Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele

Chapter 74 [Atlas]

When Cordelia called to tell me she was coming over, panicked. I wasn't expecting to hear her voice. I didn't think to tell her not to come. I also didn't have the chance to tell her that her mother is here throwing her sister a bridal shower.

A bridal shower she had not been invited to. Intentionally.

Angelica and her friends are taking up most of the living room, magazines spread out all over the floor, as they work together to plan the perfect wedding. Meghan Greyson, Angelica and Cordelia's mother is in my kitchen helping April make scones for their impromptu wedding party.

Things have been getting weirder between Angelica and me the longer we live together. Most of the things she does are fairly harmless, like throwing last-minute parties or surprising me with cupcakes for a birthday that happened three months ago. Other times her behavior is more erratic.

For example, Angelica has snuck into my bedroom several times now, and when I ask her about it the next day she claims to have been sleepwalking. Into my bed. Naked. It's happened enough times now that I'm starting to consider getting better locks. Yesterday, I woke up to find her taking a shower in my bathroom.

When I try to set boundaries with Angelica, she becomes confused. When I ask her about any of her odd behavior, she gets flustered and starts to get loud. Even her doctors are baffled. While they admit that amnesia times differ from person to person, at this point, she should be getting some flashes from her life over the past five years.

But so far there has been nothing, not even the smallest recollection to help her jumpstart her memory. If anything, she seems to be forgetting more and more each day. Even her memory of 5 years ago is faulty. The worst reactions, the memories that give her the most pain, however, are those involving Cordelia. Worried about her and the baby, and not wanting to lose sight of her again, I had originally hoped to bring Cordelia home after I found her on the island. Considering how happy Angelica had been to see her in the hospital, and how she had announced that Cordelia be her maid of honor, I assumed it would be fine with Angelica.

But once I started suggesting it, Angelica got strangely curt and almost violent. She accused me of cheating on her, of using her baby sister-things I used to say to myself before I realized how much I love Cordelia.

When Cordelia's house burned down, I was planning to fight for her, to make sure Angelica understood how important it was for me to make sure her younger sister was safe.

But when I made the suggestion, she made me swear to never have Cordelia in this house ever again. Not even for a visit, unless Clark was there to make sure I wasn't "breaking my vows."

"If you love me," she insisted, "You'll never be alone with my sister ever again. She will never spend another moment underneath this roof."

And now I just invited Cordelia over. She didn't mention anything about Clark, so I am assuming she mustContent property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

be alone.

Picking up my phone, I call Cordelia's phone, hoping to warn her in time., but my call goes straight to voicemail.

"Damn it!" I grumble under my breath as I stare at this useless method of technology. Of course, she didn't answer, she was probably on her way right now and unable to answer her phone.

"Atlas!" Angelica calls as I rush past her and her group of friends in my race to the front door. "Did you want to see? the bridesmaid's dresses?"

"No," I answer abruptly not waiting for a response as I march out the front door. Angelica's face falls when she hears my harsh tone and I know I should care, but I don't. Right now all of my thoughts are focused on sparing Cordelia any unnecessary pain. "Atlas," Angelica huffs behind me, her foot tapping on the ground. "That was just rude. I need you to go back inside and apologize to my friends."

She has her hands on her hips like a mother scolding her child. It feels so patronizing. No wonder Cordella hates it when I talk to her this way-it's demeaning

"Later," I say dismissing her, my eyes eagerly scanning the road leading up to the property. Angelica doesn't move. Rather than back away, she grows more insistent. "Now," she orders, stomping her foot. "Unless there is some reason why you can't come back inside. Are you waiting for someone?" "Someone is just coming over to discuss a business arrangement," I lie. "I didn't want it to disturb your party so I asked them to meet me out here."

"Oh," all of her anger melts away, leaving her usual sweet self. She looks touched at my consideration. I feel a little guilty about lying, but not enough to come clean. "I'm sorry, Atlas, for being so suspicious it's just that..."

Angelica stops mid-sentence as she sees Cordelia pull into our driveway.

It has been a couple of weeks since the ultrasound appointment when we named the baby together, and in that time she has grown even more beautiful. Her skin is glowing with health and life and her round belly is even cuter trapped inside that hideous suit. I'm so busy smiling like a fool as I watch her walk towards me that I almost do not see Angelica running straight for her sister.

VictoryAnne Vice Author