Secrets Worth Keeping (Finding my Home #2)- Nikita Parmenter Page 0,63

lip as amusement dances in his eyes and then turns back around like he can’t possibly continue looking at me without bursting into laughter. I follow him and the others down the stairs as I start to hum again. As soon as the guys get to the bottom of the stairs all their postures relax.

“Dude, what the fuck! I honestly didn’t think you were going to make it” Trick says as he grins and holds his hand out towards whom I’m assuming is Atlas, in like a weird man shake thing Atlas pulls him in for a very short, slightly tense on his part, hug and it makes me study him.

I hang back whilst he greets the guys as I study him. I’ve got to say after all the hype from the guys, I am not disappointed in the least but they did fail to mention how fucking gorgeous he is.

He’s taller than even Rafe and must be at least six foot five, so would tower over me if I stood next to him. He has a wide chest that tapers down to a slim waist that I just know is rippling with defined muscles. I have to admit, at least to myself, his giant arms are incredibly attractive covered in swirling and colourful tattoos. It’s not only his height and obvious strength that makes him intimidating though it’s his entire aura. Where as Jensen’s violence only comes out to play occasionally, this mans violence surrounds him, ready to lash out at a moments notice. Shadows and chaos play in his ice blue eyes, even as he smiles and catches up with the guys. His midnight black hair is long on top and short on the sides the longer strands holding a slight curl to them. A scar curves from his hairline down past the edge of his eyebrow, towards his chin and down his neck, disappearing under his shirt in a continuous line. The scar adds to his intimidating appearance and nature. You wouldn’t approach him in a well lit room surrounded by witnesses, let alone in a dark alley.

I’m not afraid of him though. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s because in his eyes behind the violence, that I’m starting to think is always there and the wall that he seems to have built around him, I see insecurities and demons swimming in the icy depths. He has a past similar to mine like the guys thought but Atlas’s past is so much worse, I can tell just by watching him and what’s worse is I’m guessing he’s not completely escaped.

That makes irrational anger bubble up inside me and I’m instantly confused by the strength of it.

Rafe leans in slightly and says something to him that's too quiet for me to hear.

Atlas tenses as his eyes suddenly land on me. He knew I was here the second I came down the stairs but almost like he was psyching himself up he waited until now to make eye contact. Any emotion that was in his eyes as he was talking to the guys, evaporates in an instant and I can see him preparing for a fight, for disgust and fear or even worse than that pity when he realises I’m looking back at him and studying him. He looks momentarily surprised when I don’t flinch back immediately from his stare but he squashes it in an instant and folds his massive arms over his barrel chest.

For some reason I don’t like that he’s shut me out and I don’t like that he thinks that everyone’s first impression of him will either entice fear or pity in them. So me being tequila tipsy, very almost drunk and not having my usual caution, I bounce forward straight past the guys who just looked damn shocked I’m bouncing in the first place and step up onto the coffee table next to where he’s stood, I’m still shorter than him, he is honestly just that fucking tall. He eye’s me warily the fact I’m not scared to approach him obviously throwing him off his game because he shoots a look past me to the guys, who shrug and look just as confused as he is.

Before he can move away from me and sensing that this is important, I move my arms around his neck, making sure not to move too fast, instinctively knowing that he wouldn’t like that. He goes deathly still as my lips land on the scar on his cheek. I