[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
[Cordelia]I am grateful for Atlas' company as he guides me down the long hallways to where we both plan to get tested as potential donors. I hold onto his arm tightly as I explain to him how I've been deathly afraid of needles since our car accident 5 years ago. "I know I got off easy," I acknowledge, "I wasn't the one in a coma, Angelica was. But I had gotten knocked around bad enough to need a couple of days in the hospital.""I remember," Atlas looks like his mind is far away, his eyes unfocused as he stares in front of him. "I was there too. I," he looks at me sadly. "I visited both of you. Even though you had been the one driving, and even though I was so angry at you, I still..." he pauses. "I still felt this need to keep you safe, to protect you.""An annoying trait you still haven't outgrown," I try to joke, to help ease the tension.But it doesn't go the way I had hoped. Both Atlas and I are still too overwhelmed with the tragic nostalgia of shared grief and past trauma to f