Heartbreak Me by T.L. Smith Page 0,52
then I repeat.
Atlas’s plane was my second ever plane ride, and the first was only due to Chloe not showing up to a meeting, which I had to attend in her place. Otherwise, we would have lost one of our most influential clients.
Calling Atlas’s number, he answers on the first ring.
“You put money in my account?” I practically yell at him through the phone.
“Theadora. Good afternoon. No. I did no such thing. Why would I when you owe me a debt?”
“So, if it wasn’t you…” I hang up, not finishing, and search the transaction. In the receipt area, it reads one name—Nicholas.
I start searching for him. He is easy to find, even without a last name. Bringing up his Instagram profile, I see that he has tagged himself in one of his hotels in my city, so I make a call.
“Hello, yes, would Nicholas Brandon be able to speak with me?”
“He doesn’t take public calls. Sorry.” She goes to hang up on me, so I state, “It’s urgent. Please, just tell him my name, and if he doesn’t want to talk to me, you’ve done your job. But as I said, it’s urgent. And you don’t want an angry boss, right?”
“What’s your name.”
“Thea. Tell him Thea is calling.”
“Hold on.”
I wait, walking back and forth to see if he will take my call. It takes a total of four minutes before someone speaks on the other end, “I’m transferring you now.”
“Thea.” Nicholas’s voice comes through the phone. “I see you tracked me down.” He chuckles, and it sounds as if he’s moving.
“Why did you do it? That’s a lot of money,” is all I can manage to say.
“We pay each girl who keeps us company on the island. It’s how you make money. You left before I could pay you.”
“That money should have gone to Atlas.”
“I paid him, too, and even asked for your details, but that was a firm no.” He chuckles. “That man can be intimidating, but I have been around intimidating men all my life, and I have my ways.”
“He certainly is,” I tell him.
“So, can I get your number?”
“Do you not have caller ID?” I reply back to him, smiling. “And I can’t accept that money.”
“Too late, it’s yours. And thank you for spending your time with me. Your company was needed.” He goes quiet. “Thea?”
“Yes.”
“Are you and Atlas a thing?”
“I don’t know how to answer that.” Which is the truth, as I have no idea.
“Okay, well, I guess I was expecting that.”
Hearing a knock on my door, I turn to face it and say, “Can you call me back? Maybe we can meet for coffee or something?”
The knock on my door this time is louder, so I walk over, and I pull it open to see Atlas standing there.
“Yes. I have some free time tomorrow. I will call you then. And Thea? If you don’t want the money, donate it,” he declares, and then hangs up.
My phone drops to my side as I look at him, his amber eyes are dark and angry while they assess me.
“I checked. You have a lot of money in your account. Did you decide to side hustle on the island?” Atlas’s voice is full of malice when he speaks.
How does everyone manage to gain access to my personal life, isn’t there laws to stop this shit?
Stepping back, I go to shut the door, but he stops me, holding it open with his foot.
“What did you do for that money, Theadora?”
“Nothing. I did nothing. What the fuck are you doing here?”
He cracks his neck from side to side. “What am I doing here? Maybe we should be asking why you are still breathing?”
“Fuck you.” I throw my cell at him, and it hits him in the chest. He doesn’t even blink at my outrage.
“I would like to fuck that temper out of you. What do you say?” He steps forward and makes a move to touch me.
“Been there, done that. What a mistake that was. Never going back there,” I say, backing away from his touch. Because he will burn me, and not in a good way. No, his touch will scorch my soul, and I’m afraid of what might happen after that.
“You enjoyed it. We could enjoy it again.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t quite get that memo that you enjoyed it...” I give him an eye roll, “… especially with how fast you ran out afterward.”
“It’s what I do,” he admits. “I fuck and leave. It’s what I do,” he reiterates