CHAPTER 2
Mirah didn't know how to go about this. She had no information on Atlas other than his name. Did not know how to contact him... She decided to keep the card on her just in case she had the misfortune of bumping into him again.
After a few days off work, Mirah decided to return. She was not going to hide. She had nothing to hide... She didn't do a single thing wrong. Harold put her in this predicament the day he told her to deliver the letter to Atlas... She shook her head recalling how afraid she had been the minute she walked into the house.
Work was a good distraction, even though Mirah continued to look over her shoulder, she wanted to see who was following her, who was keeping tabs on her. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. Almost impossible to spot out the culprit.
After a month, Mirah came to the conclusion that Atlas was done with her. She had his credit card yes but did nothing with it. She kept it on her just to be on the safe side. She was pretty sure he had already cancelled it.
Life was okay once she stopped being so afraid. She was okay, nothing to fear. Atlas would have to know that she would never be so stupid to fuck him up... Again, she did not have a death wish.
Thinking back at how badly she had once wanted to have Atlas' attention made her cringe now. Now she would give anything to be invisible when he was around. Like really bad news... His entire crew were bad news.
She finished off her shift late on the Saturday night and returned home. Mirah was tired and just ready to call it a night.
Next day and she was ready to go out. No work tonight, it was time to unwind a little. She met up with a few of her friends at another nightclub. One not so full on like at the club where she worked.
She dressed for the night happy to be able to feel somewhat alive. She put everything in the back of her head and was ready to just enjoy herself.
Heather and Joanne were already at the bar with their boyfriends. Mirah felt like a loser, the fact that she didn't have a special somebody. She just went there solo. A little depressing yes, but she might be able to find somebody worth her time tonight.
After a few drinks or a few too many drinks Mirah was ready to find any potential men... She was being asked to dance and she accepted. She just danced the night away.
Still, nobody was remotely interesting enough for her to take too seriously. She left the dancefloor and headed to the bar to grab herself another drink. For some reason she looked up and over to the VIP section and to her shock found Atlas there with his men... And of course very pretty girls.
He was following her! That was not on! She did not have to take that shit. So in her drunk induced mind she walked over to the VIP section and looked at the bouncer who stood there not allowing anybody in.
"Do you have a pass?" He asked her. She frowned at the big man.
"I do." She lied.
"Okay, where is it?"
"Where is what?"
"Your pass?"
"For? I didn't sit an exam..." She said before bursting out into laughter. He shook his head at her and told her to return to the main area of the club. "I can't. I have to talk to that guy up there... The hot one. The one who is all but fucking that chick..." She said pointing at Atlas.
"I can't allow you in there without a pass."
"Oh my god! Atlas!" She yelled out now. He couldn't hear her. Okay... So she improvised. She grabbed her drink and hurled it at his head. She almost got him too. It was funny. The bouncer grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. Fuck! "Ouch dude! Ouch man... Let go..." She whined as she tried to get out of his hold.
Suddenly the big oaf let her go and moved the rope aside letting her pass. That was better. She had no idea why he had a change of heart.
Mirah shook her head at the bouncer before she made her way over to the group. She wasn't afraid, did not feel intimidated. Why did she ever feel scared? They were just people. Dumb ass people.
Atlas moved the woman who was literally stuffing her tongue down his throat aside as he looked at Mirah. She nodded her head at him.
"Well hello." Mirah said when everybody just sat there and stared at her. Like how rude... The least they could do was say hello. It was not polite to stare.
"What are you doing here?" Atlas finally spoke. She rolled her eyes at the jerk. He was such an asshole scaring her how he did. And he killed Harold. Just a big jerk.
"I want to tell you something." She nodded her head.
"Yeah?" He seemed amused. Had a glint in his dark eyes.
"Yep." Mirah nodded her head.
"Okay, about what?"
"Harold." She noticed his entire demeanour changed. He didn't look very happy, it was like he was not expecting her to say that at all. She gave him a yep, that's right look, she was so not afraid of him. Like she was so not scared of the idiot.
He called her over using his index finger and she scratched her nose before she walked over to him. She almost fell on somebody along the way. "Ouch..." She frowned when she hit the table. Atlas shook his head to himself before he said something to lady who was sitting almost on his lap. The lady got up and moved giving Mirah somewhere to sit. "Thank you..." Mirah was ever so polite.
Only when she was sitting beside Atlas did he say anything again. "You were saying..."
"What?" She had no idea what he was on about.
"Harold. Said you had something to say about Harold." Oh... Did she? She nodded her head now.
"Yeah, you killed him remember?" Idiot. Mirah grabbed the bottle of champagne off the table and looked for a cup. Um... She ended up drinking it straight from the bottle. It was delicious. "Oh wow, this is some good shit..." She said before she took another gulp.
"Dude, she's wasted..." She heard one of the men say aloud. That was just rude.
"No. No I'm not. I know shit man... I can tell you stuff..."
"Keep it shut." Atlas looked at her darkly.
"No. Don't you dare tell me what to do. You don't scare me... Actually... I am so not afraid of you." She said before she recalled having his card. "Oh..." She grabbed her phone and pulled out his card from the case. "Here... You left it at the club that night. Remember that night... The night where you were all like I did this to Harold and you need to know this... That night. Do you remember that night?"
Atlas squinted his eyes at her and took the card off her.
"Didn't use it." She said nodding her head. "Do you have a lot of money on it?"
"Yeah."
"Oh... But well, I didn't use it. I kept it in case I would bump into you again. Guess what? I bumped into you..." She said nudging him with her shoulders. Atlas was looking at her like she was the oddest person alive. Whatever dude. "I think you are very attractive." She said wanting him to know he did not stand a chance with her. Ever. "Yeah, you are like superhot."
Mirah heard laughing and frowned.
"You flirting with my man?" One of the ladies spoke now. What? Mirah scratched her nose before she replied.
"No. Why would you ask that?" She had no idea what made her ask that.
"Well, you just told him that he was superhot."
"Yeah... I know." She nodded her head. What was her point? "I mean, was it a secret that he's hot?" She asked the gorgeous woman.
"Not the point... The point is don't be flirting with my man."
"I am so not flirting with him. You would know if I was and trust me sunshine, I am not... Don't stress, me and Atlas go way back... Don't we?" She asked the unamused looking man sitting beside her. Atlas tilted his head at her before he spoke.
"Who did you come with?"
"I came with me." She smiled at her joke. "Me... I came alone. But I have friends here." She nodded her head to make sure he knew she was telling him the truth.
"Who are your friends?"
"Why?"
"I will drive you home."
"Oh... Really?" She smiled. Yeah, he was dreamy.
"Yeah."
"Okay..." She nodded her head. Then she recalled he killed Harold and frowned at the murderer.
"Or no. You know why?" She asked him now. "Do you know why I won't be going with you?" She had her teacher's voice on now. "It starts with H and ends with arold..."
Atlas cursed under his breath and looked at his friends. They seemed to be thinking something.
"So... Thank you for your hospitality. I will be off..." Mirah stood up and almost fell onto Atlas' lap. She laughed and moved herself away. "Sorry..." She said before she curtsied for the group. "Oh, I love this song... This is my jam..." She said making her away out of the VIP section and onto the dancefloor.
Mirah was so hyped to do this. She danced her way to the dancefloor and danced alone. Wasn't long before a man joined her. She smiled and allowed herself to be lost into the moment.
"Wanna go somewhere?" He asked her when the song changed.
"Where?"
"Anywhere. I don't live far from here..." Oh... Well then.
"Okay." She nodded her head. She looked around for her friends and found Heather. "I'm going home with..." She looked at the man now.
"Tommy." He was kind enough to introduce himself to her.
"Tommy. I'll speak to you later." She said giving her hug.
And they were off. The minute the cold air hit her she felt a little confused. "Where are we going?" She asked him.
"To my place. Remember?" Oh... Yeah. She laughed at her stupidity.
"Yeah, sorry. I think I might have had too much to drink." She shook her head.
"What's your name?" Tommy asked her now.
"Mirah."
"Stunning name for stunning girl." Sweet. He thought she was stunning. She was okay...
"Thank you." She smiled feeling a little lightheaded.
"Oi..." Mirah turned around when somebody tapped her shoulder. She turned around found Atlas there.
"Hello." She smiled at the hunk of a man. He was having himself a smoke looking mighty fine. "Hello." She repeated forgetting if she had already said that.
"Where are you going?" Just the way he asked her that.
"Um..." She frowned forgetting where she was going. "Where are we going?" She asked the man who was standing beside her. Was she with him? She didn't know anything from anything any longer. Her head was literally spinning. The cold air making her sort of sober up.
"To my place... What's going on?"
"Oh... Yeah, dumb..." She smacked her head recalling that she was going to his place. Just a little forgetful. "Um, I am going to his place."
"His place?" Atlas squinted his eyes at her. "Who is he?"
"Um..." She looked over at the man waiting for him to say his name. She couldn't recall if he told her his name or not.
"Tommy..." He gave her a you already know this look.
"Oh yeah. Tommy. I'm going to Tommy's house." She nodded her head remembering now.
"Fuck off." Atlas was talking to Tommy now. Mirah frowned and looked behind Atlas. His mates were all there looking at her and at Tommy. Tommy seemed unsure what to do.
"What's going on?" He asked her now.
"I'm not too sure. I think Atlas told you to fuck off..." She said nodding her head. Atlas smiled at Tommy and walked over to him. He spoke to him in his ear before he walked away. Tommy left quick smart after that. Now what the hell was that about?
Not very happy with how this was working out, Mirah put her hands on her hips and glared at Atlas. "Do you have any idea what you have done?" She asked the dumb ass. "I was going home with him... Do you get that? I finally decided tonight was the night... You had to up and ruin it for me. Like why? What the hell did you say to him?" She was upset. "He was my ride home too. I was going to coax him into driving me home afterwards. I have no lift now... So thank you very much." She was confused. Why was she out here. She didn't feel great.
"Let's go." Atlas said shaking his head at her. "Move."
"Okay..." She would go with him. He could take her home. It was the least he could do especially after he ran her date away. Only she recalled he was a murderer. She was not going anywhere with him. "Or not." She said shaking her head.
"Mirah, let's go." The way he said her name... He was so hot. She scratched her nose and walked over to him. She would talk to him quietly so nobody heard him.
"I can't go with you." She whispered in his ear. "You killed Harold remember? I can't be stupid and go with you..." There, she explained herself to him. He would understand why she wasn't able to go with him.
"I'll take you home anyway." He said grabbing her arm. He wasn't hurting her, just holding her arm and leading her to his car.
"I insist I not go with you." She said shaking her head. "I can't. I can't be stupid... You could very well kill me and then I would be dumb..."
"Okay." He continued walking on. She was in the back seat of a car and Atlas was beside her.
"I am not going to let you take me anywhere. I will not be murdered tonight..." She said frowning at the uncaring man. Boy he was good looking. "Are you married to that lady?"
"No."
"Oh... She said you were her man..."
"Yeah."
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing."
"It means something. Does it mean you are her boyfriend?" She wanted details. He was so dreamy.
"Boyfriend?" He scoffed. "Yeah okay..."
"Oh... She is very pretty... Do you love her?"
"Shut up." He seemed totally over her now.
"Well that is just plain rude... Does she love you? I think she does. She looks like she can fight too."
"Who have you spoken to about Harold?" He asked her strangely.
"Who?"
"Your old boss, Harold."
"Nobody. Oh my god. You killed him. I am not stupid to speak about it to anybody." She gave him a are you serious look. "I watched a movie where they killed a guy then went after the lady who witnessed it." She said making all the sense in the world.
"Are you sure you haven't spoken about this to anybody?"
"I am not an idiot... I do not have a death wish." She rolled her eyes at the idiot. He was one good looking man that was for sure...
***
Where in the hell was she? Mirah opened her eyes and it was daylight. She was in a bed... Hold up! This was the room that she was in before... When Atlas spoke to her... Oh my god she was at Atlas' house. Nope... No fucking way!
How the fuck did she end up here? Mirah honestly didn't recall much. She was so wasted last night that she couldn't remember anything after her fifth drink and maybe her seventh shot.
She sat up and her head felt like it was about to explode. She hurried into the adjoining bathroom needing so desperately to throw up. She made it in time before she did spew. Yuk...
Took a while before she was okay. She washed her face and looked for a toothbrush. She found an unopen one in the drawer and used it happily. Once she felt somewhat better she realised she wore a tee-shirt. A man's tee-shirt. Okay...
Mirah was downright confused now. What the hell was going on? Was Atlas following her? Did he kidnap her? This was just too much. How the fuck was she going to get out of this?
What if he touched her? Oh fuck... Nope... She left the bathroom and looked around for her dress. Nothing. She found nothing. This was not good. This was so not good.
Mirah opened the door to the room and found some folded clothes on the floor by the door. They were meant for her, that's how she took it anyway. She grabbed them quickly and got dressed.
Jeans and a tight top. Okay... That was better than nothing. She changed into them and dared herself to walk out of the room. She was really scared. Too afraid of finding out what the reason was for being here.
She found Charlotte in the living room. She was sitting alone. "Um..." Mirah was freaking out. She wanted to leave.
"They fit." She said looking at the clothes.
"Yeah, thank you. I'll have them dry cleaned for you..."
"No all good. Would you like a coffee?"
"No. I'm leaving."
"Oh, okay..." Okay that was promising.
"Yep..." Mirah nodded her head and forced a smile on her face before she headed to the door, she felt a little over the top with her heels on. She didn't get far, she was stopped by Atlas.
"Sit down." Mirah turned around quickly when he said that. He had no top on... Okay, a body to die for... A huge tattoo of an eagle on his chest. He had a body that most men would kill to have. Not overly muscly but very defined and hard. He definitely had strong arms, you could see how strong his arms were. Yep, but the muscles he had on his arms were not gym type muscles, not working out type muscles, more like hard work strong arms type of muscles. Sexy...
"Um, why am I here? How did I get here?" She asked quietly.
"Sit." Again ordering her around like she was nothing.
Mirah sat down nervously. She was kind of freaking out but didn't want to make him know that. She had her hands in her lap holding them together to keep from fidgeting. She was downright nervous.
"Why am I here?" Repeating herself so he could reply. Atlas lit himself a smoke as he eyed her out. He looked at Charlotte now. "Coffee." Charlotte did as she was told without uttering a single word. Mirah rubbed her lips together and waited for Atlas to speak to her.
"Why do you think you're here?" He asked after he inhaled a drag of his cigarette.
"I... Oh... Your credit card. Here..." She opened her phone case to retrieve the card and hand it to him. She felt kind of relaxed. If that was the reason she was here, it was fixable. She was good to have kept his card. Only shit was she didn't find his card... It wasn't in her phone. "I... I had it with me... I kept it with me to give it to you... I never used it. I swear to god... I was giving it back to you. I mean, in case we ever saw each other again... I... I don't know where it is..." She whispered that last part. Her heart was racing. He was going to kill her. He must think she robbed him. Oh my lord...
"You gave me the card last night. All good." Oh...
"I did?"
"Yep, at the club. You don't remember?"
"No... I saw you last night?" Mirah was truly confused.
"Yeah... Yeah you saw me..."
"Oh... Okay. So you have your card... Is that it?" He squinted his eyes at her now. It was like he was trying to work something out in his head.
"Is that it? No... No it's not it."
"Then what is it? I... I haven't done anything. I... I swear to god..."
"You have a mouth on you."
"I never said a word to anybody. I promise..." Oh fuck! Mirah was beginning to panic.
"You said enough to me last night." What the hell?
"What did I say? When did I even see you?"
"See, that in itself is a problem. A huge one for me."
"What did I say?"
"Well, you had a lot to say about Harold..." Charlotte had just returned and handed him his coffee. Atlas told her to leave. It was so strange how quickly she obeyed him.
"To who did I say it to?"
"To me."
"To you? Okay... So why are you acting like I told everybody?"
"You are a stupid drunk." Rude... "I find it dangerous to have you running it off."
"But... I was talking to you... I can't remember... I can't even remember seeing you..."
"Yeah, again, it poses to be a problem for me."
"I won't say anything. I think you know that already. I promise you..."
"And when you are drunk?"
"I... I never drink." She lied. "Only when I go out... I haven't been out in ages. Reason I must have said anything was because I saw you..."
"How would you know that? I mean, if you can't remember seeing me can't remember talking to me, what's to say you haven't said anything to anybody else?"
Mirah felt her body turn cold. She actually had nothing to say to that. Think Mirah... Think.
"I'm sorry. I... I haven't drunk that much in forever. I... I don't usually do that. I hardly ever go out." Please let this go...
He took a gulp of his coffee as he eyed her out. This was scaring her. This entire situation was scaring her.
"Not too sure how I am going to do this..." Oh shit... "I mean, I did give you a chance. I did. You can't say I didn't..."
"Are you going to kill me?" She found herself saying. She was too young to die. She did not want to die!
"Am I going to kill you? Good question..." He said nodding his head. "You are very pretty..." What? Like what? "Would be a shame to kill somebody so pretty..." Okay... "But I can't be taking stupid risks like that. I can't let you go knowing you have the knowledge that you do..."
"I won't ever drink again." She promised him. "Ever."
He squinted his eyes at her before he spoke again. "Tommy... How well do you know him?"
"Who?"
"Tommy."
"I... I don't know a Tommy." She didn't know a Tommy. Was this another man he killed?
"You were going home with him last night."
"I was going home with a Tommy?"
"Yep..." He nodded his head. She bit her lip not knowing where he was going with this.
"I can't remember..." She dumbly whispered. She was an idiot.
"Super safe..." He mocked her. She frowned not getting what he wanted.
"I... Don't really drink... Not that much..." She repeated quietly. "Dumb move..."
"No shit."
"Can I go home?" She dared herself to ask after a long awkward silence.
"Not too sure yet."
"Please..." She was going to start crying. Her head was already sore. "I need pain killers." She said feeling her mouth pout. "I'm sore... I have a killer of a hang over and I just want to go home."
He was looking at her darkly. She didn't get it. Just the way he eyed her out. "Did you date Harold?"
"No."
"You never dated him?"
"No. Of course not." She shook her head. "He was my boss." She never got that far to date him. Was definitely her intention to date him but no... Never dated him.
"Yeah..." Mirah didn't like it when Harold was the topic of discussion. This man killed him. Beheaded him... She did not want to be reminded. Her fear was real...
Before Mirah could say anything else, Ryan, Elliot and Gael had arrived. Oh my god. She did not like the dynamics here. She wanted to hide. "Hey boss." Ryan greeted Atlas before he looked at her with a glint in his eyes.
"Do tell, what was her excuse for running it off last night?" Gael asked now. He was sitting there smirking.
"She was drunk..." Atlas joined in. "Said she never usually drinks that excessively..."
"Yeah, she was wasted." And that was Elliot.
"What's the outcome?" Gael again. "Is she to die then?"
"I mean, she can't keep her mouth shut. She's a liability if we keep her alive." And that was Elliot. Great. Her heart was pounding now. She was going to die.
"Yeah, I feel the same way... She can't remember a single thing she said... That's a problem." Atlas now. Great... Great... Fucking great. She didn't want to start crying but they were really scaring her. This was for real.
Mirah rubbed her lips together and swallowed hard. She was waiting for the order. "Yeah boss, let's finish this here and now. I can't be fucked to be worrying about when she runs her mouth off again. This time it was only to you, but who knows... Next time it could very well be the police." Fucking Ryan now.
She frowned hated how small and weak she felt. She bit her lip and looked at Atlas. She had a feeling that it was ultimately his decision. He tilted his head as he eyed her out. "I told her that it would be a shame to kill somebody so pretty." What the fuck was that about?
"Yeah, she is a looker." Elliot now. Bastards were toying with her.
"Would be a shame... But can we risk it boss?" Gael was being serious. "Maybe give her another chance. No need to kill her for one mistake." He added surprising her.
"One mistake too many." And suddenly Atlas' entire demeanour changed. He looked deadly serious now.
"How?" She finally managed to ask. The way the men eyed her out was like they had no idea what the hell she was on about. "How will you kill me?" She didn't want to be beheaded.
"Will it matter?" Atlas asked her now. He had that glint in his eyes again. Like he was kind of amused. Asshole.
"I want to know. Will it be quick?" She felt so choked up.
Atlas laughed at her. He was laughing at her for real. That was just plain rude. She felt so vulnerable and he was laughing at her fear. She was freaking out and he was enjoying himself.
"What?" She asked hating how stupid she felt. "Why are you laughing? I... I want to know."
He shook his head and smiled before he spoke. "Okay, how would you like to die? You tell me how?" He was mocking her.
"It's not funny." She was hating on him now. This asshole was making a mockery out of this. She was about to shit herself with how afraid she was and he was making fun of her.
"I'm giving you the say. Tell me how you want me to kill you. I will follow through. I swear to god." He nodded his head when he said that. "Up to you."
Mirah was not sure if Atlas was being legit or not. She was too afraid not to take him seriously. She frowned at the bastard. She really didn't want to die. What she wanted to do was beg for them to let her live. Really beg. She wanted to sob and carry on but refused to do that.
She looked away not wanting to say anything. Realisation was kicking in. Mirah was going to die today... She was going to be killed soon.
The men started talking amongst themselves and Mirah sat there quietly. She didn't know what to do. She just sat there doing her best not to sob. Her body was shaking.
It was like forever before Atlas stood up. Charlotte had returned and served the men something to drink and handed Atlas a top. He put it on and looked at Mirah now. This was it then...
"Up." She drew in a deep breath and stood up. Her body was literally shaking from fear now. Her teeth were shattering. She was going to die... This was it...
Been years since she last saw her family. Had no idea where her sister was, no real relationship with her mother. She was going to die alone. Would anybody let her family know?
Leaving home at the age of eighteen, Mirah left home and left her family. Falling out regarding her stepfather. She didn't like that animal and he didn't want her around. He had a lot of money and her mother chose him over her. Her sister Melissa chose her stepfather over her too.
It was only her. All alone and nobody to even mourn her.
Atlas looked at Charlotte now. "Go and stay in the room." He ordered her strangely. "Do you hear me?" He said it so only Charlotte was able to hear. Mirah was standing beside Atlas so she heard it all.
Gael got up and left without saying a word. It was only then that Atlas diverted his attention back to Mirah.
"Move." Atlas indicated for her to walk ahead of him. She walked a little bit only to stop. She had no idea where he wanted her to go. She was so scared now. Her legs were about to give way.
Atlas gave her a push to keep going. She forced her legs to keep walking. It wasn't until they reached the front door that she halted. Atlas opened the door and held her by the arm forcing her out with him.
Was he going to kill her outside? In the front yard?
What he did was open the door to the car. "In." She frowned really not getting him. Okay, maybe she could escape... It was better to be out in the open as opposed to being in the house full of men.
She reluctantly made her way into the car. Atlas got into the driver's seat and started the car. She had nothing to say, her head was freaking her out. It was thinking of where he was going to stop the car, where he was going to kill her, where he was going to dump her body.
Mirah almost cried out when he drove off. Oh my god...
She didn't utter a sound. Too afraid to do or say anything now. So when he pulled over at the building to her apartment she was confused.
He wanted to kill her in her home...
She was going to rot in her apartment... Nobody would be the wiser... Great. She would stink up the entire building before anybody realised that she was dead. So nice.
"Let's go." Atlas grabbed her arm and led her inside. The jerk knew exactly where her place was. He had a key... She realised he had the key because he would have checked her bag.
Once he unlocked the door he waited for her to make her way inside. Oh god... This was so it.
Atlas walked in after her and shut the door. He leaned up against it and Mirah began to walk backwards. She did not want to turn her back to him. Or did she...
This was too much.