Chapter 198: A "tearful" Confession
Lola’s grip on the railing tightened slightly, hearing her own gulp echo in her ears. His room wasn’t on the second floor, so he didn’t need to go upstairs.
Maybe he wants to check on his children, she told herself.
Even though they had been together after the interrupted kiss, they weren’t alone. Slater was with them, the twins were with them. The distraction was constantly present. But now that it was just the two of them, she couldn’t help but feel the tension despite the distance.
Lola forced a smile. "You’re still awake?" she asked. "The children had already fallen asleep a while ago. If you’re going to check on them, just do so. I’ll just get a glass of water."
Atlas didn’t answer, as usual. He just stared at her, watching every slight change in her facial expression and how she constantly averted his gaze.
She carried on with that forced smile, a little reluctant to descend the stairs with him on the landing. Still, she did, moving to the side the closer she got to him. But when Lola finally walked past him, her steps halted at his voice.
"Where are you going?"
Her brows knitted as she looked back at him. "I just told you..." she trailed off, watching him turn around and face her. Seeing him take slow steps in her direction, Lola’s feet moved to take a step back before she could even think about it.
"Wait, what did I—" her breath hitched as soon as he slapped his hand on the wall, cornering her.
Lola’s back was pressed against the wall, and she held her breath. She had thought of being kabedon-ed before, but now that it was happening... it was... scary?
"Hey," she breathed out, the side of her hand resting on his chest to stop him from getting too close. "Whatever I did, ask your brother first. He probably made me do it or say it."
Poor Slater, who was already sleeping soundly like an angel in his room, had no idea his existence was just casually thrown out to save a life.
Lola cleared her throat, meeting Atlas’s eyes with her shaky ones.
"Wait... you’re... kind of too close?" Her voice almost came out as a whimper because he looked angry. She nudged his chest slightly, but he didn’t budge. "Can you move a little?"
Instead, Atlas gazed down at her hand and suddenly grabbed it away, pinning it at her side. Lola whipped her head to look at her hand with wide eyes before she looked back at him.
I am daydreaming, aren’t I? she asked herself. This looks like a scene from Angel’s Revenge.
But in this "daydream," she and Atlas were starring in it.
Her brief distraction was cut off when he grabbed her jaw lightly. He didn’t pinch her chin; he grabbed her with his fingertips, pressing lightly on her cheeks. He moved her head, angling it to face him.
"I was waiting for you," he uttered under his breath. "I was going to you, not my kids, as I know they were already asleep."
She blinked and blinked, her hand pinned to her side, her jaw in his hand, and her back against the wall. Atlas, on the other hand, took another step and closed the very little distance between them. Slowly, her eyes widened, realizing she was... trapped.
For the next few seconds, she could only stare at him with wide eyes. His eyelids drooped, but not enough to hide the dangerous glint that flickered across his eyes.
Uh oh.
She gulped just as he lowered his head, drawling his next words, "I believe we had some unfinished business to attend to, as we were interrupted earlier." His brows rose slightly, his eyes on hers. "Yes?"
Her eyes fluttered fast, her mind running faster than the fastest car in the world would be shamed.
Is this real? Or just one of those... delusional moments?
Her brain was lagging with this new information, trying to detect if this was just another of her imaginations. She had experienced one not long ago, after all, and in there, they even did the deed—all night long.
Amid her blank thought process, his quiet voice suddenly caressed her ears.
"I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll help myself, then."
His words barely reached her and hadn’t sunk in when he suddenly tilted his head and leaned close, helping himself onto her lips. The second those hot, soft, yet firm lips brushed on hers, her breath hitched. Her eyes went wide in an instant as her mind buzzed until it temporarily shut down.
It’s... its...
Her heart pounded, pounded, and continued pounding against her chest to the point she couldn’t even complete her thought. She unknowingly clutched his chest, her toes curling as his lips started moving against hers.
And that was like a gong ringing in her ear, a snap in front of her eyes, and a slap on her back, telling her... this was real. It was happening.
His lips moved on hers, and now... his tongue invited itself inside her mouth.
!!!
A spike of panic made her jolt, causing her to suddenly tilt her head down while pushing him away. Thankfully, he did step back with her sudden action. With her hand on his chest, Lola hung her head low, panting. His heat was fresh on her lips, and her heart was pounding so much it hurt.
As for Atlas, he reached for her arm and tilted his head.
"Are you alright?" he asked, peeking down at her. When he moved slightly, all he saw was her panting and clutching her chest. Her face was red—unnaturally red—as if even when she was taking large, deep breaths, she was still out of breath.
Worry quickly replaced the things he had in mind, holding her arms as he stepped closer.
"What happened?" he asked, helping her straighten up.
When she finally looked up at him, her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Her eyes seemed to wobble as a layer of tears started coating them. Finally, concern overtook him, seeing that she was about to cry.
"Did I hurt you?"
Lola chewed her lips as her eyes grew rounder with tears. "No," she muttered, and before she could stop herself, "I’m just... I’m just so happy. I feel like... I think... I...m going to faint."
A brief confusion overtook Atlas as he stared into her eyes, which had begun to spin. Before he could get a word out, Lola’s eyes rolled back into her skull.
"Lola!" His voice rose as he caught her in his arms. Staring at her, he shook her gently. "Lola Young!"
When she didn’t wake up, a frustrated groan slipped past him.
You’ve got to be kidding me.