[Atlas’ POV] "He’s what?" Avery gasps, putting me on high alert. "How can that… What… I…" Reaching out, I gently take the phone from her shaking hand and bring it to my ear while she continues to stare straight ahead in disbelief over whatever she was just told. "Hello," I announce, deciding to take control. "What seems to have happened?" "I’m sorry," the person on the other end gasps, her voice shaking. "They were out for recess, and when they came back in, he was nowhere to be found." "He?" I repeat, getting a sinking feeling. "As in Aiden?" "That’s right," the woman sobs. "I don’t know what happened; we’ve watched all the cameras, but there was nothing! The police are on their way now, but I'm afraid we have nothing for them to go off of. "Got it. Please fill them in on the situation and I'll take care of the rest." Hanging up, I reach out and grab Avery’s arms and give them a gentle squeeze as the color slowly drains from her face. "Aiden," she whispers, her large eyes fil
[Atlas’ POV]“I don’t give a damn!” Avery snaps, shaking me off. “That bitch has my son!”“Ours,” I correct her.“Whatever,” she puffs, beginning to move again. “You stay here and do whatever the hell you want, but I’m going to get Aiden.”Realizing that there was no reasoning with her, I begin to follow while Dean watches on curiously. I was sure the next time we met, he was going to bombard me with a million questions.“Can I really not convince you to stay behind and let me handle this?” I ask when we reach my car. “I’d feel much..."“No,” she says, cutting me off. “I wouldn’t be comfortable not being able to see Aiden.”Despite her attempt at acting strong, I could easily hear the fear in her voice and see the tears that were threatening to spill. I was going to make sure everyone involved in this little stunt was punished properly when I got my hands on them for putting her through such an ordeal.“Then come on.”Not wasting any more time, I unlock the car and then climb in while
[Avery’s POV]I watch in horror as Atlas lays motionless on the ground in front of me, his back covered in shards of glass and wood from the impact of the condo collapsing.“Atlas,” I hiss, my heart beginning to beat erratically. “Hey, get up; this isn’t funny!”True fear begins to build within me with each minute that passes where he doesn’t move, and when it becomes too much, I pass Aiden to Gregory and then pull my phone from my pocket.“What are you doing?” Gregory demands as I start to dial 911. “You can’t possibly be calling an ambulance!”“I am,” I counter. “What the hell else would I be doing?”“You can’t!” He gasps, yanking my phone from me. “Here, take Aiden. I’ll take dad and call one of our men.”One of their men... Wasn’t this past the line of their men taking care of it?A whole fucking building collapsed, possibly crushing anyone who was still inside! Not to mention that Atlas was severely injured while protecting me and Aiden.“Don’t worry,” Gregory murmurs, pulling ou
[Gregory’s POV]“Because I thought it was irrelevant,” I respond, deciding that right now honesty was the best policy if I wanted Avery to continue to believe me. “Would it have made a difference?”If only she knew that I did it for her and Aiden, but I couldn’t possibly reveal my family's secrets.“I don’t know,” Avery admits. “But you lied to me; how am I supposed to trust you after that?”“By allowing me to prove myself.”Honestly, whether she did or not, I always got what I wanted, and if I had to stoop to despicable means, I wouldn’t hesitate. Avery was mine, whether she knew it or not.“How could you just watch him hurt like that and say nothing?” She pushes, not letting it go. “I understand that it allowed me to start to move on, but..."“Would you have gone running back to him if you knew?” I ask, feeling my jealousy beginning to rise. What she saw in that old man was beyond me, but I wasn’t going to allow them to ever be together again. “Even knowing that he is still married
[Atlas’ POV]The sound of machines beeping is the first thing to break through the darkness I’m in. The second is the pain that radiates through every inch of my body, from the tips of my hair down to my toes.Fuck, I felt like I was hit by a damn Mac truck. What the hell happened?As this thought hits, images of what happened before everything went dark begin to come rushing back, causing my eyes to widen before I’m attempting to shoot up, only to find that my body feels like it weighs a ton.“Careful.”The voice causes my anxiety to build even more as I look at where Tonia sits, looking like a concerned wife.For a moment, neither of us speak as she gives me a hopeful look, and my worry over Avery and Aiden continues to grow.Were they okay? If they were, where are they now?“Disappointed?” Tonia finally asks, giving a smirk. "Sorry, I’m not that young girl that you seem to be obsessed with.”I don’t speak as I continue to take Tonia in, wondering exactly what it was that she was up
[Avery’s POV]I remain in place as Tonia seethes with rage. It was actually pretty hard to believe that the prim and proper woman I met all those years ago was the woman in front of me now. Had she changed, or was this her the whole time? And if so, did that mean that I was wrong about Atlas this whole time?“Why are you here?” She continues, trying to recompose herself. “Can’t you see that I’m having a conversation with my husband?”Frowning, I look at Atlas’ irritated face and back to Tonia’s crazed one.“I don’t think he’s enjoying whatever you’re discussing,” I point out, crossing my arms. “Don’t you know that no one likes a crazy, clingy woman like you?”“Clingy?” She growls, her eyes flashing with rage. “I’m not…”“You are,” Atlas counters, making his way over to me. “I think I’ve made it clear many times that I don’t wish to remain married to you. Please do take a hint and stop clinging to me.”Smirking, I watch as Tonia’s expression falls.“You don’t mean it,” she whispers, ta
[Atlas’ POV] I keep my gaze fixed on Avery, taking in every nuance of emotion that crosses her features as she desperately tries to hide how she truly feels. Maybe if this had been the past, she would have been able to fool me, but I know her well enough now to recognize the signs. “I know that I fucked up by not fully investigating the claim you died, but please allow me to make it up to you,” I continue. “Let me make it up to Aiden as well for missing out on the first four years of his life. Will you please allow me that much?” “I don’t know,” she whispers, trying desperately to remain strong. “What about your father and Tonia? Do you really think they’ll make being together easy? Look what already happened with Aiden!” Tensing, I try to ignore the sudden feeling of guilt and responsibility that flares up in me. “You also feel that Francine wasn’t working alone?” I ask. “Of course,” she sighs, relaxing on the couch and throwing a leg over the other. “She’s pretty bold, but not
[Avery’s POV]My core throbs with anticipation as I position myself above his dick so that his tip presses against me.“Fuck,” he hisses while I lower myself until he is swallowed whole, and I feel the familiar thrill of fullness that I missed so damn much during the time we weren’t together. "Your walls are still twitching, little minx.”“And whose fault is that?” I ask, placing my hands on his chest and beginning to move. “Who is the one who mercilessly ate me like I was a five-star meal?”“And I’d do it again,” he growls, running his hands across my legs and onto my ass so he could give my ass cheek a good rap that stings in all the right ways. “Because I’ve got five years of pent-up sexual frustration waiting to be released.”Five years… Did that mean that he didn’t touch a single woman the entire time we weren’t together?In a way, that really made me happy since it meant that I was too damn good to forget or replace.“Is it true?" I whimper, quickening my thrusts so he rubs in a
[Avery’s POV]"Congratulations, Mrs. Jennings!” My doctor beamed, handing me a long sheet of ultrasound pictures. “You’re pregnant!”Nodding, I took in the tadpole-looking creature in the pictures that I had been handed. Although I expected that this was what was wrong with me when the nausea and dizziness started, it was still amazing to see.Atlas and I had been back together for two years, and despite our best attempts, we hadn’t managed to get pregnant. Just when I was beginning to lose hope, here I was, pregnant.“Thank you,” I beam, hopping off the examination table.“Of course, be sure to give this to whatever pharmacy you use.”Smiling, I take the prescription for a prenatal from him and then head out. After dropping off the prescription, I head to the store to buy a few things before heading home.When I arrive, Atlas and Aiden still haven’t arrived, giving me the perfect opportunity to set up my surprise for them. By the time I’m finished, both appear, and before I can even
[Atlas’ POV]The feeling of an empty space beside me jolts me awake as irrational thoughts begin to overcome me, each worse than the other. Since a week before mine and Avery’s wedding, nightmares of her disappearing on me again began to haunt me, and even now that we were married and even on our honeymoon, the fear that she would just vanish forever still left me in a panic.As I take in the large empty room around me, the fear continues to grow until it is damn near suffocating and I feel like I’m going to throw up.Jumping up, I rush out and take in the empty living room. The sight only makes my panic grow.“Avery!” I call, starting to move again, this time in the direction of the kitchen. “Where are you?”The sound of the fridge door closing comes in response to my question, and before I can stop myself, I’m rushing forward until I see her standing at the counter with a bowl of fruit in one hand and whipped cream in the other.“Atlas?” She asks, her eyes widening in shock. “What’s
[Avery’s POV]I stare at my reflection in the mirror in front of me. As I take in the woman staring back at me, I feel my heart fluttering with anticipation and my stomach churning with nerves.After a year of planning, it was finally the big day where Atlas and I would become husband and wife. I was both excited and terrified, as the thought of forever still scared me.Taking a few deep breaths, I push my long, dark hair, which is curled to perfection, over my shoulder so that my bare shoulders are exposed. Frowning, I let my gaze come to rest on a single hickey that Atlas placed on me the night before.“Asshole,” I grumble, reaching for some foundation so that I could cover it.“Let us, miss!” Melanie, my beautician, gasps. “Today is your day to relax and be pampered!”“It isn’t that big of a deal,” I point out, but allow her to take the blending sponge from me. “You’ve already done enough!”As I speak, I take in my reflection once more, admiring the professionally placed makeup on
[Atlas’ POV]My dick throbs at Avery’s words, and I can’t control myself. Reaching out, I lift her into my arms and beeline straight for the bedroom. Once inside, I throw her on the bed and then go to the dresser to find a belt.“Hands out,” I announce after I’ve found it.Nodding, she does as I say, holding her wrists together in anticipation of being confined.“Such a good girl,” I murmur, wrapping the belt in place. “Now lay on your stomach.”I watch as she moves around, laying on her stomach and sticking her ass up in the air for me. Giving a giggle, she waggles it about until my hand connects with it.“Oh, Atlas!” She gasps as I smack her ass again and then slowly run my fingers over the beautiful handprint that now colors her porcelain skin. “More.”“Do you like it when I spank you, little minx?” I ask, smacking her ass again. “Does it turn you on that much to be punished by me?”“It does,” she confirms, laying her head on the bed and closing her eyes. “I love it when you do any
[Avery’s POV]I stare on in disbelief as Atlas looks up at me with so much love and determination that it makes my heart feel full.“Avery King,” he begins, opening the box so that I can see a diamond ring with opalesque accents. “I’ve been waiting five years to ask you this, and I don’t want to wait any longer. Since the day you came crashing into my life, I couldn’t get you off my mind, and with each second, minute, hour, day, week, month, and even year, I grow more and more enamored with you.”With each word, my heart beats faster until I’m sure it is going to beat out of my chest, but I want to hear more.“I’ve said it many times, but those five years without you were torture. Your smiling face, adorable gestures, and strength and beauty haunted my every waking moment. Never in my life have I met someone who could possess me so wholeheartedly—mind, body, and soul—but you managed to do it, and now I never want to let you go. I want you to be my first good morning and my last goodni
[Avery’s POV]My cheeks flush ferociously as Atlas stares at me, unspeaking. Dammit, couldn’t he say something? The silence was beginning to make me feel like I had said something wrong.“Wait til I get you alone,” he finally growls, his eyes darkening. “I’m going to..."“Mr. Jennings!”Saved by the doctor. Letting out a sigh, I turn my gaze to watch him walk in with a push cart filled with the items needed to remove the bullets from Atlas’ body.“Now isn’t a good time,” Atlas tries, but stops as I narrow my gaze on him. “Fine,” he sighs, letting out a chuckle. “But make it quick.”For a moment, the doctor doesn’t speak as he looks from Atlas to me and back, but when he decides that whatever was going on wasn’t too serious, he focuses on Atlas.“Whatever it was, I can wait.”After that, he busies himself digging into Atlas’ skin so that he could pull out each and every bullet that was lodged in him. Once he finishes, he stitches the holes closed and then wraps them.“Now,” he begins,
[Atlas’ POV]“Can’t you go any faster?”I fix my gaze on the medic that is working on wrapping my injuries as my impatience grows more and more.“Sir, I’m going as quickly as I can,” he responds, not bothering to hide his annoyance. “You’ve got bullets lodged in your body, and you’re demanding that we simply wrap your injuries and allow you to go.”“If you’re just going to fuss, then I'm..."“Going to allow these nice men to continue their job,” Dean offers, pressing a finger against one of my wounds.Hissing in pain, I shoot him a glare but remain silent until finally the medic finishes and steps back.“That should keep you from bleeding out,” he says, still looking uncomfortable. “But you really do need to come in and let us perform surgery to get those bullets out.”“Only once I’m sure my wife and child are okay,” I counter, getting up and throwing on my jacket. “Dean, let’s go.”Nodding, Dean follows me to his awaiting car. I climb inside and wait until he slips into the driver's
[Avery’s POV]I stare at the hole where the elevator had just been while my heart hammers in my chest. It was hard to believe that I was just mere minutes away from plummetting to my death, and that left me frozen to the spot, but I knew that I couldn’t continue to stay here.“We need to get out of here,” I announce, tearing my gaze away and fixing it on the man and woman who had helped me. “What floor are we on?”“Tenth,” the man responds.Right. So we had ten more floors to reach freedom.“Then there are ten floors between us and safety,” I continue, getting to my feet.As I stand, a hiss of pain escapes me as the cloth of my shirt pulls against the injury on my back.“Oh my goodness,” the woman gasps. “You’re hurt!”“It’s fine,” I assure her, trying to ignore the pain I feel. “Which way are the stairs?”“This way,” the man responds.Nodding, I motion for him to lead the way as I pick up Aiden and cradle him in my arms. Despite everything that he was currently experiencing, he was a
[Atlas’ POV]The feel of nails running along my skin rouses me from the darkness that I’m encompassed in, but something about them feels wrong. They’re much too sharp, and instead of feeling pleasant tingles from them, I feel nothing but disgust.Grunting, I attempt to roll away from them, but find that my wrists and ankles are bound.Prying open my eyes, I take in Tonia as she lays beside me with a look of contentment and pride on her face.“Oh, did I wake you?” She giggles, continuing to let her fingertips caress my skin. “I wanted to let you sleep a bit longer, but when I see you without a shirt, I just can’t help myself.”Without a shirt? What the fuck was this woman talking about?Frowning, I tear my gaze away from Tonia and take in my naked torso. Further down, I can see my briefs, but they’re the only thing that I’m wearing.“Where are my clothes?” I growl, attempting to move again, only to be reminded that I’m currently trapped. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”Was she reall