“Good to see you again, Atlas,” Tina says as her eyes flick to Theadora next to me.
The waiter steps over, saving us from any more conversation, and all the girls order wine while I get water.
“Thea, how have you been?” Sydney prompts.
I know what she’s doing, and I want no part of it. I had a lapse of judgment last night when I spoke to Theadora. It was the way she looked, and it fucked with my head. If I don’t look at her, I can continue to despise her for what she did, because that’s what she deserves. My cousin is no longer here breathing, and it’s because of her.
“Well, since last night?” she asks, and I fight a smile at her retort. It reminds me of the way she used to speak to me with not a care and no holding back. Unless I was threatening her life, that is. “Good. Busy.”
“How is the business, got it up and running yet?” Sydney asks.
Business?
What business?
The waiter walks back over with the girls’ wine, pausing their conversation before he leaves again.
“Almost. Just a few more loose ends to tie up and I hope for it to be up and running next week.”
“How exciting. I’m so proud of you,” Tina says, and I hear by the tone in her voice that she is. She’s a good friend to Theadora.
“Aren’t you interested in what her business is, Atlas?” Sydney asks.
I turn to look at Theadora for the first time since I sat next to her. Her sky-blue eyes steal my thoughts, but I force them to come back. She isn’t allowed to have that power over me anymore.
“No,” I say, then pick up my water, wishing now I ordered fucking whiskey.
“Did you know I would be here?” Theadora directs at me.
“No. And if I did, I wouldn’t have come.”
She doesn’t seem affected by my words, instead I hear the chair being pushed back as I look away. Tina’s eyes narrow in on me as well as Sydney’s as her voice floats down over us.
“Thank you for the drinks, but I must be going. I’m not comfortable in situations where I’m not welcome.”
I snort at her words.
She has no place to be—Theadora’s a homebody.
Tina and work are all she has.
I feel her eyes on me, and I manage to turn to look at her. Big damn mistake. Because what I see makes me want to pull those lips that have formed a hard line to my own and break them apart and own them. She’s wearing a red skirt that stops mid-thigh, and it’s paired with a silver top. If I were to reach up right now, I could trace the outline of her thighs with my hands and press them open, and I know she would do so willingly.
Theadora loved it whenever I used my mouth on her.
“Goodbye,” she states, then walks out.
I look over at Sydney and see both of the women are glaring at me.
“Go. After. Her.”
“No,” I answer, leaving no room for discussion. “Now order before I decide to do the same as Theadora.”
Sydney opens her menu and shakes her head.
Tina, on the other hand, narrows her stare at me. “She’s learning to stop giving people too many chances. You never know, she may very well start with you. Because she did nothing wrong, except being kidnapped by you,” Tina says.
My eyes flick to Sydney who shrugs as if she can’t help me. I’m angrier that Tina knows what happened. I’ve had people killed for less.
“Maybe you should think about that for a second. You brought her into this world and made her stay. She cut ties with her sister, but you used her sister as leverage. And knowing what a good woman Theadora is, you knew without hesitation that she would help her sister.”
“Are you finished?” I ask.
“She’s seeing someone, and if you don’t pull that stick out of your ass, you may just miss the best thing that has ever happened to you.” Tina looks down at her menu. “I’m hungry, what are we having.”
“The most expensive thing times two on the menu,” Sydney replies.
Chapter Eleven
Theadora
Last night was awkward, so very awkward. I had a feeling Atlas didn’t know about me coming, but when he stood in that restaurant after he saw me, it was confirmed that he definitely had no idea. But that was okay. I turned up, did my part, and luckily for me, I got the contacts earlier.
As I sit with my morning coffee, my cell starts ringing. I look at the private number flashing.
“Hello.”
“Hi, yes, is this Theadora Fitzgerald?”
“Yes.”
“This is Dr. Stand. We have your sister with us, and you were listed as her next of kin for contact.”
“Is she okay?” I ask. I haven’t seen her in a few months. Last time I saw her, she was happy to be pregnant and told me to leave. She wanted Atlas, and I guess she got him.