Page 23 of Guarded By Atlas

“Harder, want it harder, baby,” I plead, and I feel his grip tighten on me to the point of pain, and his breathing turns heavy as he gives what I want, his body slapping against mine so hard and fast, he makes me scream like only he can.

My body stills and my sex locks around him for a hot second before releasing in violent shudders. He presses harder into me, thrusting as a wave of pleasure rolls in, robbing me of my breath and sight. And then I feel him start to shudder as his thrusts become jerky, and he slams hard into me one last time, pushing deep before going still against me. A whimper slips out as I feel him swell, and with a growl, he fills me with his cum, pumping his cock in and out of my pulsing sex until I’ve milked him of every drop.

Atlas goes slack against me, his breathing just as heavy as mine. I drop my head to his shoulder as my body goes limp, every muscle deliciously sated. “I’m glad you came back,” I whisper, kissing his damp skin.

“Me too.”

“If you leave again, I’ll…I will…I’ll have Debbie deal with you.”

He chuckles. “As terrifying as that sounds, she won’t have to, because I am not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

I sigh, feeling happy in the moment as I nuzzle his skin. “I could fall asleep right where we stand.”

“Hmm, I’m not done with you just yet,” he says, tightening his grip on me and carrying me to the couch. And then he makes love to me all over again.

Chapter Ten

Atlas

I hear her scream, a sound so raw it claws at my insides, but this time, there is no way to get to her. It’s almost like I am stuck in a dark room with the sound coming from all directions. My calls go unanswered, and I keep hitting a wall at every turn.

There is no way to get her, so I punch the walls until my hands are bloody, clawing at it as I yell for her to stay calm, vowing to find a way out of this maze I’m stuck in to save her. Every part of me is shaking with fear and rage.

God. He can’t hurt her! I need to get to her before she gets hurt!

I’m jolted out of the dream by a choked cry, and for a full second, I think that the sound is simply an echo of the nightmare until I turn to her. Beside me, Marie is thrashing, flailing beneath the covers, her face contorted in a mask of pure terror. It’s been happening every night for a week. The memories of that day have found their way to her dreams.

“Please…don’t… No!”

Her breath hitches, a ragged gasp that tears at my heart. “Shhh, it’s okay,” I murmur, gently smoothing the hair from her damp face and wiping away the sweat that slicks her forehead.Her body is tense and every muscle is coiled in fear. Christ, is there anything that could bring a man to his knees faster than seeing the woman he loves suffering?

I want to kill him so bad. Raid the jail they are keeping him at and make sure he doesn’t have a pulse when I walk out. It’s been a week since the attack, and even moving Marie into my apartment hasn’t stopped the nightmares that plague her most nights.

My jaw is clenched with anger as I gently gather her in my arms, pulling her against my chest. “It’s okay, baby. He can’t get to you.” Her body trembles, and the sobs come again, muffled against my shirt. Rocking her gently, I whisper soothing nothings, words and comfort that I hope will chase away whatever’s been plaguing her dreams all week. Slowly, the tremors begin to fade. Her breathing deepens, and the ragged gasps even out. Her grip on my shirt loosens, her body softening against mine. The nightmare, it seems, is beginning to recede, but I don’t let go of her. No, I hold her all night, for her comfort as well as for my peace of mind.

I stay that way, holding her. The nightmare seems to be held at bay by my touch, and a part of me never wants to let go. It eats at my insides that I can’t go into her dreams and kill whatever the hell is chasing her there. I would give anything to take the pain away from her.

Marie wakes up a little past nine, her eyes locking on mine first thing when she opens them. “I had another nightmare, didn’t I?” she asks when she notices the position she’s in. “I’m sorry I woke you—”

“I want you to see someone, talk to someone who can help.”

Her mouth set in a frown. “What about you?”

“Sweetheart, I’m not the one who got kidnapped and held at knifepoint twice.”

“Fair enough,” she says, trying to pull away from the embrace, but my hands tighten around her, keeping her in place. “Atlas, you can’t make me believe this is any easier for you. The stress of everything that’s happened and trying to cope with how it’s affecting me… I know you blame yourself...”

There is no amount of talking or punching a bag in the gym that will take that away. She wouldn’t be going through any of this if I hadn’t left that day. I would have stopped the fucker before he got to her, saving her all this pain. Of course I blame myself.

“…but I don’t blame you,” she continues, reaching up to cup my jaw, her fingers rubbing against my scruff. “Have you ever thought that we probably never would have met if I hadn’t been kidnapped the first time around? And the second time… Well, that was just unfortunate, but I got to see you in action.” She chuckles, trailing her hand down my chest, and my cock perks up as her curious fingers explore. “You said you would protect me, and for most people, that’s just a figure of speech. I witnessed what those words meant when you put yourself between me and danger. You saved me—again. Heck, you keep saving me even in my dreams.”

She always knows the perfect thing to say. Who the hell needs a therapist when my gorgeous nurse heals all my wounds, even those she can’t see?

“You’ll talk to someone,” I say, leaning in and brushing my lips over her temple as I grab the hand that’s moved dangerously close to my erection. “For now, however, you need to put that hand away before I’m late for Church and the cookout after.”

“Right, I promised to help set up the terrace for the cookout. What time is it?” Her eyes cross to the clock on the bedside table, and she gasps in alarm. “Nine! Why didn’t you wake me up? Atlas, it’s nine freaking AM!”

The same reason I didn’t wake her when she had another nightmare. “You’ve been working tirelessly this week,” I say, gently nudging her to the side before climbing out of bed. “You needed the sleep.”

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