Heartbreak Me (Heartbreak Duet Book 1)

by T. L Smith

  On the weekend, I start moving more, the pain being much less and almost tolerable now. I tell Atlas I will be going back to work, but he looks at me as if I have grown a second head and instantly starts shaking his.

  “That’s not going to happen,” he says with victory in his tone as if he’s won a fight I didn’t even know we were having. He places the food in front of us, as he does all the time, and starts eating, then he pushes a glass of water my way. He kicks his legs up on the coffee table and switches on the television.

  “This is weird. Is this not weird?” I ask, looking at how comfortable he is. His cell starts ringing, and he studies it before he answers, his eyes on me, ready to answer my question.

  “Hello.” He continues to watch me. “Yes, soon.” He hangs up, not breaking eye contact. “What is weird?” he asks me finally. “Us?”

  I nod.

  “Is this not what you want?” He indicates with his hand between us.

  “You can’t ask me that. We don’t even know what we are. How do you start something from something so wrong and dark?” I ask him.

  “So, you want this to end?”

  I scrunch my brows. “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you indicated it.”

  I shrug. “They say you shouldn’t be sleeping with your boss anyway.”

  “That’s an excuse. You know your job is safe, no matter what.”

  “I don’t know that,” I argue back.

  “For fuck’s sake, Theadora…”

  “Yes, Atlas?”

  He stands, frustrated. “I have to go to work, and I guess I’ll go home after.”

  “Home? You have one of those?” I ask. “How come you never take me there?”

  “Is that the problem? That you haven’t seen my house?”

  I shrug, looking away. It’s not the problem, but it’s also a part of himself that he keeps away from me. While he can delve into all of my affairs, it seems a bit unfair that I know very little about his personal life.

  “Get dressed, you’re coming with me to see what I do, then you’re spending the night at mine.”

  I look to the food and don’t move.

  “Theodora, get dressed. Or do you want me to pack your bag for you as well as dress you?”

  I stand, and he watches me as I walk into my room.

  Tina brought me some nice button-up shirts and black leggings. I put them on carefully and sit on the bed to slide my boots on. When I stand, Atlas walks over to me and starts doing up my buttons at the front.

  “My men will be surprised to see you,” is all he says, doing up the last button. He leans in and kisses my lips softly, then pulls away, picking up the bag I packed. I follow him out until we reach the front door.

  His car is parked out front behind mine, and he holds open the door as I get in, then does the same.

  “Why? Why will they be surprised to see me?”

  Atlas turns to face me and shakes his head, “Because last time they saw you, they kidnapped you,” he says matter-of-factly. My body starts to shake at that thought. “They will never hurt you again.”

  “Do they do that often, kidnap people?” I ask.

  He cracks his neck as he drives. “Only those who need it.”

  “I didn’t need it. They took me from work, and I didn’t even know why at the time. I didn’t deserve it.”

  “Unfortunately, you are related to her.”

  “Yes, very unfortunate,” I reply. My cell rings and I see Tina’s name.

  “Hey,” I say, as we drive up to his casino.

  “Hey, was going to pop in, but wanted to see if you needed anything first.”

  “Umm…” I look to Atlas as he slows the car down to park. “I’m staying at Atlas’s house tonight,” I tell her.

  “Ohhh… is he putting on his big boy undies and taking this relationship further?” I turn to Atlas and see him smirking, obviously overhearing what she’s said.

  “I guess so.”

  “Okay, good. I expect a full report tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” I say with a smile.

  “Thea, remember if you take it up the ass to use heaps of lube,” she yells.

  I hang up on her and turn to see Atlas in full smirk mode.

  “She’s trouble that one.” He gets out of the car, walks around the front, and opens the door for me.

  “The best kind of trouble, though.” Stepping out, he nods and starts walking toward the casino. The doormen let us in, and Atlas takes us to a private elevator. When we fly up to the top floor, I see Sydney sitting out the front at what I guess is her desk. Her eyes skim me before they go back to Atlas. “Are you sure she should be here?”

  Atlas looks to me and tips his head toward Sydney. “She will keep you company. I won’t be long.”

  Sydney looks up at me, then turns back to her computer. She’s never one to talk much anyway.

  Two guys come out of the elevator we just did and walk up to Sydney, totally ignoring me as I sit on a couch in front of her office area. The floors are wooden, and Atlas has two large doors that go into what I’m guessing is his office. Sydney has an almost full glass desk with a computer and not much else.

  “Sir, in?”

  “Yes, but he’s busy right now, so take a seat and wait.”

  Both men turn, and when they do, they spot me. I look up and recognize one straight away. I didn’t get a good look at the two guys who took me that night, but their voices I would know anywhere, and these two are definitely them.

  One smirks as he walks over, and he sits relatively close to me. “Miss.” He nods to me.

  I look over at Sydney to see her already monitoring us with watchful eyes.

  “I know who you are,” I say, smiling, but not making eye contact.

  “Is that so, miss?” the other answers.

  When I turn to look at them, they are both staring at me.

  “Yes, that is so.”

  “Well, Atlas always has a new flavor of the month. I guess you’re lucky to be this month’s.”

  “I guess so,” I answer.

  “Barry, Leo… office, now.” We all turn to Atlas, who we didn’t even hear standing at his office door, and he’s staring at us. They both stand immediately and nod to me as they pass, heading into his office. Atlas looks at me, then shuts the doors.

  I look to Sydney.

  “They are painful, both of them. It’s why they’re so good at doing his dirty work, but they always listen.” She turns back to her computer. “So don’t worry about them.”

  I wait for what seems like an hour before the two guys walk out, they both nod in my direction, but don’t offer another word. After that, Atlas walks out, and behind him is Benji, who looks worse for wear. Benji’s eyes lift to me, and I flinch when I take in his face. His lip is busted, and both eyes are black.

  Atlas walks over and stands in front of me as Benji passes, and as he does, I close my eyes, waiting until he is gone.

  I thought of him as a nice man the first time I met him.

  How blind men can be made by love.

  “He isn’t an awful man, he’s just gotten lost in your sister,” Atlas says to me.

  I look up once the elevator doors close, and Benji is gone.

  “But what he did is unacceptable,” Atlas states. He helps me stand and leans over, kissing my forehead before pulling us away and heading to the elevator.

  I look back to Sydney to see her watching, a soft smile on her face, one I have never seen before, but I look away when she spots me staring.

  Atlas’s house is big, but did I expect anything less? When we slide out of his car, the doors open, and a lady is standing there dressed in jeans and a shirt, and she takes the bag from Atlas’s hand, holding the doors open for us to enter.

  “Madge, my maid,” he says as we walk in.

  Atlas’s house is between my house and the casino, not too far out of town, but enough to be away from the hustle and bustle. The exterior has a large wrap around driveway,
which is basically a circle, so you can stop in front of the house, then keep driving out if required.

  Walking inside, you are met with high ceilings and coolness. No joke, I literally feel cold standing in his house. His living room is sunken, and on the wall is a large-screen television. Two couches, which are brown and look very uncomfortable with pillows thrown over them, surround it. There’s one small coffee table in the middle. His living room is probably the size of my entire house.

  He walks me farther down a hallway and into a room with another set of double doors. When I look in, I see a king-sized bed, which is obviously custom made. The mattress is sunken into the wooden frame where you could put a coffee next to you on the bed. It’s amazing.

  He walks over to a door, opens it, and places my bag in there, and that’s when I see his walk-in closet.

  “This is where you live?” I ask.

  He walks over to me and nods his head to the bed. I sit on the wooden part as he leans down and starts to remove my shoes.

  “I have a Jacuzzi I have never used. Want to test it out with me?”

  My stitches are healing, and I can use my hand again now. My ribs aren’t as sore, so when he says that, I nod my head with encouragement, the warm water will feel awesome on my body.

  “I didn’t pack a swimsuit,” I tell him.

  “You don’t need it.” He starts to undress, and I look at his door, which is open. “She’s left already. She leaves the minute I get home unless I need something,” he says, referring to his maid. “We have food on the counter, and you and I are going to explore each other very tenderly in the Jacuzzi, aren’t we?” he asks, raising one brow.

  “Explore?” I say with a smile.

  “Oh, yes, explore we will.” Atlas steps forward once my leggings are off and helps me remove my top. The bruising is almost gone, and I can now lift my arms above my head without flinching too much, but he always helps, he has done all week.

  I’m falling a little more each day for him.

  And I’m doing nothing at all to stop it.

  Kisses are spread all over my lips once we’re both naked. He turns, pulling away, and grips my arm as he walks to where he wants me to go. Stepping through a door, he presses a button and the shutters open, showcasing a Jacuzzi out under the stars. It has fairy lights everywhere and is the most magical thing I have ever seen. On the table next to it are two champagne flutes.

  “This is beautiful,” I state as we walk outside.

  Atlas helps me in, then he steps in and brings me back so I am sitting on his lap in the water. I can feel him between my legs, but he doesn’t move, he simply hands me a glass and whispers in my ear, “I could get used to this.”

  My heart skips a beat at his words. Used to what? Me? Or us doing this? I don’t want to ask him what we are, because I still don’t know, and I am getting used to this side of him.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Theadora

  Atlas has changed, this much is obvious. He isn’t the same man who had his hand around my throat and told me I had to pay back my sister’s debt. No, he is a man who feeds me, looks after me, and doesn’t give me a choice or wants a thank you. He has become a constant in my life, which I’ve only ever had one of—my best friend.

  Atlas tried to keep me in his house, but when Monday came around, I went back to work much to his dismay. He takes me every day and picks me up every afternoon. Some nights he drops me back home or leaves me at his house, mainly because his business is run at night. But every time he does, he makes sure I have food, and I feel safe before he leaves.

  When Friday rolls around, as I walk out of work, I see him standing by his car instead of waiting in it like he usually does, with his ankles crossed and his hands in his pockets as he stares at me.

  I smile at him.

  “Where can I get myself one of those?” Marissa asks, knocking my shoulder, laughing. She offers a small wave to Atlas, who doesn’t return it but offers me a smirk I know all too well.

  “Fuck, you look good,” he whispers in my ear as he pulls me to him and kisses my earlobe, biting it before pulling back.

  “Do you have to work tonight?” I ask, hoping he doesn’t. I want him in my bed and doing awful, bad things to my body, which he hasn’t been doing. He will only use his fingers and mouth, no cock, because he’s afraid he will hurt me. I’m no longer afraid of that. I want the hurt that will come from him. Want it. Need it. Badly.

  “Yes, but you can guarantee when I finish, I’ll be banging on your door.”

  “I can drive myself, you know?”

  He opens up my door, then smacks my ass. “I know, but this way I get to touch that ass every day before I have to work.”

  “You can do more than smack it. You can reach between it and fuck me with your cock.”

  His eyes go wide at my words. “You want to fuck?”

  “Yes, I want to fuck.” I smirk, getting in.

  He softly shuts the door and walks around to his side, getting in and taking off.

  My house isn’t too far away, and when we arrive, I turn in my seat to look at him. “What are we?”

  He shakes his head.

  “Think about it. Please. I would like an answer when you get back.” I climb out without touching my lips to his. He waits until I reach my door before he drives off.

  Opening my door, I’m met with darkness. Switching on the lights and kicking off my shoes, I walk deeper into the house. A noise stops me before I go any farther, and when I look up, the first thing I see is Nicholas sitting on one of my sofas. His leg is kicked up over his knee, and there’s a smile on his pretty face as he looks at me. My body freezes as I look at him.

  He has nothing in his hands, and the only sign of danger is that he’s in my fucking home.

  “Nicholas.”

  His smile grows wider. “Thea. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  I clutch my keys in my hand. “Why are you in my home?” I start stepping back when I hear a muffled cry, but I can’t see where it’s coming from. “Nicholas, who is with you?”

  He shakes his head, that smile never leaving his face. “Do you honestly think I would let someone hurt you?” His teeth are showing, and it isn’t a pleasant sight.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Nicholas stands, takes one step forward, and I take one step back. There’s a couch between us, so he will have to jump that to reach me. I’m sure I could reach the door in time before he caught up with me.

  He holds his hands up in the air. “I would never hurt you, Thea. Never.” Nicholas keeps his hands in the air.

  “Who is with you?”

  He nods to the couch I can’t see in front of. “Look for yourself.”

  So, I do. I lean over, and when I do my eyes go wide at the sight before me.

  My sister and Benji are both tied down with gags in their mouths as they sit on the floor in front of the television.

  “I couldn’t wait for you to start their punishment. So, I cut their hands and broke their ribs to show them what you went through.” He looks down at Lucy. “She was very willing to tell me everything that happened to you, even bragged about it,” he snarls at her.

  My hand flies to my mouth as a strangled cry leaves me. I look to Lucy to see her eyes are full of tears, and she looks at me for help.

  Benji keeps on looking at Lucy like he can save her. He can’t. Lucy isn’t as tied up as he is. Benji has extra rope around him, so his bindings are tight.

  “You think they will learn their lesson?” he asks.

  I look behind me, hoping someone will help. But no one can. It’s us, and that’s it.

  “Nicholas, you need to let them go.”

  He waves at them. “They can’t walk, and I haven’t finished teaching them not to touch what is mine.”

  “I’m not yours, Nicholas.”

  His eyes fixate on me, and his smile drops. “You think Atlas loves you? He doesn’t.” Nicholas looks at his watch, then back to me. “He
should be in an accident… right… about… now,” he draws out. “So we can go wherever you want. Lucy told me everything. He was using you and making you do things you didn’t want to do. I would never, Thea, ever make you do that. I would treat you like the queen you are.”

  “What did you do to Atlas?”

  Nicholas looks back to his expensive watch. “He was bound to have an accident with the way he drives.” He winks as Lucy whimpers. His eyes flick to hers, and she flinches. “She loves him, did you know that? She told me to kill you and not him.”

  My eyes find hers, and she looks away. There is no guilt whatsoever. I know he’s telling the truth.

  “I can kill her for you. Make it slow and painful.”

  Lucy looks to me now, her eyes wide and pleading. A part of me wants to walk out my front door and pretend this never happened. Unfortunately, that part that is always saving her won’t let me.

  “Don’t hurt her, Nicholas. Let them go.”

  “No can do, Thea. They need to understand.” He walks over to them, leans down to Benji who is fighting against his ties, and pulls out a knife. In one quick movement, he puts it to his throat and slices. Benji falls to his side as the blood pools on my floor.

  I scream; it rips out of my throat.

  Nicholas doesn’t even look up as he moves on to my sister. Before I can move, my front door is kicked open, and Atlas walks in, his mouth is bloody, and his hand almost looks twisted. His eyes find mine before they move to Nicholas. When he goes to do the same to my sister, she manages to move, but Nicholas is fast and stabs the knife straight into her leg, smiling as he stands.

  “You’ve come to play too?” Nicholas bends down, reaches for the knife, pulls it out of Lucy’s leg, and wipes it on his black trousers before standing. “If they can’t kill you, I guess I’ll have to, so we can be free to be together.” Nicholas looks to me, and I lean over and spew on the floor right in front of me, which makes my ribs scream in protest.

  Atlas walks toward him, reaching for something in his back pocket as he gets closer. He lifts and shoots straight between Nicholas’s eyes while I watch as he drops to the floor.