make conversation with anyone. I told one man my name, and that was it.”
When I glance up to look at him, he’s watching me with stormy eyes.
I look away first. I can’t hold that glare too long—it makes me uneasy.
“You told a man you don’t know your name? After I told you not to?”
“I know his name,” I reply, staring out the window, but not really watching anything.
“Yes, Benji mentioned you.” My head flicks around fast at the mention of his name. “You think I didn’t know?” He shakes his head. “You’ll come to realize I know almost everything that goes on. Not much gets past me.”
“If you know so much, then why do you need me to listen to other people’s fucking conversations?” I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest. “And how much longer am I expected to do this shit for?”
Atlas leans forward and knocks on the window between us and the driver slows down to a stop.
“Get out,” he says with insatiable anger, and when I look down, his hands are scrunched in fists at his sides.
I look out the window—we’re on a highway with cars flying by at top speed.
“What?”
“Get out, Theadora. You think anyone can talk to me the way you just did? No. I usually do worse, like put a bullet in their brain. Now… Get. The. Fuck. Out.”
I hear a click of door locks and see the driver get out, and then open my door.
I look back at Atlas. “Fuck you, you stupid prick. You are not a god! You’re just a man with way too much power.” I go to climb out, but his voice halts me.
“Do you want me to kill Lucy and just end all of this? Would that be easier than dealing with me?”
Cold wind hits my bare legs as I freeze on the spot.
He can’t be serious? Can he?
“No.” My eyes blink, but I will never allow tears to fall. I would not give him that pleasure. “No,” I whisper, but know he hears me.
“Good! Shut the door and start walking.”
I step back and shut the door. My legs shake as I watch his car drive off and start my trek home, but first I remove my sky-high heels.
It took a few miles of walking until I got to the first turn off. Once I made it that far, I ordered an Uber, which I am getting out of right now.
Atlas is standing at his car in front of my house with his legs crossed over at the ankle as he watches me slide out. When I close the door, I walk toward him, but he doesn’t move, just stares at me with his brazen eyes.
“I’m too damn tired and cold to deal with you.” I shake my head and walk up the few steps to my door.
“What if I offered you a deal you couldn’t refuse?” he asks.
It makes me stop. As I slowly turn around to face him, my heart starts beating widely out of my chest.
Watching him push off from the car, he swipes at his bottom lip with his thumb, then looks at me through a flick of hair that seems to have fallen lose from its perfect coiffure.
“What offer?”
He steps forward, knowing he has me. “Do you love her? Is that why you wish to save her?” Atlas asks, his head dropping slightly to the side.
“Yes, she is my sister. Of course I love her.”
He nods his head. “But do you like her?”
“What kind of question is that?” I remark while shaking my head.
“Answer the question, Theadora. You can love someone and not like them. Do you like her?”
“How would you know?”
I’m surprised when he answers me. “I love my father, but I do not like him.” His eyes blaze into mine, and I can almost see the flickering of flames in them. “So, do you like her?” he asks again.
“No,” I utter the word but don’t break eye contact. “But I am all she has. And I would hope someone would do the same for me if I were in the same situation.”
“You think Lucy would save you?” he asks as if he has trouble saying the words.
“No. No, I do not.” I let the realization of that sink in, and I start to shake. I’m cold and just want to be in bed, forget about all of this, if only for a few hours.
“Goodnight, Theadora.”
“Do you like to control and scare people into what you want them to be?”