Delirious Love

Chapter 2

I woke up to the sound of faint classical music and distant conversation. My head was pounding and my back felt like it was burning.  I slowly opened my eyes and thanked whoever's room this was for the heavy drapes. A slight glow from outside illuminated my hands enough to see my palms were scraped to hell. Once I actually woke up the panic set in. I opened my eyes wide and my heart started racing.
The questions came rushing to my head. Where am I? What happened? Who was that man last night? Men? How did my hands get cut up? Why does my neck feel like someone rung it out like a dishrag?
The questions did not stop. I sat up, blinking the dizziness away and frantically pushed myself off the bed and satin sheets. I realized I was in a different pair of underwear which made my heart beat skip. I looked around the room, taking in the baroque fabrics, the dark wood furniture and the forest green walls. I felt the thin but soft rug under my feet, showing snakes wrapped around daggers, and trees with draping vines. I walked quickly across the room, finding a bathroom to my left attached to the bedroom. I pushed up the light switch with force and gasped at my reflection out of fear and horror.

My eyes were red and bruised around my lids. I had burst blood vessels around my cheeks, eyes and on my neck. I had bruises in the shape of fingers across the front of my neck. I turned and looked at my back, wondering what the burning and pain was from. I was wearing a white teeshirt, definitely a man's shirt. I pulled up the back while craning my neck to look in the mirror. Bandages covered my lower back down to my tailbone. I assumed there were more lower on my body because of the pain but couldn't stomach looking further. I closed my eyes and rubbed my palms over my face before cringing in pain from touching my face. I turned off the light and walked back into the center of the room. I have to get out of here. I kept whispering that to myself while I walked quickly but silently towards the door.

I put my ear to the door and listened for any approaching footsteps or voices. I heard the distant sounds as I had before but nothing close to me, I hoped. I reached for the gold doorknob, slowly turning the handle as I pushed the door. The hinges made a slight squeak and I paused, breathing quickly, praying that no one would come running. The hall remained empty. I slowly walked down, sticking to the walls, trying to crouch as much as my cut up legs and back would allow. Ornate paintings hung on the walls, black frames contrasting with the red rug down the hallway like a red carpet. I was nearly at the end of the hall when I heard a quiet voice rumble behind me. I froze in my tracks and my pulse raced.

"Looks like you're a bit lost darling."

I recognized the voice immediately. Atlas. That low, rumble of a voice. Hypnotic almost. Jesus Taria these men took you, get a grip. I stopped and slowly turned on my heel, facing him with my eyes open and semi-alert for the first time. What I felt last night could not compare to actually seeing him. He towered over me, his figure looked like it was carved out of stone. His arms were crossed across his chest, the teeshirt pulled tight over his biceps, showing off ornate Japanese tattoos. His right hip was leaning on the wall, completely relaxed. My eyes raised to his neck which was covered in tattoos of a dragon and a skull. Finally I locked eyes with him, and took in his face. He looked powerful, cruel and strong. His dark brows were arched perfectly and his blue eyes were framed with dark eyelashes. He had some stubble growing on his face and it framed perfect lips and a jaw that looked like it could cut diamonds. All in all, gorgeous, hard and terrifying.

Oh my god Taria STOP GAWKING. Speak you idiot!

"Um, I was...I was just-" my dumbass sentence got stuck in my throat and halted without me finishing.
"Let me guess," he said while smirking at me, "You were trying to leave, figure out what happened to you, where you are. Right?" He lifted one eyebrow at me, with a gaze that read my mind so clearly it was like I was speaking out loud to him.

"As a matter a fact I was. So...answers would be appreciated. Or maybe just take me the fuck home considering you took me last night?" Somehow I found the strength to act bold even though my legs were shaking.

"I'll tell you everything if you come back to the room with me." He leaned closer to me and practically whispered it in my ear. I shivered. My legs were hurting, my back was burning and my head felt like it was going to explode.  He gestured his arm towards the bedroom and my feet somehow moved without my saying so towards where I woke up. I hurried past him, still afraid, still uneasy around a complete stranger who practically kidnapped me. I backed up into the room, leaning against a chair, but not daring to sit in it.

Atlas followed me in, shutting the door behind him, making me panic. He headed straight for the bed and threw himself on his back among the pillows and rumples sheets I slept in the night before. I blinked, and felt like that was a weird position for this giant man to be throwing himself into in front of a complete stranger. I just stared at him unable to speak and drew myself farther away from him. My fear was not lessening but part of my brain still wanted answers. He raised his head up on his hand, leaning on his elbow, and stared at me with curiosity.

"If I wanted to kill you I would have already. Or left you to that guy in the alley." He said it so casually that I didn't know how to react other than pinch my brows together and let my mouth fall open slightly in surprise. Atlas laughed quietly, a raspy but somehow smooth laugh straight from the bottom of his chest. "Come here" he said in a low voice, commanding not asking.

I slowly walked towards him, my hand rising to my neck out of habit, I'd done it any time I was anxious since childhood. His eyes noticed and pierced mine.
I gulped. I stood by him, the front of my thighs touching the side of the bed, inches away from his bulging thigh. He looked at me, drinking me in it felt like. I tried to hide my panic as well as my quickened breathing. He sat up and positioned me in front of him, in between his legs. Not too close, somehow keeping a respectful distance between us. He lifted my hands, inspecting my scratched palms. He ran his fingers over my neck and face assessing the bruises and tenderness. He turned me slowly so I was facing away from him, lifted my shirt and checked my bandages and cuts. The feel of his hands and fingers on me was making me melt, while also making me scared. I didn't remember much about last night, but I remember being dragged, and me trying to fight the knee that was pushing my legs apart. Then nothing. Clearly Atlas knew more, and I wanted those details. I needed them for my own anxiety's sake.

He turned me back around so I was facing him. He looked up at me slightly, he was so tall that even though he was sitting he was practically eye level with me. He looked...angry, but when I looked deeper I saw sadness, pain even. I tried to swallow but it got stuck in my bruised throat. He smiled softly at me, the expression quickly disappearing.

"How could someone hurt you." He said it as a statement, not a question. I absorbed his anger and pain and my hand raised to his face without me trying. I suppose out of instinct I felt the need to comfort, even if he was a dangerous stranger. I put my palm on the side of his face, my fingers sliding into his hair.

"Please tell me who you are. Please tell me what happened." I whispered to him, not breathing. I couldn't believe I was touching him. He could kill me.

At first he flinched at my touch, but then softened and leaned into it slightly. The warmth of his face traveled up my arm, the cuts on my palms didn't feel pain. His long black hair swept over my hand as I pushed it slightly off of his face. He looked at me and said in a low voice "I'll tell you anything you need to know."