“Hewas,” she corrected, softly.
“That’s fun.You think she didn’t always know?”
This was news to Lily.His mother had always proclaimed ignorance for the crimes.
“Don’t we all have to be as evil as they are?Isn’t that what you and yourresearchare going to show?”Hard, angry words, but his thumb brushed so gently over her lower lip.A sensual caress.“That we are just as fucked up as they are?”
“I don’t see you out murdering college coeds.”Her tongue touched the tip of his finger.
Atlas stilled.
“And I don’t believe that I’ve murdered any of my previous lovers.They’re all alive and well.No worries there.The point of my work isn’t to show that we’re as deviant as they are.The point is to see why we didn’t turn out like them.”Why on earth had she licked his finger?She hadn’t meant to do that.Had she?
A low growl came from Atlas.“I was given up for adoption at seven.I bounced around more foster homes than you could count because, shockingly, no one was interested in the kid of a serial killer.”
Her chest seemed to ache.
“Everyone had always stared at me like they thought I was the devil.No, the devil’s son.”There was no emotion in his voice.No pain.No grief.He might as well have been talking about the weather as he said, “I ignored them all.Not like I wanted their affection—not like any would be given.My own mother had kicked me out.Why would they want me?”
I want you.Words that whispered through her mind.
“She tossed me away like I was trash.I bounced around foster homes.Never fit.Never stayed anywhere.I was taunted and hit and bullied by the other kids…”
The ache in her chest grew worse.“Atlas…”
“Until I fought back.Until I showed them how vicious I could be.Some people only understand strength.Some only understand pain.”
“What did you do?”
His thumb moved from her lip, but his hand still curled around her jaw.“Never attacks that were too blatant.I picked my moments.Chose my punishments in the most effective ways possible.”
His words should have chilled her.They didn’t.Instead, she found herself angry that anyone had sought to hurt him.He’d just been a kid.Lost.Lonely.But she couldn’t focus on the child he’d been.The dangerous man that he was—that man was before her.“Your IQ is off the charts,” Lily noted.
“IQ is bullshit.People are smart in a million ways that tests don’t measure.”
He was still touching her, cradling her jaw.She was still far too sensitive to his touch.“Based on the measured results you have, you’re a certified genius.That genius helped you to build the largest research and development firm in the United States.”
His hand lingered, as if he didn’t want to stop touching her.“I made good investments.”
“You got a full ride to college.You dropped out during your second year, though.”
“I’d learned enough.”
“You started your company one week after quitting.”
“I don’t like the term ‘quitting’—I prefer to think of it as realigning.Quitting has such a negative connotation, don’t you think?”
“Yourealignedvery well.You went from not having a home of your own to owning twelve different homes in five countries.By any standard, you’re a success story, but if you add in your father…well, you see why I am interested in the way you turned out.”Interested.Fascinated.Far too consumed with knowing everything about him.
“Yeah, my old man made for quite theinterestingcollege essay piece, I’ve got to say.”Rough laughter.“What about you?Don’t you see yourself as a success?The psychiatrist who writes best-selling books on the criminal mind.Heard you were even offered a few movie deals.”
Goosebumps rose on her skin.“My mother is into the movie deals, not me.”
“Is it true that you still visit her once a month?Even after she tried to kill you?”
She felt the dig in her heart.“My mother never tried to kill me.”
“Okay, so, here’s a ground rule.We’ll call it our first one.I don’t lie to you.You don’t lie to me.You stripped naked?—”
