Atlas (Billionaire Titans) by Alison Ryan Page A

here.”
    Piper sat back, “Who here would have anything to do with Spencer?”
    I looked at her, unsure of how much I should tell her. The less she knew, the better.
    “Spencer, like me, has a complicated past,” I said. “And it follows us everywhere. I’m hoping I can find out some things to help us in our current situation gain some power against him.”
    “So blackmail material,” she said. Piper Kipton was no dummy.
    “Something like that,” I said. “But it’s nothing for you to worry about. Let me handle it and you worry about staying relaxed.”
    She smiled, “You’re the best anti-anxiety med that exists.”
    She looked so fucking cute all wrapped in her robe, her pretty French pedicured toes peeking out. Her skin was all pink from the sex and the hot shower and it made my heart ache, she was so perfect.
    I thought about what I’d told her earlier. A large part of me wanted to take it back, not because I hadn’t meant it, but because my love for her was only a detriment in this situation. Once she knew who I really was, she’d never want to be near me again.
    But it was impossible to remember the stakes when I was close to her. Ever since she’d walked into Old Ebbitt, she’d owned me. Even more than I owned her.

Twenty-Four

PIPER
    E ven now , I could feel him holding back from me.
    It was why I craved intimacy with him so much. It’s when the wall came down and his heart broke open for me to see. He held me like he never wanted to let me go and made me feel so incredibly wanted and desired. I was hooked on his gaze, the look he’d give me right after he’d come inside me. I couldn’t get enough of it. I knew I was probably the only on who’d ever seen it.
    I hoped.
    But now that we were finishing up our dinner of couscous and lamb, he was distant again; texting on his phone and looking out at the night sky over the gulf.
    “Are you tired?” I asked. “We could watch a movie.”
    He smiled thinly and shook his head, “Someone is visiting soon. I’ll meet with them in the salon. But order any movie you want, and have the butler bring you dessert.”
    I frowned, “Will you be away long?”
    “Not sure,” he said. “But I’ll just be in the other room. If you need anything, just send for me.”
    Who could be meeting him here in the middle of the evening? I knew it wasn’t my place to ask and if he’d wanted me to know, he’d tell me. All I wanted was a typical evening with him, followed by not so typical sex. Was that too much to ask?
    I felt like an indignant and jealous girlfriend. Not a great look. So I tried to hide my disappointment.
    “Okay,” I said, trying to sound cheery. “I’ll order some popcorn and M&Ms and rent a movie. Hope your meeting goes okay.”
    “I’m sure it will,” he walked over and kissed me on the head. “Save me a spot next to you, okay?”
    “Of course,” I replied pulling him down to kiss me deeper. I wanted him to remember what was waiting for him.

    * * *
    A fter an hour of watching a very unfunny buddy-cop comedy, I was bored and missing Atlas. I’d also gorged on way too much candy and salt, making me feel less than stellar. Atlas had been gone way too long for my liking. Who was he meeting up with anyway?
    I decided it wouldn’t hurt to peek in on him. I pulled on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt. I turned the volume down on the television and softly padded through the living room and the foyer to the salon that sat on the other side of the suite.
    The door to it was closed, but not all the way. There was a convenient crack, large enough for me to spy on what was happening inside.
    As soon as I looked in, I immediately wished I hadn’t.
    Atlas stood facing a window and an incredibly statuesque and beautiful woman stood next to him. Her hand was on his back and they were speaking in hushed voices, their heads close together in what appeared to be an intimate exchange. I could hear what they were saying, but barely. I only caught every