Pulling out my phone, I debate who to text as my car warms up. Kash is so easy-going, but I don’t want to take advantage of his friendliness, and Rhett is in and out a lot, plus his schedule isn’t super full tonight, so that leaves Seth.
Me:
Hey. Is it cool if I head out around 7?I can come in earlier if you want.
Seth:
That’s cool. See you later.
That was easier than I thought. There are no explanations or questions from Seth. I like that about him. Heading across town, I start to make a plan for the evening, all the while Mara’s question still rings in my brain: Where’s the issue?
Chapter Nineteen
Atlas
Cleaning my station for the third time, I glance at the clock. Cora should be here soon, and the urge to see her is overwhelming. Beating that guy up last night was unexpected, and I didn’t like her seeing that side of me. It was bad enough he had his hands on her, but his fate was sealed when he called her a whore. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.
Don’t get me wrong. Bouncing his face off the wall felt amazing, and if Rhett hadn’t stopped me, I might not be sitting here right now. However, I’m not that person.
I’m not the one who lets his temper go unchecked and just starts whaling on people, but there’s something that comes over me when it involvesher. The urge to protect Cora and get rid of anyone who would do her harm is suffocating. I can’t breathe until I know she’s okay.
They were only dancing, but she shouldn’t have been in his arms. She is so friendly with everyone, but I’m the only one who gets to touch her. She might have been pissed at first, but when I had her pressed against the wall, she looked anything but mad. Thinking about it makes my blood heat. Her light draws me in and judging bythe way she didn’t push me last night, I’m starting to wonder if she’s drawn to the darkness in me. I wonder if she sees in me what I see in her.
Her blue eyes held mine, and I caught the way her breath hitched when I traced my hand down her cheek. Her skin is so fucking soft, just thinking about it gets me hard. Recalling the brief look of fear in her eyes, however, quickly douses that heat. I’m not good enough for her, but I’m working on it.
“So,” Seth starts. “You want to talk about last night before Cora gets in?” He’s sitting in the chair across from me, a curious expression on his face.
“What’s to talk about?”
Laughing, he shakes his head, “What isn’t there to talk about? Let’s start with you snapping at Cora when she came in looking smoking hot?—”
“Do you want me to help you count your teeth after I knock them out?”
“And end with where you beat some guy, and if I heard correctly, threatened to use his corpse as a lawn decoration?” he continues as if I didn’t interrupt. “Gotta say, Atty, that’s gruesome even for you.”
“I don’t have to explain anything to you.”
“No, but you owemea damn explanation,” a singsong voice interrupts, coming from behind me.
Whipping my head around, I see Cora has arrived.Shit.I wasn’t expecting her to come in early. Glancing at the clock, I see it’s only twelve thirty. She wasn’t due until two.
She’s gorgeous as always, but the smoky look she had last night is gone.
“What are you doing here?” I blurt out without thinking.That sounded bad even in my head.
“I work here. What are you doing? Threaten anyone today?” She folds her arms over her chest.
I take in the way her hair is piled on top of her head, along with the sweater and dark jeans she’s wearing. Continuing my perusal, Ismile when I notice she’s wearing the same high tops she had on the day I met her.
“Are you really smiling at me right now? I can’t believe you.”
“What? I can’t smile now?”
Sputtering, she throws her hands in the air. “You are seriously deranged. Ya know that, Atlas? I don’t know what goes through that head of yours sometimes.” She huffs and turns around, heading back toward her desk. “Stay out of my business.”
“You have something you want to tell me?” Seth inquires, having watched the whole exchange.
Shrugging, I ignore his question and instead focus on the sketch in front of me. I overheard Kash and the guys talking to Cora last week about not having any ink. The idea of anyone else putting a tattoo on her skin makes my blood boil. No one will touch her skin but me.
