Atone

by Wendi Wilson

  “My parents will fight you,” I say, hearing the dejection in my voice. “No judge will give you custody over them.”

  “Sure, they will. I’ll talk to the judge. I can be very persuasive,” Savannah says, echoing Jett’s words from earlier.

  I should be ashamed of the hope and gratitude that fill me with Savanna’s words. Using persuasion to bend people to your will isn’t right. Agreeing twice in the span of a couple of hours with the use of it against unsuspecting officials? The old Lizzie would recoil in disgust.

  But I’m not the old Lizzie. She’s gone, forever. I have to adjust and adapt. I live in a world where Alts exist, and I have forged strong bonds of friendship and devotion with them. I live in a world where people seek to use those I care about for their own nefarious purposes. A world where they manipulate them. Where they strive to destroy them.

  A world where sometimes you have to bend the rules to make your way in it.

  31

  After Savanna slips into her room with the Patton triplets, I stand outside my own room, key card in hand. I hesitate, but I’m not really sure why. Maybe it’s because I haven’t really talked to them since they declared me their girlfriend in front of everyone at dinner. Maybe it’s because I don’t know what they’re going to expect from me now that they have.

  Maybe it’s because the whole ordeal with Savanna, Brother Earl, the president, and my sister is finally over, and I’m free to actually think things through about them and our relationship.

  As I stand there, my body frozen, the door swings open. Silas stands there, his silver eyes snagging mine in their intense stare. He moves to the side without a word, waving me inside. I spot Slade sitting on the edge of his bed as I step over the threshold.

  “About earlier,” he says, rising to his feet as he scrubs a hand down his face. “We didn’t mean—”

  “No,” I say, cutting him off. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

  He closes his mouth with a slight nod and folds his arms across his chest. I look back at Silas, who has closed the door and is now leaning back against it. He looks like he’s itching to say something, to force me to admit my feelings for them. But he’s fighting the urge.

  I’m glad he fights. I can’t give him an answer, because I don’t know the depth of my feelings for them. Do I care for them? Yes. Do I like being around them? Yes. Do I enjoy kissing them and… other things? Definitely.

  But do I love them? I have no freaking clue.

  I honestly don’t know if I even know what love is. But, I do know one thing. I have plenty of time to figure it out.

  I walk toward Slade, my steps slow and measured, until I stand toe to toe with him. He unfolds his arms and lets them hang loosely at his sides. Standing on my tiptoes, I circle my arms around his neck and bring my face close to his.

  Just before our lips touch, I whisper, “We can talk later.”

  His lips capture mine, a kiss that ravages me, body and soul. His arms band around my waist, yanking my body against his. Heat curls through me as his tongue plunders my mouth and his hands travel down to squeeze my ass.

  In an instant, he spins me around, one arm circling my middle while the other hand moves my hair away from my neck. His tongue runs along my skin, his teeth nibbling and his lips sucking the tender flesh. I groan with pleasure, tilting my head to give him better access.

  When I open my eyes, Silas is there. He’s watching us, his eyes lit with silver fire as his brother kisses his way up to my jawline. I fist my hand in Silas’s shirt and pull. He takes a step forward, pressing up against me as his mouth descends to mine.

  His kiss is gentle, slow and methodical, a kiss meant to entice and ignite. My hands slide up into his hair, anchoring him so I can quicken the pace. He obliges me, his hands gripping my hips as our kiss deepens.

  Slade’s hands move up under my shirt, caressing my skin with feather-light strokes. My breath hitches before coming back in short, staccato bursts as the need inside me multiplies. I need more.

  I break off my kiss with Silas and pull away from them. Panting, I detect disappointment in their eyes. Silas opens his mouth to say something. To apologize, maybe. But I cut him off before the words form.

  “Take off your shirts,” I say, surprised at how steady my voice sounds.

  Their eyes widen for a fraction of a second before they’re both standing bare-chested before me. I reach out, placing a hand against each of their chests, right over their hearts. I give them a light caress, my fingertips stroking the muscles beneath their skin before pulling my hands away.

  I grab the hem of my own shirt and whip it over my head in one smooth motion. Slade sucks in a sharp breath and Silas’s gray eyes widen. I reach behind me and unhook my bra, letting the garment slip down my arms before joining my shirt on the floor.

  The boys soak in the sight of me, desire swirling in the silver depths of their eyes. Desire, and something else. Something that melts my bones and threatens my ability to function. My weak knees buckle and there they are, lending me their strength as we move together toward the bed.

  It feels like the start of something. Something amazing. Something terrifying. Something worth fighting for, whether the fight be against outside forces or my own doubts.

  But I’ll save the fighting for another day. Tonight, in our nation’s capital, I’m going to enjoy my unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness… in the arms of my boys.

  Epilogue

  Five weeks later…

  “Thank you for finally agreeing to meet with me.”

  His voice is mocking, filled with false gratitude. He’s been locked in this hellhole for weeks, demanding to see the commander-in-chief every time the guards deliver food. All to no avail.

  Until today.

  “You’re lucky you are even still alive, Patton. I suggest you watch your tone.”

  “Of course. Of course, Mr. President,” Earl says, feigning a meekness he doesn’t really feel.

  “You’ve been demanding an audience for weeks. Why don’t you just cut to the chase and tell me what you want?”

  The doctor leans against the bars of his prison cell, his hands grasping the cold steel above his head as he stares at his president. An almost maniacal glee lights his eyes as he speaks in hurried tones, “I know you’re dependent on Alts for your unchallenged success.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  President Worth says the words, but his eyes tell a different story. Earl tastes the blood in the water. He doesn’t waste any time going in for the kill.

  “Deny all you want, but I know the truth behind your so-called youth outreach program. How do I know, you ask? Because I am immune to persuasion. Every time one of your young Alts has tried to persuade me, they’ve failed. I remember everything.” He pauses a moment for effect. “Do you?”

  “What do you mean?” the president asks, his face intrigued.

  “Do you know why you put me here?”

  “Because you tried to use an Alt to persuade me to kill them all. You are a threat to me and this country. I needed to make an example out of you.”

  “Her words, nearly verbatim.”

  “Whose words?”

  “The Alt who persuaded you to arrest me. Do you ever wonder how many times your personal guards have persuaded you to get what they want?” the doctor asks, cocking an eyebrow.

  “They wouldn’t.”

  “Wouldn’t they?” He stands up straight, taking a step back from the bars. “Imagine, if you would, having an immunity to persuasion. You could really see what the abominations are up to without your knowledge.”

  “There’s no such thing as immunity,” the president states, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “No?” Earl says, his voice smug. “Have that young man behind you try to persuade me.”

  The president nods to his guard and the boy steps forward. Widening his stance and crossing his arms over his chest, he speaks in
a firm voice, “Hop on one foot.”

  Earl remains still.

  “Go sit on your cot.”

  A slight lift to his lips is the doctor’s only movement.

  “Sit. Down. Now.” The young agent’s voice rises in volume with each word.

  “No,” Dr. Patton says simply.

  “How is this even possible?” President Worth asks, waving the Alt away.

  “I have… what should I call it? An elixir, of sorts. I’ve been giving it to my flock and they are all immune. I can share it with you.” He leans close to the bars once more. “For a price.”

  “And what price would that be?” the president asks.

  “Give me a pardon. Set me free and I will give you the elixir.”

  “So, you expect me to trust you? After you tried to have me persuaded to kill an entire group of people that benefit me in many ways?” He shakes his head. “No. I want the elixir first. If it works, then I’ll grant your pardon.”

  The doctor seems to ponder his choices for a moment. But there really is only one choice for him to make. He can’t continue his crusade to rid the world of Alts from a prison cell. He needs to be free to do God’s work.

  “There is only one person who knows where it’s kept and can access the supply. She was supposed to be my successor, until she turned her back on her beliefs and decided to join those disgusting Alts.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Her name is Lizzie Williams. Her parents are still in my inner circle and have informed me she has registered as a freshman at the University of Connecticut in Stamford. Bring her to me, and I’ll give you the gift of never being controlled against your will.”

  “Who are her parents?” the president asks. “In case I have trouble locating her.”

  “Shaun and Jesse Williams, from just outside Savannah. They have a younger daughter, too. Grace is the child’s name.”

  “Thank you for the information.” The president smiles, but there is no humor, no joy in it. Only malice. “If I get this Lizzie Williams, what need have I for you?”

  “But… you promised me a pardon.”

  “I’ll pardon you tomorrow,” he says, then turns to his guard. “Persuade the warden to put him in general population tonight.” He looks back at Dr. Patton, a gleam in his eye, as he continues to speak to the Alt, “Go to the mess hall during dinner and persuade the biggest, baddest felons there to kill him. Tonight.”

  Then he turns on his heel and strides away, whistling a merry tune that echoes through the whole wing, drowned out only by Earl’s screams for him to come back and uphold his end of the deal.

  “Lizzie Williams,” he mutters as he walks out into the bright sunshine, slipping on his sunglasses and waving to the crowd that has amassed since his arrival.

  As he heads for the limo, his assistant Sarah falls into step beside him.

  “Did you have a productive visit?” she asks.

  “Yes, actually,” he says, sliding into the back of the car and waiting for her to climb in behind him. “I need you to find someone for me. Someone very important.”

  She pulls out her phone and opens an app to take notes. “Give me their info and consider it done.”

  “Her name is Lizzie Williams…”

  * * *

  Thank you so much for reading Atone! If you have a moment, please consider leaving a review. It doesn’t have to be long, just a quick opinion. Reviews are an Indie Author’s lifeline in the sea of books. Thank you.

  Keep reading for a sneak peek of Unpersuadable Book 2: Aberrate…

  Aberrate: Unpersuadable Book 2

  Fifty-two days.

  That’s how long it’s been since I last saw them. Since our last touch. Our last kiss.

  Oh, we’ve talked on the phone, texted, video chatted. Hell, they even wrote me letters. An envelope came last week, two hand-written pages folded neatly inside. Each sheet, written in different handwriting with different colored ink, filled with words that made my heart beat faster with every line. Sentences describing their desire to see me, to hold me, to be together, the three of us, once more.

  Fifty-two days is a long time to be apart from those you care about. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the statement is true.

  And that’s what scares me.

  When Silas and Slade Madsen asked me to be their girlfriend, to enter into a three-way relationship and take them both as lovers, I had my doubts. Not just about the nature of the relationship itself, though, it’s true, it took me a while to wrap my head around it. It’s unconventional, sure, but the strangeness of it diminished quickly. Wrapped in their arms, I could barely put two words together, much less debate the social and moralistic recriminations of engaging in polyamory.

  No, I’m not scared to be with them because it’s untraditional. My real fear is one born of doubt. We met and developed an attraction under the most stressful of situations. I was a traitor to my family and my church, on the run and showing up with a dire warning for my best friend, Savanna. First, Savanna’s parents then my sister were kidnapped, forcing us into two consecutive rescue operations. Hiding out in motels, fearing for our safety and for those we love, and meeting our slimy, predatory president… it’s a lot.

  Now, after fifty two days of living a normal life, finishing our senior year and earning that diploma, I’m having second thoughts. What if what we shared was a side effect of the danger and drama, and not based in anything real? What if doesn’t have two legs to stand on in a normal, everyday setting?

  Compounding my fears is the fact that we’re heading to college. That campus will be filled with beautiful, educated women vying for Silas’s and Slade’s attentions. Smart, athletic, funny and gorgeous… the girls are going to be all over them.

  They may just decide sharing me isn’t what they really want. I wouldn’t blame them. Why would they settle for us when they could go out, meet girls who aren’t damaged like me, find love and settle down in more traditional relationships?

  * * *

  Find out what becomes of Lizzie and the twins in Aberrate: Unpersuadable Book 2!

  Also by Wendi L Wilson

  The Shadowed Series

  Shadowed Strength

  Shadowed Instincts

  Shadowed Ascension

  * * *

  Suppressed

  Suppressed

  Resurfaced

  * * *

  Blood Persuasion

  Persuade

  Purify

  Prevail

  * * *

  Unpersuadable

  Aberrate

  Acknowledgments

  Many thanks to all the people in my life who support me, whether it be emotionally, physically, or grammatically.

  Thank you, as always, to my husband for being my biggest cheerleader.

  Thank you to my bestie for life, Christine, for reading all my books and making me feel like a superstar author.

  Thanks to Molly at We Got You Covered Book Designs for creating yet another exquisite cover.

  Thanks to Sam and Jess for your editing help. I can always count on you guys! XOXO