"Atlas, what the hell happened to the guy I knew? You're a shell of your former self. You are a gorgeous man; any woman would be happy to spend even five minutes with you. What is it about this girl that has you so wound up that you can't move on?" The look on her face was sincere.
She wasn't busting my balls. It was a genuine question. I didn't have anyone else to talk to, so I sat at the table and poured another shot, swallowingit down before speaking. I sighed heavily, rubbing my temples. The throbbing in my skull was getting worse.
I needed to decompress somehow before I exploded. I shrugged my shoulders, shaking my head.
"I don't know what the hell my issue is. I thought letting her go would benefit both of us, but it only worked in her favor. My fucked-up head is just as obsessed with her now as I was six months ago…when the whole shitshow began."
I poured another shot, swallowing it down quickly. Yara sat in the chair beside me, leaning forward, inches from my face. She was so close I could feel her breath on my cheek. Her lips turned upward into a snarl, and she shook her head.
"Atlas! You need to get your fucking shit together. If she has moved on, then you need to do the same. You let her go, so you must keep busy to get her out of your mind."
She touched my hand lightly. Under normal circumstances, I would have pulled away, but I didn't this time. I allowed her slim fingers to rest on top of my large ones.
Her digits looked tiny next to mine. Her voice was almost a whisper. "Atlas, let me take some of your pain. Use me to blow off some steam so you can relax."
Her eyes melted into mine.
"You know I am crazy about you. I always have been. I can take anything you throw my way."
I poured myself a double, swallowing it down in one gulp. I can't believe I was contemplating her offer. Mixing business with pleasure isn't a good idea, but right now, we were on a fucking island inthe middle of the Atlantic, and there weren't any available whores I could pay to release some stress.
I wasn't a stand-up guy anyway, so what would it matter if I took my anger out on her flesh? If she was willing, who cares? Without a second thought, I jumped off my chair, pulling her by the hand to my playroom. The whiskey was affecting me, and I didn't give two fucks right now.
"I hope you know what you're in for, Yara," I growled, yanking her alongside me.
She laughed low, almost running to keep up with my stride. "I can handle you, Atlas. I am not that wimp of a girl you had in your den a few months ago."
I ignored her little dig, taking in her attire. She had on a pair of shorts that outlined the lips of her pussy and went straight up her ass. The skimpy, see-through tank top with spaghetti straps showed off her small tits.
I was thinking about applying nipple clamps and watching her writhe in pain once we got to the red room. I was heading into a very dark place if I was entertaining thoughts about defiling my partner.
Her flat white sandals accentuated her tan. Compared to my pet, she was tall but not tall enough that I couldn't carry her. With one arm, I swooped her off her feet and threw her over my shoulder.
She gasped, surprised at the sudden move. Joey was somewhere on the beach, and I didn't give a shit if he walked in on us. I focused only on what was about to happen with this lethal femme fatale.
My partner for several years. The woman was a killing machine, just like I was. I wanted to see if she could manage me and my twisted games.
Maybe I had it all wrong this whole time. Perhaps Yara was a better match as far as my dark side was concerned. Maybe I needed a ruthless fighter like her instead of a weaker little kitten like my pet. I wasn't sure what the answer was, but I would find out shortly.
Atlas
Once we reached the playroom, I ordered her to strip. She gulped when she saw the chain hanging from the ceiling, the St. Andrews cross and the spanking bench, all strategically placed throughout the room.
There were whips and canes hanging along the wall. The toys were hidden in the drawers that were built into the wall. I looked at her closely, watching her reaction.
"You sure you want to go through this, Yara? Once we start, I won't stop, so you had better make sure you can deal with what's coming."
Her hands were shaky as she removed her clothes while looking around the room.
"Don't I get a safe word or something like that if I can't deal with your sadistic torture? I mean, I witnessed you spank that girl, and you weren't too polite about it."
The whiskey was kicking in, and I looked forward to whipping Yara. To hell with my rules, as far as she was concerned. I wasn't even concerned about my pet right now. I was so angry that if something happened to her, it would be her fault, not mine. She was warned.
Who the hell was I kidding?
Jacob had his eye on her. She will be safe.
I rubbed my chin, smiling deviously.
