Something Worth Fighting For (21 page)

“I am mad at you but I don’t want to be without you. I can’t be.” I admitted. “You ever call me a bitch again and it won’t be my daddy you worry about.” I cut my eyes at him causing his lips to quirk up slightly.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you, you shit. But I’m still mad.”

“Yeah, you’re not the only one. Let me put on my boots, get Ares. Is that what happened to your lip?”

“Yes,” I answered quietly. “Do I have to?”

“Yes, go.” He smacked my butt as I turned around. I scowled, walking down the hallway.

“Ares?” I knocked on the door two down from Atlas’. “Ares?”

“Yeah Ellie?”

“Atlas said to get in the truck.”

“You told him?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh shit, I’m coming.”

Atlas was waiting by the front door with his cell phone and keys. “Get your bag,” he whispered in my ear. I nodded plucking my purse from the hanging rack in the living room. I gave him a questioning look as he slipped a stack of money into it. “Bail money if I need it.” He smirked as I rolled my eyes, his hand slipping into mine. “Lets go.”

Atlas called Jacks once we were in the truck filling him on what Katie had already told him. “I was wondering when you were going to call, I’m on my way.” Jacks voice went silent as the call ended.

My hands were in my lap, wringing the handle of my purse. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Atlas. “It’s okay Ellie Belle.” He used my dad’s nickname for me as he reached over squeezing my knee.

“I feel bad about all of this.”

“That’s absurd.”

“He’s your friend.”

“You’re more important.” He said sternly.

“But...”

“No, if he was really a friend or any sort of man for that matter he would have never touched you. If he wants to hurt a girl, and not just any girl, my girl then he has to deal with me.” Atlas’ knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel.

“You’re not winning this one, Ellie.” Ares gave me a sympathetic smile.

“I noticed,” I sighed giving it up. Atlas made a left at the red light, turning onto a tree lined road. Jacks familiar red Ford Mustang sat in the driveway. He was leaning against the trunk looking worse for wear. A cigarette hung from his lips as he pulled his shoulder length hair into a ponytail.

“He know I’m here?” Atlas shut my door a little too forcefully.

“No man, I’ll get him.” Jacks looked somber, he knew what was coming. “Micah get out here.” Jacks yelled through the door.

Minutes later Micah came out in just a pair of jeans. “Hey what’s up?” He nodded at Atlas.

“What’s up? What’s up is you touched my girl.” Atlas was losing his battle with remaining calm.

“Excuse me?” Micah raised his eyebrows feigning innocence.

“Dude, Katie saw you. Gavin and Bryce stopped you.” Jacks interjected.

“You lying fucking whore.” Micah spit at me, causing me to recoil. “What the hell? You believe this bitch over me?”

Atlas inhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling faster. “She has bruises, Micah.” Ares stepped up.

“Bullshit,” Micah snapped.

“Show him.” Atlas began pacing.

“Atlas.”

“Just show him.”

“Please...” I begged quietly.

“See! A lying bitch don’t want to admit she’s lying.” Micah said in a sing song voice.

“I saw them, Micah!” Atlas roared. “I fucking saw your handprints on Ellie!”

“Man this is such shit.” Micah stepped into the yard. “You know you don’t belong with her.”

“What?” Atlas asked clearly shocked.

“You should be with Stella. She has loved you forever, but no, you show up with this broad, rubbing it in her face.”

“So you thought roughing her up was a good idea? That I would believe you, leave her and end up with your sister? Atlas barked his laughter. “You’re a fucking idiot,
bro
.”

“I didn’t do anything to you.” My voice came out hoarse. “I didn’t do anything to her. Shouldn’t you just be happy for him?”

“Why? So you can cry it was rape this time when you sleep with him?” Micah sneered. “Google is a beautiful thing.”

I gasped, my pulse started pounding in my ears. Atlas handed me to Ares who held me to his side. “What did you fucking say?” He was in Micah’s face. Atlas had at least five inches on him and was twice his size.

“Your little pet has a wrap for crying rape.”

“She also has a scar across her stomach where he stabbed her. Care to explain that one, bitch?”

“Get out of my face, Atlas.” Micah warned.

“Make. Me. Mother. Fucker.” Atlas punctuated each word. I realized he was getting Micah to hit him first. “Come on bitch, make me. Where are your balls? Stella got ‘em? You’re bad enough to try to hit my girl but not me?”

Micah swung back connecting with Atlas’ jaw. Atlas laughed in his face, really laughed, like Micah had just told him the best joke he’d ever heard. “I’d run if I were you.”

“Fuck you.”

“Oh yeah?” Atlas reared back hitting Micah in the mouth. “Fuck me?” Another swing into his stomach causing Micah to double over coughing. “Fuck me?” Atlas yelled pulling Micah’s hair back, slamming his fist into his nose. “No man, fuck you.”

Micah was on the ground holding his face, blood dripping through his fingers. “Ares,” I whispered, “Ares, I need to sit down.” My vision was getting hazy as my stomach rolled at the sight of his blood.

Atlas was standing next to Micah, staring down at his broken ex-friend. He went to turn away but changed his mind, kicking him in the ribs. “You’re a piece of shit, you know that? We’re done. We are through.” Atlas spit on him. “I’d love nothing more than to break every bone in your pathetic body but you’re not worth the jail time. You are nothing. “

“Atlas...” My weak voice broke the tense silence as Micah didn’t dare move. “Atlas, he’s bleeding.”

“I know he’s bleeding, baby.”

“Atlas you know blood and I aren’t exactly a great mix.” I pulled away from Ares, leaning against the truck with my head between my knees.

Jacks clapped Atlas’ shoulder, “Come on man, it’s done.” He steered him back to the truck.

“Come here.” I called to him.

“Atlas she’s not looking so hot.”

“Ah fuck, blood makes her pass out.” Atlas ran over, picking me up, as Ares opened the back door. “I need to lay her down.”

“Thank you.” I choked out to Jacks.

“Don’t thank me. Katie told me, I would have done it myself.” Jacks smiled. “Take care of him.”

“Take care of my nephew.” I gave him a weak smile.

“Nephew, huh?”

“Yeah, I say it’s a boy.” I was trying to get my mind off the thought of blood.

Jacks laughed, “I hope so.”

“Bye Jacks.” I smiled at the man that Atlas claimed as another brother. “Tell Katie I’ll call her.”

“She’d like that.”

“Yeah? Me too.” Ares was forcing Atlas into the truck as Jacks effectively distracted me. I waved to him, closing my eyes as the doors shut.

“What was that about?” Atlas asked from the front seat.

“Talking to my brother in law thank  you very much.”

“Hm..”

“Uncle Atlas.” I smiled.

“Aunt Ellie, it’s cute, I like it.” He chuckled, the tension in his body leaving the further away Ares drove from Micah’s house.

“Feel better?”

“Do I feel better? How do you feel?”

“I’m not quite so dizzy. I think it’s worse when it’s my blood.”

“I’m okay, it’s going to take time.” He sounded disheartened.

“I know.” I rested my hand on his arm.

We drove the rest of the way back to Andy’s in silence.

❋❋❋

“I should go to my dad’s.” I told Atlas when we were in my car safely back in Jacksonville.

“What? Baby...”

“I need to at least go see him. You can come with me if you want.”

“Will you come home with me?”

“Atlas, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea...”

“Don’t let this ruin us, please.” His hands were tight around the wheel.

“It won’t.” I said but was honestly unsure. “I need to get clothes and check on him.”

“Move in with me.”

“What?” I looked at him my mouth hanging open. “Have you lost your mind?”

“Move in with me. I want to be able to come home to you every night. I want to know that there’s someone waiting on me. You can still check on your dad. You’re there almost every night anyway. Let’s do this right, move in with me, Ellie.”

He had a point that I couldn’t argue with I was always over there. “You have to promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“No more drinking in excess. I won’t do that again.”

“That’s easy enough. Is that a yes? Say yes.” Atlas glanced over at me staring out the window. “Ellie?” He prompted.

“Yes, but this is all or nothing.”

“I wouldn’t want anything less.”

We drove with me humming to the radio, all the way to my dad’s house. “Are you going to tell him about Micah?” Atlas asked we pulled to a stop in his driveway.

“No, he doesn’t need to worry about me.”

“Fine by me.”

“Ellie Belle is that you?” Dad called from the porch.

“Yeah old man, it’s me.”

“Old man, huh? Got your boy with you?”

“Yes sir, I’m still around.” Atlas laughed.

“Well shit,” Dad smirked as I came up the stairs, “Missed you, Belle.” He hugged me tight as I tried not to wince.

“Missed you too, Daddy.”

“Atlas, good to see you.” He shook Atlas’ hand.

“You too, sir.”

“I think you can call me Ben by now, I’ve told you half a dozen times. Atlas in my house, it’s okay.” Dad led us inside crashing down onto the couch.

“Yes, sir... Ben.” Atlas laughed. “That’ll take some getting used to.”

“How was Texas?”

“Beautiful, I have never seen a sunset like that except maybe Hawaii. But it’s a battle.”

“How’s your family?”

“They’re great, they were excited to meet our girl.” Atlas wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

“Who wouldn’t be?” Dad smiled at me.

“My thoughts exactly.” Atlas agreed.

“Ellie, Keller showed me a video of you on
YouTube
.”

“What?!”

“Yeah, you were singing in a barn. You’re damn good.” Dad nodded as I glared at Atlas.

“I might have sent it to your brother.”

“I’m going to kick your ass.”

“The boy has a point, you’re talented.”

“Don’t gang up on me. You’re not taking his side, I’m not happy about this.” I crossed my arms like a petulant child.

“When are you not pissed off?” Dad teased as Atlas looked up at the ceiling trying not to laugh.

“Bite me.” I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Now, now.” Dad scolded me.

“Ellie and I were thinking about moving in together.” Atlas blurted out, getting rewarded with another glare.

“Is this true?” Dad looked to me. I nodded, biting the inside of my lip. “So this is serious?” He pointed between us.

“Yes sir.” Atlas spoke up.

“What are your intentions with my daughter, Atlas?”

“I intend to marry her, once I ask for your blessing. When the time comes, of course.” He rambled nervously.

“Unfortunately that’s not my decision to make, Ellie knows she always has a place to go if need be.”

“Of course, Dad.”

“It’s a big step.”

“I know.”

“And are you ready?” He spoke to me as if Atlas wasn’t in the room.

“He knows, Dad.”

“What?” He looked at me, shocked.

“I told him, it was time.”

“And?”

“I would give my right arm to have thirty minutes in a room alone with the bastard.” Atlas said flatly.

“You and me both.” Dad sighed.

“That’s saying something, it’s my trigger finger.” Atlas kissed the side of my head.

“Well Ellie?” Dad prompted.

“He leaves in a few weeks so I’ll probably be back here most of the time. Don’t worry I’ll still take care of you.” I smiled warmly at my father.

“Don’t worry about me I’m a big boy.”

“I’m well aware but you can’t cook for shit.”

“I’m not going to starve Ellie Belle.”

“You might.”

“Incentive to learn how,” he smirked, “damn my little girl is moving out.”

“Don’t get all sentimental on me now, man up, princess.”

“Yeah right,” dad snorted, “I should probably tell you now...” He rubbed his hands together.