I Swear I Still Hate Him (Atlas Lawson) novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Emery’s POV

Today was supposed to be perfect for Dad.

After Mom died, I watched him carry that quiet, bone-deep grief for years. He smiled for me, laughed at my terrible jokes, hugged me tight every night, but I always saw the shadow behind his eyes, the way his gaze would drift to her photo on the mantel when he thought I wasn’t looking. He loved her with everything he had. That kind of love, the kind that makes you believe in fairytales, in princes and forever, was what they gave me growing up. I used to pray every night that he’d find it again. That someone would come along and make him laugh the way Mom used to.

And now he has Daisy.

So I should be happy. Ecstatic. Jumping up and down like the supportive daughter I’m supposed to be.

Instead, my chest aches.

Because if Dad finally gets his happy ending… then I lose mine.

And I know how awful that sounds. I know how selfish it makes me. But the truth sat heavy and ugly in my chest… I didn’t want to let Atlas go. I didn’t want to lose him. Not when my heart had finally decided what it wanted.

I closed the door to my dad’s office behind me, pressing my palm flat against it as I exhaled slowly. My heart was still racing. My skin still felt warm. Tingling. Everywhere his hand had been felt… awake.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Get it together, Emery.

But I couldn’t. My body was still reacting like it hadn’t gotten the memo that this was wrong. That it was forbidden. That I should stop.

Instead, my fingers shook as I pulled my phone out and typed before I could talk myself out of it.

Second room. Third floor. Now.

I hit send. Then I waited.

The truth was whatever Atlas and I had started…there was no stopping it now. And honestly? I didn’t want to. The way he looked at me earlier, the restraint in his eyes, the tension in his jaw… yeah. He didn’t want to stop either.

The door opened.

I lifted my head, and there he was.

Atlas.

My breath caught instantly.

Black suit hugging perfectly to his body, his hair was pushed back, neat but still messy in that effortless way that drove me insane. One curl had escaped and fallen onto his forehead like it belonged there. His shoulders were relaxed, but his eyes… they were locked on me. Dark. Focused….If the guy wasn’t into sport he would excel greatly as a model.

He shut the door. Locked it.

The sound of the deadbolt sliding home made my stomach flip. He walked toward me slow, deliberate, that dangerous smirk curling his lips like he already knew exactly what he was going to do to me. My pulse roared in my ears. I backed up

18:17 Thu, Jan 1 M

Chapter 88

instinctively…step, step, step, until the edge of Dad’s desk hit the backs of my thighs.

Atlas didn’t stop.

047

He closed the distance, hands finding my waist, and in one smooth lift, he had me sitting on the desk, papers scattering, my dress riding high on my thighs.

“Hi,” I breathed, voice shaky, lips already curved in a helpless smile.

“Hi, beautiful,” he murmured, voice low and wrecked, eyes dragging down my body like he was starving.

I swallowed. “We’re… all alone.”

He laughed once-soft, dark, dimples flashing. “Yeah, baby. That means I can finally kiss you the way I’ve been dying to all night.”

Before I could draw another breath, his mouth was on mine.

Hard. Hungry. No hesitation.

His tongue slid past my lips like he owned me, tasting like champagne and want. One hand fisted in my hair, tilting my head exactly how he wanted it, while the other shoved my dress higher, rough fingers finding the soaked lace between my thighs.

I moaned into his mouth.

He groaned back…deep, guttural, like the sound coming out of me was driving him into his orgasm.

“Fuck, baby,” Atlas groaned against my mouth, his voice all gravel and desperation. His hand slipped through the high slit of my dress again, rough fingertips brushing the sensitive skin of my inner thigh like he couldn’t stand another second without touching me. “I wanna feel you again… see if you’re still wet for me.”

I moaned the second his fingers found the edge of my thong, pushing the soaked lace aside, dragging one thick finger slowly through my folds. The sound I made, yeah, I was definitely going to be embarrassed about this later, but now…I couldn’t give two shits

He cursed low in his throat. “Fuck… baby, you’re drenched.”

“That’s how badly I want you,” I panted, grabbing the back of his neck and kissing him deeper, tongue pushing into his mouth like I could crawl inside him. I rolled my hips shamelessly against his hand, chasing that one finger that kept teasing my entrance without giving me what I really needed. “Like… stupid bad.”

He kissed me harder….dirty…messy teeth, tongues, no rhythm, just pure desperate want, until we both had to break apart just to breathe. We were panting like we’d sprinted up three flights of stairs. His eyes were so dark they looked black, pupils blown, lips all swollen and shiny from me. Mine probably looked the same. Total mess.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, voice wrecked, reverent. His forehead rested against mine for a second, like he needed to catch his breath just to say it. “So… so fucking beautiful, Emery. You have no idea…no fucking idea…how bad you mess with my head. The things I think about… the things I wanna do to you…”

His mouth dropped to my neck, sucking lightly, tongue flicking over my pulse point…careful, so careful not to leave marks. The restraint only made me wetter.

I arched into him, fingers tangling in his hair. “Atlas…”

“Yes, baby.” His voice was low, dangerous, lips brushing my skin.

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