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He grips my hips, hauling me flush against him and pressing me back into the wall at the same time. When he nips my bottom lip, I gasp into his mouth, and he growls in response.
I lean back, resting my head against the wall as I catch my breath. “I hate you,” I say, my voice trembling.
Atlas smiles slowly, and my breath catches. It’s the first time I’ve seen him smile. He has a small dimple in his left cheek when he does. He lowers his mouth, brushing his lips on mine. He doesn’t kiss me, though. Instead, he whispers, “By all means, hate me for as long as you can, Calla. I’m still going to make you come.”
I want to refuse him, to deny that I want what he’s offering—threatening. But I can’t. Even if I say the words, he’ll see right through me. Atlas has intimidated and intrigued me from the moment we met, and as much as I wish I could say I don’t want him, that I’m not drawn to the out of control way he makes me feel, I’d be lying to both of us if I did.
“Go ahead,” he adds, lowering his voice, “tell me you don’t want it.”
My eyes narrow. “You’re an asshole.” It’s a weak retort, but it’s all I can come up with.
He chuckles, turning his head slightly toward the door. “Yes, well, as much as you’d like this asshole to have his way with you, it sounds like Gabriel and Lex are back, so we’ll have to pause our little tiff for now.” Without so much as a glance at me, he turns and walks out of the room, leaving the door open so I can watch him retreat down the hall.
I fall back against the wall with a heavy sigh, pressing my hand against the pounding heartbeat in my chest.
What the hell just happened?
11
Gabriel
Lex and I are putting the last of the groceries away when Atlas comes into the kitchen looking rather… bothered. When I arch a brow at him, he simply shakes his head, shoving his hand through his hair, flexing the muscles in his forearm before dropping onto the couch in the living room. A minute later, the TV clicks on and the soft sound of the local news station fills the silence.
Calla walks in a minute later, her cheeks tinged slightly pink and her jaw set tight.
I want to ask what happened while we were gone, but whatever it was is between her and Atlas.
Her eyes move from me to where Atlas is focused on the screen in the other room. She lets out a little huff before turning her attention back to me. “I, um, need to talk to you.”
The sound of her pulse increases, and I nod, shutting the fridge door. “Of course, angel,” I say in a soft tone. “Maybe after some food? Are you feeling well enough to eat?”
She presses her lips together.“I’m okay. I… I don’t think this should wait any longer.”
Lex is across the kitchen, pouring the contents of a blood bag into a glass. “This sounds like something we should discuss together,” he chimes in, tossing the empty blood bag in the trash under the sink and coming to stand next to me.
“Probably,” she says, stealing another glance toward Atlas. “Where’s Kade?”
The moment his name leaves her lips, he appears behind her, close enough she must feel his body there.
“Wherever you want me,” he says in her ear.
She yelps, whirling around to face him, and drives her fist into his stomach. “Damn you.” Her voice is a little breathless as she scolds him.
Kade grins at her. “Aww, come on. You know you missed me sneaking up on you.” He dives down and plants a kiss against her cheek before she can shove him away, but a smile tugs at my lips watching her try.
Atlas takes that opportunity to get off the couch, shut off the TV, and join the rest of us in the kitchen. Lex immediately offers him the glass of blood in his hand, to which Atlas just shakes his head. Lex shrugs and takes a long drink. My gums throb watching the dark crimson liquid slosh around the glass.
I swallow past the fire in my throat and turn my attention back to Calla, who has moved away from Kade and is leaning against one of the islands.
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, hesitating.
My chest tightens, wanting to go to her, to wrap my arms around her waist and hold her close. The desire to reassure her that everything is okay is strong. It’s a pull I’m struggling to ignore, because I get the feeling based on her response to Kade, that she needs some space. So, as badly as I want to crush her against my chest and make her feel secure, I keep my distance. Because there’s also a part of me that longs for her blood, to feel her writhing against me, if the throbbing in my gums and the hardness between my legs are any indications.
Calla opens her mouth to speak, her eyes wider than normal as they bounce between all of us. When nothing comes out, she snaps her lips together, then clears her throat, trying again. “I have a lot to tell you. I know you’re going to be pissed, but please let me finish before you say anything or have some supernatural meltdown.”
Lex downs the rest of his blood in a matter of a couple gulps, setting the stained glass on the counter behind us. “What does that mean?”
She looks at him and sighs. “Just… I need you to listen, okay?”
