“You like that?” I ask him.
He pulls his ankle up to his knee and leans back, putting the whiskey to his lips. “As I said, I’ve never indulged before. Usually, my women are willing.”
“And the women here aren’t?” I ask.
He looks me over with his bright green eyes. “Something tells me you aren’t all that willing, though I could be wrong. You don’t indulge like the other women do, nor do you seem to care like they do.” He nods to where all the women are located who seem to be throwing themselves at the men. “You do know you could earn a lot of money from talking to someone other than me, right?” he asks.
Fuck money.
“I’m sure I’ll survive.” I offer him a smile, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me as he watches. “What do you do?” I try to change the subject.
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He stands, offers me his hand, and I place mine in it. The smile on my face is forced as we pass everyone else, including Sydney who gives me a look of approval as we walk out. I look back and see him—Atlas is standing in the corner, observing me.
Turning around, we walk out the door, his hand staying in mine until the cold air hits our skin.
“You’re all wearing gold, and strangely all have blonde hair,” he points out.
“Should I ask for your name, or is that not allowed?” I ask.
He turns to look at me and smiles. “Nicholas.”
“Nice to meet you, Nicholas. I’m, Thea. I would offer you my hand, but you are already holding it.”
Nicholas picks up our joined hands as we walk closer to the ocean. “That I am. It’s a warm hand, if that counts for anything.”
I giggle at his words and realize the smile on my lips isn’t false anymore. We stop when the sand gets too much under my heels. Nicholas lets go of my hand and, in one swift movement, picks me up and carries me like a bride farther down the beach.
“You’re light.” He smiles as I wrap my hands around his neck, so he isn’t holding my whole weight.
“It’s because I’m starving and haven’t eaten. But once I eat a block of chocolate, I’m sure you won’t be saying that.”
He chuckles, and when we reach the water, Nicholas places me back on my feet.
“Why are you here, Thea? If you don’t mind me asking?”
I bite my lip and look out to the waves, the sky is dark, but stars are out, and the ocean looks endless in the darkness.
I shrug. “The money, right?” I smile, placing my hands on the sand as I sit, and he does the same, sitting next to me. “I just lost my job. So this is it till I find what’s next.” It’s a half-truth, but that’s all I can give.
“Losing a job can suck ass. It’s what made me start my own company. I have low concentration, and my mouth tends to speak its mind even when I know I shouldn’t. So that’s why I started my own chain of hotels. My parents were managers of hotels all my life, then I went into them. When they died, I had enough money to buy my first and haven’t stopped.”
“That’s impressive.”
Nicholas reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a packet of cigarettes, lighting one up. He offers me one, and I take it. I don’t usually smoke, but on the odd occasion when I’m really stressed and can’t run I will. Putting it between my lips, he lights it for me and does the same to his.
“So, what type of work did you do?” he asks, taking a drag, then blowing the smoke out in shapes.
“I managed an online clothing boutique. Have done for quite a few years.”
“And you got fired?” he asks. “Why?”
“Because the company I chose was only interested in the bottom line. They didn’t care about anything. They paid me peanuts for my ability to actually work, and in the end, the bottom line was what mattered.” He nods as if he understands. “How long will you be staying at this event?” I ask, hoping to get some more answers than anyone else has given me.
He lays back on the sand, butts his cigarette out, then stares up at the stars. “It goes for a few days. Some leave early once they run out of money. I only stayed one day last time.” I lay back next to him, staring up at the stars. “How long are you staying?”
“Till I’m no longer needed,” I reply. It’s a guess at this point, or when Atlas decides to send me home.
Atlas. I can’t even think about him right now.
Because if I do, I’m afraid of what my mind will conjure up.