Page 29 of His to Save

“No!” I shake my head as tears blur my vision. “Please, no!”

“You will do as I say!” he shouts, grabbing a thick chunk of my hair at the scalp while his other hand moves to his belt. “I swear to fucking God, if you don’t shut your mouth and spread your legs, you’ll never so much as see the baby growing in your belly.”

I fight against his hold, trying to free myself from him. But he’s bigger, stronger, and has no intentions of ever letting me go. He’s never letting me go.

“Stay still,” he snarls, as he wrenches my legs apart. “And shut up.”

A heavy weight settles on top of me and a scream builds in my throat?—

“Nora, shit, please open your eyes!”

I wake with a start, sitting up so fast my forehead knocks into Atlas’s.

Why is Atlas in my bed?

“Why are you in my bed?” I croak, clutching the sheets to my chest, as if the scratchy polyester can somehow hide my fear.

“You were having a nightmare,” he says, as if that explains everything. But it doesn’t—not by a longshot.

First, because I rarely sleep deeply enough to have dreams. Second, why would my having a bad dream make him think climbing into bed with me was a good idea?

I can feel my cheeks burn at my wayward thoughts. As if a man like Atlas would ever want to be in my bed inthatway.

Focus, Nora!“I’m not following.”

Atlas pinches the bridge of his nose and mumbles something about the depths of hell before retreating back to his chair. “You were thrashing and screaming and I… I couldn’t get you to stop. It was…fuck, Nora.”

He wraps his fingers around the arms of the chair, squeezing them with a white-knuckle grip. “It was killing me to see you like that, so scared, so I tried to wake you up. But once I sat on the edge of the bed and put my hand on your shoulder, you sort of, I don’t know…settled.”

His words sound honest, and I want to believe him, to believe his intentions were good, but how far did this apple really fall from the tree?

I feel bad even thinking it, but I can’t help it. No matter how earnest Atlas seems, I can’t seem to shake the thread of distrust weaving its way around my heart.

Trusting him could be the difference between life or death. I don’t think I could survive going back to Rand—and I don’t think he’d let me, either.

“Hey.” Atlas snaps his fingers, startling me to attention. “Where’d you go?”

“Just thinking, sorry.”

His eyes soften, and his lips turn down as he takes me in. “No need to apologize.” I wouldn’t quite call the look on his face pity—no, it’s more like regret. But that doesn’t make sense.What could he possibly regret when it comes to me?

“What time is it?” I stretch my arms over my head, feeling more rested than I’ve felt in days—years, even.

“Just after nine.”

“In the morning?” My eyes must be the size of dinner plates. I can’t remember the last time I was allowed to sleep this long. It was a long, long time ago, that’s for sure.

“That’s right.” His lips twitch. “How do you feel? Any plans for today?”

“Oh, no!” I throw the covers off and jump out of the bed. I told Shirleen I’d be gone before checkout, and I really,reallywant to have time for a hot shower before I go. “Oh, God. Um?—”

I’m so consumed with gathering my meager belongings that I don’t notice Atlas’s approach until he’s right behind me, so close I can feel the heat of his body.

By then it’s too late—my entire body is as taut as a bowstring. I want to move, to ask him to move, but I can’t. My brain and body can’t seem to get on the same wavelength, and the unfortunate result is me turning into a human statue, which leaves me far too vulnerable for my liking.

“Nora?” The sound of my name on his lips is so full of hurt it takes my breath away. “I need you to breathe, Pip. In through your nose.”

He inhales deeply, and as if on autopilot, I draw air into my lungs, too.

---