CHAPTER ONE

ATLAS

––––––––

"Final night as a single man," Levi says, lifting his shot glass of Cincoro Tequila in the air and slapping Knox on the back.

"It's not a prison sentence. I love Payton." Knox tosses the clear liquid back.

I do the same, then roll the sleeves of my black shirt up and adjust my silver and diamond Chopard timepiece so it sits on my wrist more comfortably.

It was a gift from my father last Christmas.

We're at one of the most exclusive clubs in Philly, which we hired out. Tonight is Knox's bachelor party.

Yes, my big brother is getting married. Knox did in fact take Payton home the night of my birthday and, well, the rest is history.

It cost him the position of CEO—for now— in our family business, Montgomery Enterprises, but as they say in the movies, he got the girl.

And knocked her up.

It's a much happier story than my disastrous one.

Don't.

I haven't seen Molly since that night. She hasn't answered any of my calls for two months.

Two months!

I never pursue a woman for that long. It's almost bordering on obsessive. I'm not beyond stalking her and in fact, I considered it a time or two.

The truth is, I have messaged her regularly and expected her to reply. Then I thought she'd be at the close friends and family engagement party Payton and Knox had a month ago, but she wasn't.

I was sure the two were close.

I haven't seen much of the happy couple as they've navigated their new world, the arrival of the baby and making wedding plans.

Me, I've been busy with work and applying for one of the most coveted design awards in our industry.

Mostly, I wanted to keep what happened private, unsure if it would backfire if I asked Payton if Molly was interested in me.

Pathetic.

And for the record, I've never had to lower myself to asking before.

Getting a date is not usually this damn hard.

What is it about that girl?

I don't know, but I want to see her again and I'm not a man who gives up easily.

Finally last week, Payton shared that Molly's grandfather had died. I almost cheered, which was completely inappropriate.

Two days after we met she flew to England for the funeral, and she's spent the past eight weeks over there.

I'm not sure why.

"Is she coming home?" I'd asked tentatively, not wanting to give away that I was interested in her.

Knox briefly asked about Molly after the party, and I said I had my driver take her home.

That's it.

Otherwise, no one knows anything.

Unless Molly told Payton.

I've gone over and over that night in my head wondering where I went wrong. I land on the same place. I was trying to be a gentleman and knew that if I fucked the sexy little stoned brunette she'd wake up regretting it.

Ironically, it was me that ended up with regrets the next morning. Don't ask me how many times I've wished I'd ripped those panties of her off and slammed my cock inside her.

Fuck being a gentleman.

I only half don't mean that.

Finding out that Molly was in England has renewed my hope. She was grieving her grandfather and dealing with a hangover the next day and who knows, she may've had a different phone number while she was in the new country.

Douchebag, she would've got in touch if she wanted to see you.

The fact is, until I speak to her again, I am not giving up.

I'm a Montgomery.

We do not give up.

Plus, I can't get those sparkling eyes and cheeky giggle out of my mind. Nor the sweet taste of her off my tongue.

I'm not going to believe that good guys come in last and I made a mistake. First of all, I'm not a good guy—I mean, I'm not some biker dude or in the mafia—but I do have a female rap sheet that's longer than most.

Comparable with my brothers I guess.

We don't have a spreadsheet.

Knox might.

My point is, I'm not monogamous with anyone and never have been. I enjoy variety. So meeting Molly and being the one charmed for a change captured, and has kept, my attention.

Hard.

I'm not ready to forget her. Not when there is a possibility of that spark being renewed and followed through on.

Apart from one ravenous moment where I ate her pussy like a starving man, that's all I've had of her. I want more.

No.

I'm not done with Molly Carter.

Not even slightly.

"She'll be home a few days before we fly to the Hamptons for the wedding." Payton told me last week.

Tonight's Saturday, meaning in five days I'll see her again.

She can't escape me there.

As Payton's bridesmaid, Molly will be traveling with us to the Hamptons via helicopter where we will be staying at Jacob Dufort's mansion.

Jacob is my half-brother—something we only recently found out—and his brother, Blake Dufort, is my brother-in-law. He married my sister Bella.

Families.

They're so complicated these days.

Most of the Dufort's—Blake and Jacob's cousins —will be attending now that we're one huge extended family.

So, with a Thanksgiving celebration kicking off the weekend, and the wedding on Sunday, that gives me a whole lot of time under one roof with the pretty brunette.

I'm confident I can reconnect with Molly and pick up where we left off.

Highly confident.

She liked me.

Fuck me, Atlas.

Highly. Confident.

Tonight we have a brother to torture.

"I never said it was a prison sentence," Levi says to Knox, ordering another round. "But it is a huge life change. You'll never sleep with another woman again."

"Technically," Billy says.

Remember Billy the pot supplier? Same guy.

Knox, who missed most of the humor gene, frowns. "I don't sleep with other women now."

I lay my hand on his shoulder and laugh. "Lighten up, big guy."

No more drinks for the groom.

I promised Payton he wouldn't come home completely hammered. She's three months pregnant and still having morning sickness. Her exact words were If my fiancé is sicker than me in the morning, then I will not be responsible for my actions.

Given she's going to be in my life forever as my sister-in-law, I'm taking those words seriously.

Levi slides a shot glass along the polished timber bar, and I catch it. She never said we can't drink as much as we like or get strippers.

The music shifts to the international porno tune that every man recognizes.

Knox groans and runs a hand over his face. "You're joking right?"

"Fuck no." I rest my back against the bar and grin. "Not at all."

Three gorgeous women walk in wearing the highest heels I've ever seen and very little else.

One is a nurse.

Another a teacher.

The third a dominatrix.

Around us, the fifty guys invited to my brother's bachelor party begin to cheer. The dominatrix slaps her whip on her thigh and gives us all a seductive dominant glare.

"Yeah, baby," one guy calls out.

"I hear you have a little boo-boo," the nurse says, walking toward Knox.

"I am going to kill you both," he growls under his breath.

"Worth it." Levi chuckles and grins at me, and I know he's thinking the same thing.

Twenty-something years of payback.

Finally.

It's a brother thing.

The stripper runs a hand down Knox's chest, and I can see she's not unhappy about it. He's a built guy draped in a five-thousand-dollar suit.

She could have got a worse gig tonight.

A deep grumble escapes Knox, and I know having someone else besides his fiancé touching his body is killing him.

Making it even more fun for me.

I feel something on my cheek and turn to see the teacher running her ruler down over my hard pec as the music pounds out an eighties cliché beat.

"I think you might need a spanking for not paying attention in class." She purrs, winking, and I'm not immune to the thick red gloss on her lips.

My cock twitches but as she spins around and bends over, I wish it was Molly's smooth peach staring back at me.

Billy slaps her right cheek.

Bad move. One of their security guards takes a step closer making himself known.

I nudge Billy and nod toward the security team. "Hands off."

"We can't touch?" he asks.

"They're dancers, not sex workers." I shake my head.

"I need to get laid." He grunts, rubbing his crotch.

So the fuck do I. It's been months and I haven't been interested in anyone since Molly walked out of my apartment.

Don't.

I want that wet pussy in my face again soon. I plan to sink my thick cock inside it and listen to her moan out my name.

Soon.

The fun we are going to have when she finally forgives me.

Because she will.