What do you think of Magnus? Do you think is offer to Cordelia is genuine?
[Atlas]Fueled by the need to find her, to tell her how wrong I was, I race out of the building and onto the street. I don't have anything on me but the clothes on my back and my phone tucked away in a pocket.With my rumpled jacket and hair, I could be anyone on the street. Nobody would mistake me for being myself. I wasn't billionaire Atlas Steele, I was just an ordinary guy desperately looking for his pregnant wife on the streets of LA."Damn it, Cordelia," I curse as I feel the wind pick up and remember that she left the house without a coat. "Where the hell did you go?""Hola senor," A sweet woman pulling in her laundry calls from her balcony. "You lost?""Un poquito," I hold up my fingers to express that I am a little bit turned around. "I am looking for my wife. I think she came this way. Very pretty, very pregnant."I make a round gesture over my belly and she laughs playfully, amused by my poor attempts at pantomime. "La bonita prenada mujer," she nods. "I see her, senor." S
[Cordelia]Atlas sets me off like nobody else. I don't know what it is about him that irritates me more: his constant need to be right or his knight-in-shining-armor hero complex, but I can't stand to look at him right now. Maybe Magnus is right. Maybe I need to take myself and this baby far. far away from Atlas Steele and his terrible, toxic family. Maybe I won't be able to heal myself until I have some space away from all of them. "Cordelia, please wait," Atlas calls after me in a gentle, broken voice.I turn around and he is standing where I left him, looking and lost. His clothing is wet and disheveled, his hair askew, the mark of my hand red upon his cheek.He isn't angry or worked like am. Atlas is sad."I'm sorry Cordelia," he holds out his hand. "I came out here looking for you not to take you home or tell you what you should do. I came out here to apologize."The rain is coming down in straight sheets of water, soaking us both, but neither of us seeks shelter. We both st
[Cordelia]When we stumble into the lobby of the Steele Imperial Hotel and Spa, I was expecting Atlas to go straight to the manager and demand the Presidential Suite. I was expecting the concierge to bow when Atlas walked in and offer us the room on a silver platter. Atlas is, after all, the owner and even if he weren't, Atlas Steele tends to get that kind of treatment wherever he goes. He just has to give people his winning smile and flash his unlimited platinum card.What I wasn't expecting was to be shunned. Not again. Not like before. But when I saw the snarl on the face of the concierge as he finally notices us waiting at the front desk, and he marches up to us like a man on a mission, I know that's exactly what is going to happen.This man intends to kick us out. As he gets closer I see he is the same guy who stopped me all those months before, thinking I was a homeless woman instead of the wife of Atlas Steele."Excuse me, sir," he looks me up and down, "Miss. We think you mi
[Cordelia]We finally come up for air when the elevator doors open again. Because we are staying in one of the master suites, the elevator opens up to a very small hallway with no other doors. Without warning, Atlas scoops me off of my feet, holding me bridal style in his arms. "What are you doing," I laugh, kicking my feet. "Put me down, Atlas.""Not until we cross the threshold properly," he smirks, bending down to give me a little kiss. "We never did this right the first time and I feel like it is long overdue." "But we aren't even married anymore," I laugh again. "Shouldn't we do this after we get married?""So you want to marry me again," he raises his eyebrow."I didn't say," I swallow hard. Did I want to marry him again?His gray eyes smolder with heat as he watches my expressions change. "Because I want to marry you again," he kisses me lightly."Why?" I say between kisses, "Didn't we make each other miserable?"'This time will be different," he promises my feet dip lower, h
[Cordelia]He is standing in front of me, water beading down his chest, outlining each muscle as it makes its path down his body, trailing all the way down to where my hands rest on the waistband of his pants. I have never taken this kind of initiative with him, taking over, demanding what I want. Our sexual relationship is still far too new. I still have so much to learn. "Are you going to take what you want," he challenges me, raising one eyebrow in provocation.I unbuckle his belt. "Only if you are good." I tease. "Maybe I'll make you suffer first."My hand rubs the hardness of his dick outlined sharply on the wet slacks as they cling to his body. He closes his eyes in pleasure, his mouth opening as I stroke him slowly, giving the tip of him extra attention. He moans, placing his hands on the wall above me to steady himself as I continue to pleasure him through the slick layer of cloth. He begins to rock his hips against my hand, increasing the rate and depth of each stroke, usin
[Angelica]When my parents told me that Atlas had agreed to have our little engagement party, I was over the moon. Finally, something is going my way.In appreciation and apology, I decided to stop by Steele Industries with some homemade jam and scones, along with some high-end loose-leaf tea that I know he likes. Putting on a pretty cashmere sweater dress edged in fur from the latest Paris line, I make myself look as pretty as I can for him. When Atlas looks at me, I want him to see the girl he once saw 5 years ago, the girl he fell hopelessly in love with.I need him to see me that way. For my sake as well as Cordelia's. If Sydney gets involved, Magnus will have no use for me and I won't be able to keep my sister from getting involved. The further away from Magnus I can keep her, the better.Cordelia has always been sheltered from the worst in life. As the little sister, she was protected. She's never had to deal with a dangerous viper like Magnus.She has no idea what a man like him
[Cordelia]Propped up on pillows covered in silk, I try to remain still and calm as Atlas lays his head on my belly for about the hundredth time today. When he isn't feeding me, kissing me, or making love, he likes to have conversations with our son. "You are making your mama dizzy with all that moving, little guy," he kisses a spot where our baby's foot is pressed up against the skin hard enough to show a little dent. Usually, it's an elbow to the bladder when the little guy moves, but when Atlas speaks to him, he floats to his father's voice. "I think he hears you," I play with Atlas' hair, which I had never realized was curly until I got him alone without all of his hair care products. Without his mousse and pomade putting every hair in its place, he has a beautiful mound of softly curling blonde hair. "Do you think he'll have your curls," I ask casually as my fingers trace the outlines of his hair. "I know he'll have your chin. All you Steele boys have that strong chin and I thi
[Cordelia]The world stops. "Hit by a bus," and "tragic accident" were the last things I heard right before all the other sounds around me became white noise.It feels like Deja vu, only I can imagine this is what my parents felt like when they heard that the two of us had gotten into a near-fatal car accident. Did their world stop spinning too when they heard about Angelica and me?Sitting stunned and numb at the foot of the bed, the comforter pulled around me like a cloak, I didn't even notice that Atlas had left until he came back into the room. He must have called down to the concierge to have clothing brought up because as soon as he sees me he hands me a little bundle of comfortable, soft clothing while he pulls off his bathrobe and begins dressing from his own small pile. "It's going to be okay," he murmurs on repeat as we both get ready, "It'll be okay, Cordelia, it'll be okay." I have a hard time believing him. It doesn't matter how many times he repeats those words. Every
[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