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Startled that someone had told me what to do, I glanced back at her, but her outburst didn’t sway me.
“You’re in no position to be giving me orders, Doe Eyes.”
She drew a deep, shaky breath and nodded.
“I know that,” she agreed meekly. “But I’m hoping that maybe you’ll listen to me… now that I’m your employee. Do you think you can give me a few minutes of your time—honest minutes?”
“I’ve already told you—” I started to say.
“This time, I want you to listen while I talk,” she interjected with a deep glare on her face. “Do you think you can do that for five minutes, Immortal Atlas? Or are you too high and mighty for us commoners?”
Chapter7
Bianca
Iprobably went too far with that,I thought, grinding my teeth as Atlas pivoted, squaring his shoulders. His lips quirked up as his eyes raked over me, and I got the sense that he was truly seeing me for the first time. Had his eyes bored into me like that the last time I’d seen him, undressing me so openly?
I wasn’t Bianca Barrett, thief or Doe Eyes. I was a real being, challenging him, and someone who had broken into his casino not once but twice—in the same 24-hour period. I had his attention. I just needed to keep it as more than someone who clearly turned him on. Although why he wasn’t acting on his naked attraction to me, I didn’t begin to understand.
Atlas was surely used to taking exactly what he wanted. I considered that maybe I was misreading the fire in his eyes, but that couldn’t be the case. The desire spilled in waves toward me, burning me even without him laying a finger on me. He wanted me. I smelled it—or was I the one giving off that scent and vibe?
“Speak,” he ordered me, a lazy smirk touching his generous mouth. I was fascinated with the curve of it, the fullness falling into a drip at the lower point like a teasing drop, waiting for me to lick it up.
Stop it! I’m here for Dahlia.
That sobered me up, and I jutted my eyes back toward his blazing irises, clearing my throat.
“I already explained to you that my sister and I were sold to Jesse and that he intends to marry us into his harem.”
Atlas remained in his place, merely staring at me, expressionless.
“He collects women! Virgins!” I moaned. “Doesn’t that disgust you?”
“What Jesse does is of no consequence to me,” Atlas intoned as if by rote.
It sounded like a line he had long rehearsed but didn’t really mean. I blinked and shook my head.
“You don’t understand,” I whimpered, trying to make him see the direness of our plight. “My mother—our mother…”
I faltered and shuddered at the memory of what she had endured to keep us safe, tears springing to my eyes at the thought of how she’d failed despite her best efforts. All the years of running. She’d known what our father was capable of, what he had intended. How could she have ever tied herself to such a horrible beast when she was such an angel herself?
“What happened to her?”
There was a slight tenderness in Atlas’ voice that hadn’t been there before, and I jumped on it, sensing that perhaps he was going to listen after all.
“She did her best for us,” I mumbled, unable to share the whole truth of what had happened. “But our father ultimately got what he wanted in the end.”
I caught the flicker of disgust in the immortal’s eyes before he could hide it, but he still maintained his even stare, lips pursed.
“And he sold you to Jesse,” Atlas concluded.
He didn’t seem surprised by the revelation.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “But not before he killed my mother and injured my sister. Dahlia’s hurt, and she needs attention.”
Atlas frowned deeply. “Jesse has healers.”
“They’re not very good at their jobs!”
