Page 13 of Atlas (The Chaos Demons MC #6)
And without thinking, I lean in closer, our eyes connected in something deep, wanting.
I inhale, holding my breath, praying he reads the signs, and almost crying in relief when he does, inching closer until we’re just a breath apart.
“Stop me now if I’m going too fast,” he murmurs.
When I don’t move, his hand cups my jaw, his thumb brushing over my cheek, and then he kisses me.
It’s soft at first, nothing like I imagined.
But as our lips brush together, and his hands slip to cradle the back of my head, he takes it deeper, sweeping his tongue into my mouth and groaning in the back of his throat like it’s everything he’s ever dreamed of.
The fluttering in my stomach intensifies and just as my hands twist in his t-shirt, he pulls back, panting and breathless as his eyes trace my swollen lips.
Anita
I pace outside, checking my watch for the tenth time. “Are you sure I can’t drive you home?” Anthony asks.
“Tessa is right around the corner,” I tell him. “Please stay and enjoy the rest of the evening.”
I lasted all of two hours before I faked a migraine and made my excuses to leave.
This sort of thing isn’t for me. It wasn’t then and it isn’t now.
Nothing’s changed. Apart from the fact I have friends I can call upon these days that’ll giggle when I call them desperately from the bathroom and ask them to come and get me because I’m in hell.
When her car slows to a stop right beside me, I sag in relief. I glance back to where Anthony is watching me and give a quick wave before opening the door and sliding into the passenger seat. I stare straight ahead. “Please get me out of here,” I mutter, hardly moving my lips.
“It looks swanky,” says Tessa as she puts the car into drive and wheelspins out of the carpark. She laughs to herself. “But boring as fuck.”
“You’re not wrong,” I say, flipping down the mirror and checking my makeup. “How’s the barbeque?”
“Lively,” she replies with another laugh. “Fletch is playing guitar by the fire, and some of the guys are trying to sing, if that’s what you can call it. You called me just as shots were being poured.”
“How come you haven’t drunk?”
“I will when we get back. Day drinking isn’t for me. My hangover comes early and I end up in bed before the party’s really begun, so I thought I’d pace myself.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Do you want to come back for a bit?”
I nod, stifling a yawn. I haven’t seen Atlas all week, and it would be good to try and clear the air.
Minutes later, we turn into the club’s car park. Off to the left, there’s a group of bikers sat around a fire. Atlas isn’t one of them, and I fight the urge to ask Tessa if he’s even here.
I follow her over to where some of the old ladies are sitting, and they get up to greet me with hugs. It feels good to be back here, I’ve missed it.
I’m handed a drink before I even sit down, and someone tucks a throw blanket over my legs like I’m visiting royalty. It’s warm, comforting. Familiar in a way I forgot I needed.
“So, how was your other party?” Luna asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Stuffy,” I say, then lower my voice with a little smirk. “I forgot how much I hate those things. It’s like a male pissing contest, strutting around trying to impress one another.”
The women laugh, and I sip the drink, letting the taste of something sweet and spiced take the edge off my mood.
I don’t mean to look for him, but my eyes wander anyway, skimming past leather jackets and laughter, searching for a shadow I’ve missed more than I’ll admit. And then I see him.
Atlas.
He’s across the firepit, standing near the bar setup, holding a beer.
He looks good, too good, and I ache to rush over and tell him how much I miss him.
His sleeves are pushed up, ink on show, flexing as he gestures to someone beside him.
His head tilts slightly, that crooked grin forming on his face, and something sharp twists in my gut.
I take another sip. A bigger one this time. Then my gaze shifts to the girl he’s smiling at.
Petite. Pretty. Cute in that art-student-who-doesn’t-know-she’s-hot kind of way. She laughs at something he says and nudges his arm with hers. They look comfortable together.
My stomach drops.
“Oh,” I say, the word barely audible.
Tessa leans in. “What?”
I blink, trying to school my features into something neutral. “Nothing. Just spotted Atlas.”
She follows my gaze, and I can tell the second she sees Rue too. She goes unnaturally still.
I turn to her slowly. “He’s bringing her to the club barbeque,” I say, like it’s a stray thought, but there’s a hint of pain in my tone. If she’s here, he’s serious.
She hesitates. “Maybe Kasey asked her to come.”
Something tightens inside me. “Kasey?” I repeat, not dragging my eyes from the pair.
“They’re sisters. Kasey is the one the club’s helping, and the woman talking to Atlas is Rue.”
It clicks then. “Oh, I met Kasey at the garage.”
“Yeah, she loves it there. Apparently, she’s picking up some stuff from the guys and she’s really good at it.”
“And Rue is the one you told me about. The one he took out?”
“Yeah,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “I’m sorry, Nita. I didn’t realise she was here.”
Atlas is laughing now, and the girl, Rue, tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, looking up at him like he’s the only one here.
I feel something fizz in my chest. Not jealousy, not quite. Just that familiar ache that comes from realising someone you wanted to believe was still yours has already moved on.
“I’m going to get another drink,” I mutter, rising from my seat before anyone can stop me.
Because if I’m going to be here, I’m not going to be that woman who’s quiet in the shadows while another girl takes centre stage.
I fix my shoulders, smooth my expression, and head towards the bar.
I weave through the bodies with my chin high and my expression smooth, the kind of expression I’ve perfected after years of pretending I wasn’t quietly breaking. The laughter and music buzz around me like static, but my focus is sharp. Singular.
He hasn’t seen me yet.
Atlas is leaned against the makeshift bar, his beer dangling from his fingers, his smile easy and unbothered.
Rue is still beside him. I clock the way she’s angled towards him like gravity’s pulling her in without permission.
It’s subtle, but obvious once you know what to look for. I used to stand like that too.
I step up to the bar and reach for a bottle of water, twisting off the cap slowly. It takes him a second to notice. But when he does, he stills.
His eyes lock onto me, and the change is immediate. The smile fades. His spine straightens. That beer freezes halfway to his mouth.
I take a few long pulls; my eyes fixed on his. And when I come up for air, I force a tight smile. “Hi.”
“Anita,” he utters, and I still see it there in his eyes, that possessive glint. That burning heat for me.
Rue follows his gaze, maybe she can see it too. I don’t look at her, so she takes her gaze to the ground, shifting uncomfortably between us.
“I didn’t think you were talking to me,” I state.
His brows pinch together. “What?”
I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head. “You haven’t been in touch. Not even a message.”
He shifts awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck like he’s a teenage boy who got caught skipping school. “I’ve been busy. Club stuff. Work.”
“Right,” I say, drawing the word out just enough to make my point as my eyes flick to her. “Of course.”
There’s a beat of silence, heavy and uncomfortable. Rue quietly excuses herself, mumbling something about needing the bathroom, but I don’t look at her. I keep my gaze on Atlas, steady and calm, even as my heart hammers in protest.
“Anyway,” I say, finishing the rest of my water and setting the bottle down, “I didn’t come over here to start anything. Just thought I’d say hi. Didn’t realise you had company.”
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Is it a thing?” I counter.
He looks past me in the direction Rue went. “Yes.”
I didn’t expect it. That single word to break my heart, but it does, and I gently rub my hand over my chest to try and somehow ease it.
“Well,” I say, smoothing a hand down my jacket. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
I walk away before he can say anything else. Before I let my expression crack. Before I can break.