a drink.”

Dad straightened, his gaze going to Atlas then Caleb. “That’s not what I need.” Then before either of them could react, he strode past me without even a glance, and went out.

“That went well.” Atlas looked at Caleb then at me. “Give him some time, Isabel. He’ll come round.”

“I don’t care,” I spat.

“No,” Atlas said mildly. “But he does.”

I was still shaking with rage. “Are you here for any particular reason, Atlas? Or just to be a fucking pain in the ass?”

He only shrugged. “You know it’s always to be in a fucking pain in the ass.” He glanced at Caleb, standing behind me. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full here.”

“Stay.” Caleb’s voice was impossible to read. “There’s still lots of fun to be had.”

“Thanks, but no.” Atlas sounded amused. “I’ve got shit to do.”

Then he left too, leaving Caleb and me alone in his office.

I turned around sharply, but he’d already let go of my arm and by the time I was facing him, he’d gone back to his desk and was standing behind it, his hands in his pockets.

“I see.” I nodded at the desk. “You need some protection?”

He ignored me. “Is there ever a time when you don't blow everything the fuck up, Isabel?”

Yet more heat raced into my cheeks. “I didn’t,” I began furiously.

“You came barging in here without considering whether that would be a good idea,” he said before I could go on. “Then you make the situation with Ten even worse, before nearly giving away where you actually were on Friday.”

I’d already mangled my lip pretty badly on Friday and it really didn’t appreciate the teeth I sunk into it again now. But the pain was a hard, bright shock that cleared my head.

“I wouldn’t have had to come barging in here if you’d deigned to talk to me at all today or indeed, at any point over the weekend,” I shot back. “Also, I want my phone back. And by the way, what exactly was Dad doing in Arcadia?” I wanted to ask him who’d bid on my friend too, but I managed to stop myself in time. Perhaps he knew of Zara’s existence, perhaps he didn’t, but I didn’t want to let on that she’d been the virgin his club had been auctioning off. That was her secret, not mine.

“That's none of your business,” he said. “And I was planning on coming by the apartment tonight to talk to you about your goddamn phone.”

I tried to get a hold of my temper, I really tried. “You didn’t think to mention that to me?” I said through gritted teeth.

“You could have tried patience for a change instead of exploding everywhere.”

“You know how patient I am. And as for exploding, I only do that when I’m pushed.”

His black eyes glittered as he got my meaning, a reminder to him of what had happened two days ago.

He had his jacket off, his shirt sleeves rolled up, the black of his tattoos following the muscular line of bone and sinew on his forearms. The brutal planes and angles of his face were set and harsh. Everything about him was uncompromising.

“I’m not here for your double entendres, Isabel,” he said in that dismissive tone I hated so much. “If you want this conversation now, we’ll have it fucking now. Tell me about those text messages. And don’t pretend you don’t know which ones I’m talking about.”

For all his casual posture, the tension was radiating from him and there was a dark undertone in his voice. And I realized suddenly that I knew exactly what he was feeling. It was no mystery.

He was furious. As furious as I was.

Perhaps it wasn’t any wonder why. He probably hadn’t expected me to come sailing in here, right where Dad was, and nearly giving away the fact that I’d been at Arcadia that night too.

That wasn’t even going into how he knew now that I’d lied to him about the contact I’d had with the Hamiltons, and I hadn’t ever lied to Caleb before, not about something that mattered.

A thread of shame wound through me, but I ignored it. Okay, so I’d lied. But I wouldn’t have had to if my goddamn father had talked to me like a normal person. Ifanyonehad given meanyinformation about my mother at all. And they hadn’t. No wonder I’d had to go to outside sources.

“What about them?” I lifted my chin and met his gaze head on.

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