Page 16 of Atlas (The Chaos Demons MC #6)
He shrugs. “The club will sort it.”
“No,” I blurt a little too quickly. “It’s fine. If you go after him, I’ll owe the club, and I can’t get caught up in that life again.”
“You weren’t too concerned about that when you called Axel for help.”
“He owed me then. It was one favour.” I stand. “Thanks for everything. I’ll have Kasey cut your hair soon, I promise.”
He stands too. “I kissed Anita,” he blurts, and I inhale sharply. “Or she kissed me,” he mutters, with a shrug, “I’m not sure.”
I recover quickly and laugh. “So?”
“I wanted to be honest.”
“There really is no need.” I take a breath. “Look, maybe I let myself get carried away for a minute and—”
“It felt right, didn’t it?” he asks, cutting me off.
“What did?”
His finger hooks around mine, and he steps closer. “The other night . . . that kiss.”
My mouth opens and closes, lost for words again. “You’ve just come out of a relationship,” I try.
“Just give us a chance.”
“I think you need to work out whatever unfinished busin—” He kisses me, cutting off my words and stealing my breath as his hands cup either side of my head and his lips caress my own.
He pulls back. “Me and Anita are finished. It’s you I’m interested in.”
“Awww.” We both look to find Jen staring at us with a smile. “You guys are too sweet.”
He throws a twenty on the counter and slips his hand in mine before leading me from the shop and back out into the street. “Say you’ll go on a third date with me?” he asks.
“I don’t know.”
“You want me to beg?” he asks, glancing around and starting to bend at one knee.
I laugh, shaking my head. “Okay, okay, I’ll go on another date with you.”
He grins. “That’s all I’m asking for . . . for now.”
Anita
Rejection feels like a slap to the face, but the kind you didn’t see coming.
It’s the sudden realisation that the person you thought was a sure thing, your safe place, your answer, isn’t even looking in your direction anymore.
It hits hard, deep in your chest, a stinging ache that spreads outward.
There’s a hollow emptiness that settles in your stomach, like you've been knocked out of orbit and you weren’t prepared for the fall.
I rub my temples, pushing the thought of Atlas aside, desperate to focus on the task at hand. As much as I want to avoid it, the custody battle looms, and I need to find a way to fight.
A soft tap on the courtroom door breaks my concentration. Before I can respond, it swings open and Tom’s head pops in, eyes locking with mine.
“What are you still doing here?” he asks, his tone more teasing than concerned.
I force a smile, gathering the scattered papers in front of me and folding them neatly. “I have to get these to the clerk before five.”
He steps inside, confident, leaning casually against the wall. I can’t help but notice how effortlessly he exudes authority. He might be a lawyer, but he could easily be mistaken for a mafia boss in that tailored suit.
“Y’know, I’ve branched out into family law,” he says, flashing a grin that’s crooked enough to suggest trouble.
I glance up, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t know that.”
He shrugs, unbothered by the casual dismissal. “And a little birdie told me you’re . . . in a bit of a situation.”
I freeze for a moment, suddenly hyper-aware of the stack of legal documents between us. The papers, usually so professional and cold, now feel like a weight on my shoulders. I glance up at him, my gaze lingering just a second too long. “Oh?”
Tom’s smile deepens, knowing he has my attention. “So, if you’re looking for someone—”
“I’m not,” I say, my voice sharp as I stand, cutting him off.
He doesn’t flinch. In fact, he steps closer, his presence filling the room, and the air between us thickens.
His voice drops, more serious now. “Relax, Nita,” he says, shoving his hands in his pockets.
His stance widens, authoritative, commanding, the kind of thing that makes most people fold.
“It’s no secret I don’t like your ex.” He smirks.
“And if I can crush him in court, it’ll be the highlight of my career. ”
I narrow my eyes at him, trying to keep my cool. “I’m not interested in being part of your pissing contest.”
“You sure about that?” He takes a step forward, challenging me. “You’re going to let Dopey Dennis handle this for you, and you’ll lose. I’ve seen how your ex operates. Dennis is too nice to handle someone like him.”
“Dennis is a good lawyer,” I say, my tone clipped. I want to defend Dennis, but my words feel weak in the face of Tom’s piercing gaze. I shift uncomfortably.
“I’m better,” Tom shoots back, his voice low but certain. His eyes are no longer playful—they’re laser-focused. “And I’d do it without the ego trip. It’s not just about the win for me, Nita. It’s about making sure you don’t lose.”
I stand there for a moment, caught between pride and practicality. Tom’s right. Dennis is good, too good, in fact, which sometimes works against him. But Tom . . . he’s relentless, and that could make all the difference in a case this high-staked.
But then I think about the last thing I need right now: someone else trying to take control of my life. Someone who doesn’t understand what this means, who’s just trying to prove something.
“I don’t need your help,” I say firmly, though my stomach tightens at the lie. “I can handle this.”
Tom doesn’t back off. Instead, he steps even closer, his voice dropping to a softer, more intimate register.
“Are you sure, Nita? Because this fight isn’t just about custody.
This is about your and Leo’s life, your future together.
A son needs to be with his mother. We both know that. I can win this.”
The sincerity in his tone is . . . unsettling.
I don’t know what to make of it. He’s right about one thing—this isn’t just some battle over Leo.
It’s a fight for our future. It’s a fight for our freedom.
And most of all, it’ll break the cycle of abuse.
The cycle I know Damien is already trying to instill in our son.
I take a deep breath, meeting his gaze with more resolve than I feel. “Okay. I’ll give you a chance to look over the case files and see what your angle is. Then we can discuss.”