Page 3 of Owned

Shit. It was Atlas.

I froze, my mouth dry, trying to stay as silent as I could, all the while praying to any god who would listen that he and the woman would turn around and leave again. But I had no such luck.

“Oh yes,” the woman breathed. “This’ll do nicely.”

“What would you like then, sweetheart?” Atlas’s smoky drawl was rich and liquid as melted honey. “Tell me what you want.”

I’d never thought of him as my stepfather. I’d never thought of him as any kind of father figure at all. He was only my mother’s latest husband, who’d be gone in a couple of months, leaving her devastated as she always was whenever a man left her, unable to deal with her constantly changing moods.

Of course, there was a reason I’d treated him with so much suspicion and anger. A reason that I hadn’t been conscious of back then, and only with the hindsight of years had I understood.

He was hot, that was his essential problem. I hadn’t known at the time, all I’d thought was that he was old. Old, like Mom. Yet somehow, he’d gotten under my skin with his golden eyes and his tawny hair, like a lazy lion I couldn’t help wanting to pet. I used to have dreams about him, dreams that I didn’t remember yet would somehow leave a lingering certainty that they’d been about him. Dreams that made my heart beat fast and my breath catch.

Mom had cried over him when he’d left, and I’d hated him for it.

Now that same man was apparently in this room, asking some woman what she’d like, while I hid behind the curtains like a freak.

I knew I should step out from behind it, let them know I was here, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He might not recognize me because I’d changed a lot from when I was sixteen, or remember who I was, but he might. And if he did, there might be questions about why I was here and how Mom was doing, and I just didn’t want to get into it. Plus, if I came out, then he’d know I’d been hiding behind the curtain and…Ugh. So embarrassing. Then again, would that be less embarrassing than standing here unseen while they did whatever they were going to do?

I couldn’t decide. And in that moment of paralysis, through a small gap in the curtain, I saw the woman wiggle out of her white dress and stand there fully naked, since she wasn’t wearing a stitch underneath.

Wonderful. I couldn’t move now, not without great embarrassment for all concerned. Then, just as that thought crossed my mind, Atlas himself stepped into view, and for a brief moment, I forgot where I was.

He’d always been a beautiful man, and even back when I was young, even though I’d thought he was ‘old’, I recognized that. He would have been about thirty-three when he married my mother, which to my teenage self was old.

He must be about forty-one now, and somehow, the way it does with some men, age had only made him more attractive. He was tall, six four, with the kind of muscular breadth to his shoulders and chest that would have done an ancient warrior proud. His hair was the dark and dirty gold I’d seen in lions’ manes, and he had a face that when he’d been in his early thirties had been far too pretty.

Age had distilled his looks, sharpening his nose and jawline, turning what had been pretty into something stronger, harder. The very epitome of male beauty.

He’d always had a laid-back, lazy, slow-burn of a smile, and I could see it in evidence now as he looked down at the blonde, clearly liking what he saw.

She put a hand on his broad chest and leaned in. “How about you fuck me from behind,” she murmured.

God. My face felt suddenly very, very hot.

“Nice idea.” The soft roughness of his voice sent a shiver through me. “Turn around then and put your hands on the mantelpiece.” He gripped her chin. “Or would you like me to do that for you?”

My heartbeat began to beat loudly in my ears.

I should look away. I really should. Then pull aside the curtain and tell them I was here. Let them know, not hide myself away like a pervert.

“Oh, yes please,” the blonde said, purring like an overfed cat.

But I didn’t move, unable to look away as he let go of her chin then took her by the shoulders and turned her around, pushing her out of my sightline.

Part of me was glad I didn’t have to see that, and yet another part, a secret part, wanted to open the curtain a little more so I could keep watching. But I wasn’t a damn voyeur so I stayed where I was.

The woman let out a breathy moan and I shut my eyes, trying to pretend I wasn’t here. Wishing I was anywhere else, anywhere at all.

“Stay like that.” Atlas’s voice had gained a rough edge it that tugged at something deep inside me. “You’re a pretty sight.”

I opened my eyes again, unable to help it, only to find Atlas had come into view again, his hand dropping to the buttons of his jeans and undoing them. Slowly.

My cheeks were so hot I wouldn’t have been surprised if I spontaneously combusted on the spot.

They were going to have sex.

They were going to have sex right there.

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