“I would have been shocked and disappointed in your skills as an FBI agent if you had not.”What in the hell had Lily ever seen in this jerk?
“There were lots of notes in those files.Names.Plenty of deaths.But?—”
“But no concrete evidence.”Now he was bored.“Benedict liked to make my life hell.He was convinced I was the boogeyman.Want to know why?”They could all just cut to the chase because he had zero patience left.“Because a million years ago, we happened to live in the same group home.To say we did not get along is an understatement.I thought that our paths would never cross again after I got out of that place, but then when I decided to return to Dallas, to set up my roots in the city that once, well…a city that once abandoned me.”Turned its freaking back on me but now I practically own the place.“I came back here, looking for a fresh start, and then I see Benedict skulking around me.Only now he has a badge.A shiny badge, but the same old hate fuels him.He was determined to prove that I’m unworthy.That I’m evil.But he never had actual proof.That was the problem.And you don’t have that proof, either.”
“We are done with this interview.” Theodora was adamant.“Done.You willnotaccuse my client of—of murder!Of being some sort ofserial killer?—”
“Aren’t you going to say something?”Gage snarled.
The snarled question was directed at Lily.
Now Atlas rose to his feet.“Watch it,” he warned the Fed.“Because I have been cordial with you thus far.”Time for that bit of cordialness to end.“Don’t make me your enemy.”Actually, it was too late for that.This lucky jerk had fucked Lily.
We are enemies.Because she is mine.
But did Gage heed his warning?Oh, no.Eyes on Lily, he said, “Benedict shared his suspicions with you.He must have done it.He must have told you, showed you the files.You were watching Atlas, too, weren’t you?Following him because you thought he might just be the one who’d sliced up those people in Dallas—William Lloyd and Conry Harding.You thought that Atlas was the one doing the punishment kills, only then he was taken, wasn’t he?Right in front of you?”
“What part ofenoughdo you not understand?”Theodora heaved a sigh.“Hey, Detective Wry, I know you.You know me.Can you drag this jerk out of here?Or I guess I can call one of Atlas’s many security guards and have them do the job.”
Detective Wry rose.But he didn’t actually move to do anything.He just stood there appearing all uncertain.
Sharon also rose.“We should go,” she murmured.Sharon closed her pad.Tucked her pen into her small purse.
“Excellent!The voice of reason.”Theodora beamed at her.
But Gage and Lily just stared at one another.“You know he’s a killer,” Gage told her.
Yeah, Atlas hated the dick.He figured he was entitled to that hate, though.A man comes into your house, he tells you that you’re a killer, plus…he fucked my lady.Frankly, Atlas thought he was exhibiting amazing control.He hadn’t beaten the ever loving hell out of the Fed…yet.
“And you’re gonna stay in his house?”Gage asked her.“Let him lie to the world and say you’re getting married?Bullshit.Bullshit.Come on, Lily, is your research really that important?So important that you’d lie like this in order to protect a monster?”
Oh, but it would be fun to drive his fist right into the agent’s jaw.“Is it made of glass?”Atlas wondered.He bet that it was.
“What?”Gage whipped his head toward Atlas.
“Your jaw.When I punch you, will you go down instantly, will it break right away, or will I need to hit you a second time?”Because he could certainly oblige with a second hit.Or a third.Maybe a fourth, simply for fun.
Gage rounded the table and surged toward him.“You just threatened a federal officer.”
Bring it, asshole.Atlas smiled at him.His hands fisted.
“No!”Theodora’s high cry.“My client asked a question.A question is not a threat.You don’t arrest people forquestions.I’m calling security.We are done here.Done, done, done.You try to cooperate, and thenthishappens.”She grabbed her phone.“Desmond,” she said immediately after putting the phone to her ear.“Code Atlas.”
Code Atlas…Get guards in here because he’s out of control.
Only Atlas wasn’t out of control, not yet.And he would be perfectly controlled as he drove his fist into Gage’s smug face.
“No.”Lily stepped in front of Atlas.“Gage can actually take a punch really well.I’ve seen him do it.Gage’s jaw is not made of glass.”
He didn’t want her between them.Atlas’s hands settled on her shoulders.
“Yes.”She nodded toward the Fed.Apparently, this retort was for him.“Benedict did share his suspicions about Atlas with me.But he had no direct proof of Atlas’s involvement in any crime.Not one single real tie.What he did have was an obsession that I found troubling.”
Gage’s eyes narrowed to furious slits.“Lily…”
“Atlas was targeted.The killer wanted to hurt him, and he wanted to hurt anyone who came to help Atlas.That tells me the notion that this guy is just going after people who have done something wrong, that he is a dark avenging angel of some sort—that idea is wrong.He was ready to take down innocent people.Innocent.He set a trap.He let the fire burn.”She swallowed.“The man who did that—I suspect he broke in my house.He came after me when Atlas and I escaped.”
Atlas’s grip tightened on her.“He’s not getting you.”Never gonna happen.
