The sex had been hard—the raw aggression of enemies. But now, the post-sex interlude is quickly turning awkward. I normally have a toolbox full of insults at the ready to throw his direction, but lying naked on his bed, my pussy still throbbing from his mastering of my body, none of the insults make it out of my mouth.
Still recovering, I roll to my side, curling into a ball as I take a few deep breaths in an attempt to revive enough to verbally spar with him again. I need distance, so when he lies behind me, curling his body around my back, I try to wiggle away, but Atlas wraps his arm across my waist, yanking my body against him in an intimate embrace.
For just a moment, I let my guard down—soaking up his masculine scent that surrounds me. I hate how much I like feeling small—almost protected—as he wraps himself around my body. I can feel his shaft stirring as it brushes against my ass, reigniting the sting his palm had left behind with the barbaric spanking.
I’m far from a virginal maiden so the blush I feel coming to my cheeks as I remember the conflicting emotions that spanking had made me feel is mortifying.
Atlas’s lips brush across my ear lobe just before he murmurs, “Care to go another round?”
God, I’m so tempted to say yes.
I’m saved by him adding, “I could get used to having you beneath me in bed just like in business.”
Arrogant bastard.
Finally, the anger I normally felt toward this man comes roaring back with a vengeance, and I’m honestly grateful. It gives me the power to push away from him, scrambling to my feet.
“You are really an asshole, you know that?” I grind out as I frantically try to round up the pieces of my clothing that are strewn across his hotel room.
“Oh, come on, I was just teasing,” he taunts, still lounging on the bed, a grin lighting up his handsome face.
I can feel his eyes following me around the room as I pick up my bra, panties, and dress. Part of me wants nothing more than to run to the bathroom. To lock myself away where he can’t see my fingers still trembling or ogle the marks he had to have left on my ass.
But I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how rattled he has me. Willing myself to stay calm, I start to get dressed, desperate to leave.
When the room is too quiet, I try to pick a fight. “Congratulations. You made me miss my important meeting.”
“You’re welcome,” he gloats, which only makes me angrier, until he adds, “The Omar job is too dangerous, Valentina. And even if you somehow manage to succeed, all it will do is turn Frank Angelina into your enemy. Trust me…you don’t want that.”
I hate that everything he is saying are the same things I’ve already thought to myself.
“I don’t have the luxury of turning down lucrative jobs, Atlas. Unlike you, I have people counting on me to take care of them.”
“All the more reason you need to walk away from this job. You’ll be no good to those loser brothers of yours dead.”
I’ve just thrown my dress over my head, feeling marginally better now that I’ve covered myself again, but when I turn around, I find Atlas still lounging sprawled out on the bed, his head propped up by his hand, watching me. He is like a real-life Adonis, on display, comfortable in his own skin.
It’s sexy as hell.
Rallying my anger, I argue back. “You know… instead screwing up my life, you really should be more worried about your own neck.”
“You don’t scare me,” he says with a grin.
“Not from me, idiot.” I can almost hear Mia in my head, telling me to keep my mouth shut. I don’t listen. “Word is that there’s a hit out on you and your father.”
The jerk actually laughs. “There’s always someone talking shit. I’ve heard threats too since the warehouse blew up, but we’re working with all of our clients to make them whole again. I’m not worried about it.”
“Well maybe you should be. This wasn’t just idle threats. There is an active contract this time.”
His smile dips enough that I know he’s listening to me. “What are your sources?” he asks.
There is no way I’m involving Mia. She’ll be mad enough if she finds out I warned Atlas. The last thing she needs is him tracking her down for more information.
“Trust me, my source is solid. They heard the news directly with their own ears.”
“At least tell me who took out the contract.”
“Honestly…I don’t know. All I know is that it was someone who lost a lot in the warehouse fire.”
A few moments of silence tick by as I find my shoes and do my best to put them on without tipping over.