The words were a promise and perhaps a threat, too.
ChapterThirteen
His lawyer arrived first.Perfectly on time, as Theodora Shore always was.Her high heels clicked across his marble floor, and her right hand tightly gripped her briefcase.Her first words upon entering his house were a disgruntled, “Desmond warned me this was going to be a clusterfuck.”
He’d expected Desmond to warn her.After all, the two had been fucking for the last six months.
She stopped in the middle of the foyer.“So?Where is she?”Her brows shot up.Her hair was cut in a short bob to frame her face.When she looked to the left, then to the right, her hoop earrings swung slightly.“I assume I’ll be repping the shrink, too?”
“She’s talking to Roland.”After eating, Lily had insisted on going into the kitchen to thank the chef for her eggs and toast.Atlas did wonder, though, if she’d also run in there just to escape him.Things had certainly accelerated quickly in the den during their little discussion.Oh, Lily, what have you been hiding from the world?He could not wait to discover everything about her.“And, yes, you will be representing her.”
A grunt from Theodora as she hurried toward his dining room and plopped down the briefcase.The dishes from Lily’s breakfast/dinner had already been cleared away.“The Feds were on my tail while I drove here.They literally pulled in right behind me.”A huff.“Typical black SUVs.Why can’t they ever show any creativity?Makes me crazy.Just once, I’d love to see a Fed pull up in a flashy, little convertible.Wouldn’t that be fun?But those guys don’t understand fun.”Her earrings bobbed again.“So, okay, it’s good that they are meetinghere.My request, by the way, because I’m selling this as you being the traumatized victim and you also being a celebrity so we’re trying to not have a shitshow at the local PD or FBI office or…” An inhale as her dark gaze swept up and down his body.Then up again.“Could youtryto look more traumatized and less GQ?Jeez.”Another exhale.“And tell me that you were the victim.Say it to my face, will you?I need to hear the actual words coming from you.”
“I was the victim.”He shrugged.
“OhmyGod.That doesn’t sound believable.At all.The insufferable shrug helped nothing, by the way.So don’t do it again.”
One of the things that he liked about Theodora.She never bullshitted him.
“We want the cops to move the hell on from you.We don’t want a shitshow, but with that detective being dead…” Theodora grimaced.“Did you hear they will probably have to use dental records to identify him?What a horrible way to go.”A shudder slid over her body.
“Yes.”Lily’s voice was very clear.Very controlled as she strolled into the dining room.“It was a horrible way for someone to die.But I hope it happened quickly.I hope the flames were so intense that there was no time for suffering and that Benedict died instantly.”
Theodora swiveled to face her.“You…” Her gaze assessed Lily.“You are not a ray of sunshine.Oh, no.”Real worry.“Are you going to be as bad as Atlas?”
She could be worse.He was still working that out.
The doorbell pealed, echoing through the house.
“Victims,” Theodora stressed.“Please remember, you are both victims.”
“It’s easy to remember the truth,” Lily returned as a little furrow appeared between her eyes.“Why would we say that we were anything else?”
“Could you just say for me—really quickly because I need to hear it—I am the victim.”
Lily’s chin tilted up.Her shoulders squared.Her eyes didn’t blink.“I am the victim.”
“You might as well have just saidI’m a freaking vampirebecause that did not work at all.People, we are about to be seriously screwed.”
No, they weren’t.Because Atlas had a plan.It had come to him…in a wonderful dream.“Trust me, I’ve got this.”
“Screwed,” Theodora repeated.“In the worst way.”
“I would have preferredto have this conversation downtown,” Gage Emerick announced.
Their little party was all gathered around the dining room table.Gage, a female agent named Sharon Hinkle, a police detective—Kurt Wry, a man Atlas knew had worked with Benedict more than a few times.Those three sat opposite of Theodora, Atlas, and Lily.
“We certainly appreciate you coming here,” Theodora replied in her cool and professional tone.Her courtroom voice.“Especially since my client is still recovering from his ordeal.Oh, sorry, myclientsare recovering.Because I am representing them both.”
Gage kept looking at Lily.There was far too much focus in the Fed’s stare.The man could look away from her anytime.
Atlas’s fingers tapped on the top of the dining room table.
“I would like to speak with yourclientsindividually.”Gage thrust back his shoulders.“The interview process works better that way.”
Deliberately, Atlas reached over and took Lily’s hand.His fingers twined with hers.“I’m afraid that my fiancée and I are a package deal.”
Her hand jerked in his.To cover the move, he brought her hand to his mouth.Atlas pressed a kiss to her knuckles.“Thank you for saying yes, my love.”
