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)
“You know,” he whispers. “All this?”
I go to answer when I sense someone behind me.
“I’ve gotta admit...” Atlas whistles. “Red looks good on you.”
He drags a stolen chair over from the opposite table and drops it next to mine.
“Uh…” My body is all fuzzy and limp and I just laughed the most in months. Fuck Atlas, I won’t let him ruin my vibe.
Punk reaches out and pinches one of the gold-plated leaves sprouting from the centerpiece. “It’s like Rumpelstiltskin shat on this place.”
Atlas snaps to her. “Good to see your acting skills are still spot-on, Punk.” Leaning forward, he’s clearly about to bait her. “Are you the same everywhere else? Or maybe I could inspect closer?”
Punk bats her lashes. “Actually, there’s a lot about me that you don’t know.”
Her smile widens a fraction. “Like where my G-spot is. And while we’re on the subject of my stellar acting skills…”
At least they can follow instructions enough to not get us all killed. Me, on the other hand...
And I need a refill.
Gathering the bottom of my gown, I push up from the table and my dress clings to me even further. The material swallows my every curve while the lace cups push my tits high, giving pretty impressive side-boob. I look good. Good enough to justify the obscene money and gym hours it took to get here.
Atlas’ fingers curl around my wrist.
I pull away. “I’m going to get a drink.”
He takes his time standing to his full height, slipping a hand to my lower back. “I’ll get it! You don’t need to be stumbling in front of her.” His thumb grazes my spine. “She’ll enjoy it too much.”
I angle my body closer, brushing his hip on purpose.
“Hmmm.” I tilt my face up. “Careful, baby twin. It almost sounds like you hate her.”
Atlas’s eyes brighten. Between him and Asher, I don’t know where to start. For one, I’m not going to have Asher embarrass me in front of people since everyone knows we’re married, and two? I fucking hate Camille.
His hand locks in place. “Maybe I do...”
I step in closer, enough to kiss his chin if I arched onto my toes. “I’m beginning to wonder if I fell for the wrong brother.”
I know the second Asher’s eyes find me. He’s watching, which is kind of the point, so it only makes me go harder.
Atlas breaks into a full grin, lips brushing my ear. “Thank fuck you didn’t, or it’d be me with the bullet.”
Dramatic, but I leave it. I can’t be bothered going back and forth with him right now. I’d rather just squash it into a box and save it for later or let it rot there.
Therapy starting to make sense…
A waiter passes and he switches my empty glass for a full one, directing me back down to my chair.
Maybe I misread Atlas and this situation—no. I never misread anything.
His palm glides over my thigh, flashing a small flower inked onto his middle knuckle that I never noticed before. Pretty.
“Will you be honest with me if I ask you questions?”
I trace the stem of my glass. “Depends.”
Atlas leans into my ear again, his voice tight. “Do you think she’s beautiful?”
He doesn’t have to say her name. There isn’t a single other person here he’d be referring to.
I finally allow myself to look at them. “I think she is.”
He squeezes my waist gently and I bite my bottom lip when I reconsider our earlier conversation. Alcohol is really not my friend right now. Jesus.
“But are you known to see the best in people despite their obvious red flags?”
I bark out a laugh. “I would say I’m the opposite.”
Camille’s cackle at whatever Asher just said to her kills mine instantly.
I keep talking because it’s a better distraction than murder. “I would say I purposely see the worst in people, because humans are fucking disappointing.”
My grip tightens around the stem. “And in turn, it makes them easier to kill.”
I let go and stand. I need air, silence, and a glass of water. “Don’t follow me.”
I spend the rest of the night mingling amongst people I have no idea who they are and dodging Asher and Camille. Camille isn’t so hard, since she’s doing everything she can to pretend I don’t exist.
Rustling through my clutch, I pull out my packet of cigarettes and zippo.
Ah. Sweet, sweet dirty habit…
Embers sizzle with each inhale as I dump everything back into my clutch and grab my phone—static prickles over my skin, locking me in place.
I inhale deeper than I mean to and nicotine punches my chest. “I’m beginning to think it was Atlas who spent time with me and not you.”
Ironic, really. I spent a massive chunk of my life avoiding any form of spotlight, yet the second I met Asher, I made every excuse why it wasn’t a big deal that it’s the centre of his.