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He follows my gaze to the curvy woman on stage gyrating her hips amidst the hooting and hollering of the men eager to place crisp bills in her G-string.
“Although, I thought you had better taste.”
His face drops. “It's not like that.”
Yesterday, I fell to my knees at the golf course to please him. I laid it all on the line, hopeful that something meaningful was growing between us, but now he's eyeing the women as they move sensuously on the stage. Atlas is another face in the crowd to them, yet he means the world to me.
I can't deny my feelings for him, nor can I suppress the surge of jealousy. “Am I not enough for you? I thought we were hitting it off,” I say, unable to disguise the hurt in my voice.
“It's not what you think,” he responds curtly, his dark eyes locked on mine. “I’m not here for the show.”
“Then what's the deal?” I ask with forced calm.
He shrugs and looks away. “I'm here to see a man about a dog.”
A second passes, and I sense him watching me out of the corner of his eye. He isn't here for work; he's jealous and keeping tabs on me. “Are you stalking me?”
“I’m looking out for you. This place is–”
I spot my new boss, Louie, his icy gaze on me from across the room.
I touch Atlas’ shoulder. “I better get back to work. I’ll explain later, okay?”
“Wait, Celeste. Where are you going? What's going on?” His possessive tone is unmistakable.
I race back to the office, guilt nipping at my heels. I gulp down some water and slump in my chair. My heart aches at the thought of leaving him without a better explanation, and I regret not telling him about this job sooner.
Why am I so determined to do everything alone?Working a second job is no big deal, and it’s only temporary. I’ll explain everything to Atlas the next time I see him. He deserves to know the truth.
Atlas
Celeste slips away from the bar in a hurry. I trail her footsteps as she travels down a shadowy hallway and into an office. I tuck myself into a quiet corner and observe, but no one enters or exits.
After waiting for what feels like hours, the door squeaks open, catching my attention. The dangerous-looking guy watching her at the bar earlier enters the office. Celeste may work here, but whoever that guy is, he doesn’t work at Sinful Sirens. Not officially, at least.
The door closes behind him, and a deep, unsettling rage boils within me, threatening to burst through my chest. When I hear Celeste’s muffled exclamation behind the closed door, I know what I need to do.
My heart pounds and my ribs press against my skin as something stirs within me.An invisible force shifts and morphs as if I’m being remade from the inside out. My mind is alert and focused, ready to take on any threat to Celeste.She's my woman. I know it deep in my bones and will annihilate anyone who hurts her.
I’ve dreaded this—unleashing the full rage of my Titan form. Yet, as I unbuckle and remove the harness, I realize this moment could win her heart and set me free.
CHAPTER 11
Celeste
The office door opens, and my eyes snap from my computer, searching for the intruder. Chopper closes the door and leans against it.What’s he doing here?
“Um, hi. Can I help you?” I ask, my voice trembling.
He lights a cigarette, his eyes fixed on me. “I know you.”
“No, I don’t think so.” My heart beats faster, but I force myself to breathe, steeling myself for what's to come. I fight the urge to curl in on myself as his cold eyes rake over my body.
“We move in the same circles. You’re one of Freddy’s girls.”
Damn. Chopper thinks I still work for Freddy. He mistakenly believes I'm one of the women he gets hooked on drugs and pimps out for his financial benefit. Freddy's an asshole, and I hate him more than ever.
“Oh, right. I can’t believe you’re here. It’s such a coincidence,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm and steady.
