Heartbreak You - T.L. Smith Page 0,16

your own business. You want contacts?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, well, you can have them when you come for dinner.”

I freeze at her words. “Um… what?”

“You and me, Tina and Atlas. It needs to stop. You two need to talk, and Tina and I can be the mediators between you two.”

“No,” I say. The word falls from my mouth so fast, I can’t believe I even thought about the question.

“No…” she pauses. “Okay then, well, you aren’t getting shit. And trust me, Thea, you want all these contacts, because they like dealing with you and will give you smaller quantities because they trust you. You will have trouble finding suppliers who will do that for you.”

Dammit! She’s right. Some of my old suppliers, I was their first customer and took a chance on them. I’m sure they will do the same for me in return now.

“Atlas agreed to see me?” I ask.

“He will,” she says as if she knows him. I guess she does. But to sit down and have dinner with us? That I’m not so sure about.

“If he agrees.”

“Good, and Marissa will send you the information once we have dinner and not before.” Sydney ends the call abruptly.

I sit on my couch and look to the floor, where the blood once was, and shiver as I stare at the space. To remember what happened that night does nothing good for me. I can’t sit in this living room for long periods, as all I see is the blood that soaked my floor, even though it’s no longer there.

Picking up my cell, I scroll until I see his number. My heart rate picks up, and I delete it.

After this dinner, which I am not even sure will happen, it will be the last time I ever see Atlas. Hopefully. And then I can be free to get on with my life. Free of a love that was growing so strong for a man who doesn’t deserve my attention.

But if he doesn’t, why is it growing?

Love is a fickle bitch.

I will not be like my parents, where love blinded them, and they couldn’t see clearly.

I see very clearly, and I know better.

Or, so I keep telling myself.

Chapter Eight

Lucy

“Lucy.” Atlas says my name, and I smile at this dark and beautiful man.

I love Atlas with everything I am.

“I am not at your beck and call, so stop calling me.”

I call and call because I know he will come eventually. And like now, here he is, standing at our front door. His devilish face is in full view, and I have to hold myself back from stepping up and kissing him.

He isn’t accepting my kisses right now.

But he will.

I know he will, eventually.

I reach out and grab his hand, placing it on my belly.

“She’s kicking,” I tell him. When I look up at him, his eyebrows are pinched as he stares at my belly. “What should we name her?” I ask.

“Her?” he questions. Then as if the spell is broken, he pulls his hand back and shakes his head. “That’s up to you, Lucy. Now, what was so urgent you needed me here?”

“Am I a prisoner?” I ask. My hands rest on my belly, which is getting bigger and bigger. If only it was his child and not his cousin’s.

“No, but you know this,” he tells me.

“So, I can go wherever I want?”

“Yes, Lucy.”

“I want to go back to yours, it’s lonely here all by myself.”

“Make some friends. Call your sister.”

I scrunch my nose up at his words. “What? I don’t want anything to do with Thea, never have,” I spit back at him. “Why you did is beyond me.”

Atlas stares at me, and at first, he doesn’t blink. I offer him a small smile, and he shakes his head as if coming out of some sort of reverie.

“Call your sister and stop being a spoiled brat.” Atlas goes to step away, but I reach for him, grabbing his arm. He stops, and his eyes fall to where my hand is on his arm, then back up to mine. “I didn’t say you could touch me, Lucy. Remove. Your. Hand.”

“But she can touch you?” My hand drops away from his arm.

“Theadora was allowed to,” he tells me. His eyes, almost golden right now. They draw me in but make me mad when they sparkle at the mention of her name.

“Is she still allowed to?” I ask.

“That’s none of your concern. Now, stop calling me. I’m helping you in honor of Benji, nothing more, Lucy. You better