“Not really. I like to paint, so I always end up actually caring about what I’m doing and not relaxing. I zone out, but not in a sleepy way. In a,I care about this paintingway. Does that make sense?”
“It does. It makes a lot of sense. Do your sisters know about your sleeping problems? Not the nightmares, but the insomnia?”
“No. How could I tell them? They would’ve been on me like a dog with a bone. I would’ve folded and told them eventually. I guess eventhatwas silly. They are really understanding. I didn’t expect that of them.”
“What did you think would happen?”
“They would chide me,” she shrugged. “It’s so hard being the youngest when your sisters are actually your parents because you don’t have any parents. It wasn’t so bad with Val. She’s my best friend. But sometimes, she would get Celestine’s messages across.”
“Good cop, bad cop parenting,” he guessed. “Val was the good cop who chased you across the country to make sure you were safe.”
She sighed. “I’m lucky, right? To have sisters who love me so much?”
“You are,” he agreed cautiously, somehow sensing she was laying down a trap.
“That’s what got me in trouble. I was so scared of disappointing them that I made things worse. Ihadto do it, Atlas. You know that, right? Victor would’ve killed them. He still might try.” She lifted her hand to stop his interjection. “But I do agree that Celestine and Valentine are safe now because of their wolf mates. I do see that. I just …” She dropped her head in her hands. “I am so embarrassed.”
“Why?” he asked, pulling her head up. “A vampire with centuries of life experience with more power than you zeroed in on you. You did nothing wrong, Lilliane. He has power, and he abuses it in gross ways. It’s despicable. Hateful. No one in a position of power should take advantage of it. Victor knew what he was doing. He saw your weakness was your sisters, and he used it to get his way. If your weakness had been sugar, let’s say, he would have usedthatagainst you.”
“That’s nice of you to say.”
“Don’t you believe it?”
“I guess. But it’s hard not to hate myself a bit.”
“You are way too hard on yourself, trouble. Way too hard. You don’t deserve any of this.” He cupped her cheek in his palm to turn her head toward him. “You were his target. Even if you had told your sisters, they would have been vulnerable.”
“Because they wouldn’t have met you wolves,” she said.
“Yeah.” He pushed her hair off her shoulder. “Fate plays a big part in shifters finding their mates.”
“Are you saying it was fate that put me in Victor’s path? So my sisters could find their mates?”
“And in the process, save you from Victor.” He shrugged. “Why not?”
“You’re a romantic, Atlas Silvers. A mushy, hopeless romantic. Don’t worry,” she giggled. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Good. You’re the only one I’d been romantic with, anyway. No one would believe you.”
She snorted at the serious glare of his eyes. He licked his lips and leaned closer, quieting her laughter.
Atlas’s words echoed back as he continued to lean down toward her mouth.
You’re the only one I’d be romantic with.
And then, her wolf man kissed her.
THIRTEEN
ATLAS
Yeeesss!
Atlas couldn’t believe he was kissing Lilliane. Again. It wasn’t the first time he forgot that he wasn’t supposed to want her.
Her lips were so soft, so warm. Her kisses were sweet. The sweetest thing he’d ever tasted, and he couldn’t stop himself from deepening the kiss, tilting her head back to get better access to her mouth.
“Fuck, sorry,” he hissed, easing back from her.
