Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100493 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100493 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Another pause.
“You, on the other hand...”
“Where even are we?” I refuse to look away from him. To back down.
His fingers drum against the concrete like every answer he gives me is a riddle. “Veilarath. We’re on the other side of Veilarath.”
He slams the door shut, trapping me with more questions. I should chase him. Demand answers. Veilarath has another side?
I face the window instead, watching water smash against the cliff until my heart rate levels.
The door opens again, and my spine goes rigid, but tension uncoils when Atlas’s reflection peers back at me.
“If you’re here to tell me your brother means well,” I say, crossing my arms. “Save it.”
His footsteps cross the concrete, cutting off a few feet behind me. “Now have I ever lied to you?”
I huff out a breath. “I’m beginning to think I prefer being lied to.” My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. “Truth is beginning to feel a lot like hell.”
He has the same bone structure as Asher, same arrogant symmetry, but Atlas wears his face like he doesn’t set it on fire for fun.
He scans the books on the shelves. “Do you read?”
I shrug, my shoulder tapping the window. “Not as much as I’d like to.”
“Ah, busy life and all?” He rocks back on his heels, his mouth curving into a grin like I don’t get the joke.
That’s nothing new. I hardly ever get his jokes.
“Well you’ve got time now.”
I finally turn. My annoyance has nowhere else to go so I direct it at the next best thing.
“So what is this?” I ask, leaning against the glass. “Your part-time job. Keep me entertained?”
His grin widens. “I keep everyone alive.” Atlas shifts his weight, humor leaking out of his voice. “That’s the role.”
“You’re doing such a great job.” I curl my lip. “No blood has been spilled yet.”
He glances at the slip of skin between the waistband and my shirt, then checks my hair that looks like someone yanked it into place.
“Ivanya.” He says my name like he’s afraid it’ll bite him. Good instinct. I might. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
I step close enough for my toes to skim his shoes, tilting my chin. “Define stupid. Flirting with my husband’s twin while he’s busy fucking his ex?”
I hold his gaze. I could do this. This could take the edge off the shit Asher just dumped on me. A better woman would take the verbal punch he landed. Considering I shot him, that’s the least I deserve. Good thing I’m the worst fucking thing in this world.
Atlas narrows his eyes.
“Wait.” He smirks, but his body goes rigid. “Are you flirting with me?”
He has a nice throat. Is it weird to have a nice throat? “And if I was?”
His eyes widen, flying over my shoulder.
“Nope.” I shake my head, snapping the thread before the tension mutates. “I can’t do it.”
“Agreed,” Atlas chuckles, relaxing.
We laugh at the same time, though I’m sure it’s not for the same reason.
“This is weird, but I thought I’d try it out.” He doesn’t need to know that I was testing his role in this whole thing. Good to know I don’t have to fuck Atlas.
He tugs on his hair, still a little stressed. “You do this to get under his skin.”
He keeps looking behind me like he’s expecting Asher to storm back through.
“So?” I play, teasing because Atlas is easy. “And because you’re standing here looking like the version of him that doesn’t hate me.”
Shit. That wasn’t supposed to come out.
Atlas’s mouth tugs to one side. “Because I don’t hate you,” he confirms, as if I didn’t already know.
“But you’ve changed your mind with the flirting?” I bite back my laugh.
His gaze drops to my mouth, then snaps back up like he’s been caught. “I’m not stupid enough to risk getting chopped up by my brother.”
I roll my eyes. “Your brother won’t chop you up. He’s too busy planning his revenge on me.”
Atlas reaches out and hooks a finger under the strap of my top.
“Don’t get me wrong, I find you extremely attractive.” His voice drops. “I always have and you know that.”
He releases the strap and lets his hand fall. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to do anything about it.”
It’s the first time I’ve seen Atlas drop the joke.
“Self-control.” I tap his shoulder, keeping it light. “Love that for you. But relax. I’m not about to rub up on you in your sleep.”
He groans and bites down on his fist. “Fuck, Ivy, you did not need to give me a visual of your fine ass all over me!”
I retreat toward the closet, desperate for space. Atlas follows, shadowing me by a single step. I wish he wouldn’t.
“But for the record, Asher doesn’t care about me in that way,” I say, flattening out my tone. “Not anymore, anyway.”
I grab a hanger and shove it aside. “He’s too busy fucking Camille.”