As Atlas guides me deeper into the house I begin to wonder if this was a good idea after all. Here we are in his big dark mansion. Alone.Anything could happen.But do I want it to?As I feel the electric touch of his hand on mine I realize I do. I want to know what it feels like to be with Atlas Steele, not as a foggy memory, but as someone he loves and cherishes. As soon as we enter the kitchen, he begins opening cupboards and looking in the pantry and fridge for supplies. "Do you like omelets? I know you probably haven't had dinner, but I feel a bit more like breakfast and eggs are easy and quick to cook."When he sees my approval, he begins chopping and dicing. I try to help but he slaps my hand away. Kissing me gently, he orders me to sit down at the little eat-in kitchen nook while he cooks for the two of us. I'm about to say no, but the look he gives me makes everything in me clench. "No," he insists leaving no room for argument. "I'm treating you."When the omelets are don
[Atlas]I know that I don't deserve her, but she is in my arms and I do not plan to let her go. "You are my family now, " I hold her close to me. My wife. My son. My everything. "Well, he is," she laughs, rubbing her cute little belly. "There is no denying that. But you and I," she looks away.My heart drops into my stomach. "Cordelia," my stomach is nervous. Why does she make me so crazy, this auburn-haired girl with the bright green eyes? I can run a company, but I cannot master my feelings when I am around her. She makes me feel everything. And it's terrifying. Because if I can love her this fiercely, that means I could mourn her just as much. She turns her head towards me and I can see that she is struggling too. I wish I could take her far away from here and keep her to myself without worrying about anyone or anything else. "Don't you get it yet, you silly woman," I bend down and kiss her pouty lips. "I love you, Cordelia," I wipe away her tears with my thumbs. "I think I've
[Cordelia] "Do you think," he kisses my lips, "you can stay awake," he makes his way down my neck as I hold onto his shoulders. "Long enough," his lips find my breast again and I almost come undone in his arms, "for me to kiss every inch of your body?" "I don't know," I answer honestly, out of breath between kissing and moaning. "But I want to try." Chuckling, he reaches under my bottom and runs me up the stairs. Kicking open the door with a bit too much force, the lock breaks, and a piece of the door falls with a clank. "That never worked right anyway," he laughs as he sets me down. "What if someone walks in?" I look back in shock at the door that is no longer able to stay all the way shut. Atlas is alot stronger than I realized. I guess all that time he spent in the gym avoiding me paid off. "I'm serious, Atlas. April could walk in on us," I have a hard time focusing on the problem at hand now that Atlas has my shirt open and it is falling around my waist. "I don't car
"I want you," he whispers against my lips. "I want all of you. Every day. Every night."My heart is so full of want for him, he could ask me for anything and I'd give it to him. I have wanted him to love me for so long that the promise of a future feels too big to be possible. As much as I want this, as much as I want to give him every promise, I also fear he will leave me in the morning, sad and rejected.It wouldn't be the first time."You're only saying that, because you have me in your bedroom," I tease, although part of me is very serious. "You might change your mind tomorrow. "He stops us in the middle of his bedroom, only a few feet away from the edge of his bed. "Cordelia," he holds me close, our bodies aligned as our hearts beat together. "I promise I won't change my mind. I won't wake up in the morning and regret this, or you. I mean it when I say I want you in my life, Cordelia."He pulls away so that I can see the sincerity shining in his eyes. "Someday, if you let me, I
[Cordelia]We fell asleep in each other's arms only to wake up a few hours later, sore, hungry, and dirty. We both had long days before going to bed and now that we both have made a thorough mess of the bed and one another. Atlas laughs when I bring up the point that his bed is now far too messy to sleep in. "I know it might sound crazy, but I do know how to make a bed."When we are done in the shower, he helps me into one of his silk pajama shirts. It is several sizes too big, fitting me more like a dress, but considering I have nothing else to sleep in, and it smells like his soap, I do not mind. As I lean against the wall, my body tired, I watch as he remakes his bed with fresh sheets, fluffing the pillows to make me a mini tower of comfort next to him.Atlas holds out his hand to invite me to sleep with him, and I feel my heart flutter with nerves. Even though moments before we were just washing one another after making love, I feel shy at the prospect of sleeping next to him. At
Angelica's sobs are heartwrenching like her heart is shattered into a thousand pieces. I feel an overwhelming urge to comfort her, but I remember the photos of her sabotaging my line and feel my heart freeze.I don't know what game she's playing, but I won't let her take Atlas away from me again."I don't understand," she weeps, her voice shaking through choked sobs. "We were in love and now you have cast me aside. What did I do wrong?"She sounds bewildered and frightened. But I saw the photos. There is no denying it was her. Why is she bothering to try to convince him of something else?Does she have no memory of the sins she committed against me or is all of this part of some twisted, elaborate game?Thinking back to the way she manipulated me into trusting her on the island, despite how she insists she remembers nothing of that time, this feeling of being controlled and lied to feels very much the same.Does she think she can gaslight my husband into loving her again?My heart stop
[Cordelia] "That's not what happened," Atlas protests, his lips small and tight. "Cordelia and I are..." "I don't need the details," Angelica covers her eyes with her hands as she folds in half, moaning as she rocks herself from side to side. "Fucked, made love, whatever you call it, Atlas. Does it matter? You still betrayed me." Stunned, I stand there, not sure what I should do. One moment she was threatening me, and now she's a sobbing mess. If I tell Atlas the truth while she's like this, my actions will look cold and cruel. "Angelica," There is a softness in his voice that wasn't there before as he sits down next to her. He rubs her back, making soothing sounds. "I know this must be hard for you to see us together.” Atlas doesn't look up once to see how I am handling all of this. He is only focused on Angelica and her pain. I can't keep going this way, living my life at the mercy of Angelica's whims. Atlas seems to have forgotten that none of this is our fault, incl
[Cordelia] I waited for the doctor to arrive. Thankfully he got there before my parents did. I had no interest in interacting with them after seemingly ruining my older sister's chance at her "happily ever after" with Atlas. He was only with her for a few minutes. He told Atlas that she had another psychotic break and then began questioning him about what he had done THIS time to set her off. I could see the little vein popping along his neck, even though his face was outwardly calm. I wonder if Atlas was an angry little boy. As I place a hand on my belly I whisper. "Don't you be an angry boy too, Jasper." I feel a little flutter of response as if he were upset at the assumption. Great. Another stubborn one. While I wasn't paying attention, Atlas must have said something to upset the doctor because he was now storming off toward the entrance. I was going to ask him for a ride back into town, but the look on his face makes me rethink my options. "You'll be getting my bill, Mr
[Atlas]Delilah Fisher steps around the corner in a long, silver gown, her makeup flawless, and her smile large and welcoming.She looks so much like Angelica did when I first met her that my heart stutters. I love Cordelia with my entire being, and yet a part of me still reacts to the memory of the shining girl who captured my attention almost a decade ago. But this isn't Angelica. Delilah, while beautiful and poised, lacks the immaculate grace that Angelica exuded. Each of the sisters has a unique nature that shines through, despite having almost identical faces."Atlas Steele," her heels click in the silent room as she steps into the light. "Why is it so hard for you to believe your brother? Haven't you seen enough wonders in this world yet to understand that anything can be possible?""There's no such thing as mind control," I repeat. "Believing in psychic powers is for fools.""And you pride yourself on not being one," she smirks, amused. "But a true wise man would keep his mind
[Jude]Sydney. Now that she has me under her control, I'll never be free of her. When I came to save her, I was convinced she was pregnant with my child. She had sent a distress signal to me using our private channels letting me know of her pregnancy and it was enough to get me to betray the Steele family and derail their plans to find their cure. Using what I knew about Atlas' missing mother was just a distraction.My goal had always been to claim my son.But then I discovered that beyond all logic Angelica is still alive.I should have realized this was possible and known that Magnus wouldn't give up such a valuable tool so easily. Angelica had been Magnus' toy for years before she was sent into my world. I knew he had modified her, and turned her into the perfect weapon, but I had no idea how deep those modifications went until I saw her face staring at me on that magazine cover.She shouldn't have survived that explosion. And yet here she is, unscathed, awaiting a new uterus in
[Atlas]I twist my arm away from the guard in black. His face is blank as he reaches forward again. "Don't." My voice carries forward, and although it isn't loud, it holds a note of command that makes the armed guard pause."Sir," he blinks retracting his hand. "You are trespassing. I was ordered to take you into holding." My face remains still as my voice rings out again, "You will not touch us. You have no right." The guard swallows, taking a step back, my words hitting him with the force of a slap. "We will leave," I inform him. "You will report our apologies to your boss." He nods, accepting my command. "Atlas," Clark calls my attention to our situation. Blinking I snap awake, and pull my gaze from the guard. As soon as I blink, the guard stumbles backward shaking his head in confusion, as if my words and stare alone were enough to entrap him in some kind of trance. Around the edges of my vision, I see more guards headed in our direction. If we are going to make it out of h
[Atlas]Damn it, Cordelia!"Pick up, pick up, pick up," the phone rings but nobody replies. "This number is unavailable as dialed, please try again," the message on the other end informs me as my blood pressure rises and my hands shake.A moment ago I had been talking to my wife. And then the line was dead. I sent her to Canada to keep her and our children safe, and she chose to bring herself to Magnus' attention. Sending a quick message to the guards in charge of watching over my family, I stare at my screen waiting for word of their status. "Atlas, is there anything I can do to help?"Blinking away from the screen I look up at my brother as our rented van parks a few blocks away from the luau. Our driver informs us of our arrival and waits for further instructions."I'm sorry, Clark," I close my eyes, rubbing my temples. "You were saying something?""Is everything okay?" He tries again and I groan. "No." I groan honestly. "Or at least, I hope everything is fine. Lately, it seems
[Clark]The message "Tilly SOS" flicked across the screen three times before winking out, leaving my screen blank. I open my email that I keep under an alias on a secure server. There is a single message alerting me to new information available on my server. I've used this system when working with people who needed to keep their identities safe and their messages secret. The last time I needed it was working with Jude while he was still under Magnus' watch.Even though it has been months since I used it, my fingers remember the passcodes. Soon, I'll be on the server. Two emails are waiting for me, both are from Tilly's parents. In the first message, they inform me that they have landed and are settling in their new place. It is a secure facility, surrounded by several acres of land, disconnected from the distant towns and cities. The Madisons, sparing no expense, went to extra lengths to include copious additional security.They are, after all, securing their legacy. Tilly is their o
[Cordelia]There is a loud explosion just to the right of the airplane. "What was that," I lower the phone, turning it off as I gaze out the window to see what had caused the noise. "Nothing, Ma'am," the co-pilot says over his shoulder, "Just a little turbulence.""Turbulence?" I shout back as another boom resounds just outside the passenger's cabin as a curtain goes up between the pilots and the rest of the plane, blocking our view. "But we aren't even in the air yet!""Calm yourself, Mrs. Steele," Jake, the security guard, takes his phone from my numb hand. "Sit next to your children and trust your staff to get you out of here safely. We've got this, Mrs. Steele."He almost seemed offended in my lack of faith as he types into his phone what I'm guessing is a message to Atlas to calm his nerves and let him know we are alive. "But nobody is telling me what's happening," I grumble as I buckle in next to Jasper and the little girl I've decided to call Saphira until I learn her real na
[Atlas]"What do you mean gone," I barked into the phone, my hand clenching it tight enough to hear it crunch. These new smartphones seem to get flimsier with each model. I've broken 3 in the last 6 months from anger or nerves. I love my wife, but I'm pretty sure she's going to stress me into an early grave. "Your mother created a distraction, Sir," my lead guard, Jake, apologizes over the phone, not making excuses as much as stating facts. "Mrs. Suzanna Steele arrived late last night along with a young man she called Sasha. The next morning, while your mother and Ms. Devaroux kept me distracted searching for a false threat, your wife and this young man escaped."Cordelia has always been sneaky when she needs to be, and until this point, he had been very good at keeping her from falling into mischief. I wasn't expecting my mother to be part of the problem. At least now I know where she ran off to. Her room had been empty when I returned to the boat yesterday. "Are you sure it is m
[Clark]There are things that I need to keep secret from my brother, not because I do not trust him with my secrets, but because I do not want to burden him with them.Which is why I needed to get away. Without Tilly, there is no reason for me to stay on the boat."I'll meet you later, when it's time to go to the luau," I promise Atlas as I give him a hug and take my leave. I know that I could just stay at our family hotel, but I need to be somewhere else, somewhere that nobody recognizes me. And also, I want to ensure that what I am about to do is as untraceable as possible. "Mr. Janus," the man at the front desk smiles when I hand him a wad of cash in exchange for a key card. "Enjoy you stay. Please call down if you need anything."Adjusting my sunglasses, lower the bill of my baseball cap, grab my small bag, and make my way through the other guests milling around in the hotel lobby. Located along the beach it has a spectacular view of the the ocean.And the location of tonight's
[Jude]Opening the door, I push back the clinician waiting for Angelica to rise. The poor man looks lost, most likely expecting Angel to greet him and not a gruff guard in black."Excuse me," he calls out as I walk down the hall. I don't owe him any excuses or explanations. I'm her bodyguard. I can be seen coming and going from her room. Besides, I don't have time for niceties. I'm already late reporting to work. The guards all bunk together in a large room on the basement level. There are beds and a shared shower as well as a kitchen so that we don't disturb the rest of the house as we take care of our daily necessities. There weren't any free bunks when I arrived, so I sleep on a camping bed on the floor. As I march down there, the leader of the group raises his eyebrow. He can tell by the unused state of my sleeping area that I haven't been back to rest."Late night?" he questions me as I walk down the stairs, "Whoever she was, she better be worth it." He smirks. "Mr. Fisher will