Lola, Amala, and Haji’s freedom ca with a cost. In fact, it was almost impossible to achieve because Vito was not a generous man. He could be, in certain areas, but whatever he claid as his would always remain his.
That man never let go of any leash he put on.
Lola knew that, yet she still fought to reclaim her freedom. So when Vito finally agreed, she knew there would be a price.
And she was right.
Vito gave her one last mission with the promise that he would let her go once she completed it.
Steal the blueprints of all three main regions of the Ravah Territory.
It was essentially a mission ant to kill her.
A place he personally selected as her grave.
But Lola ca back alive and completed the mission flawlessly. Hence, when she would joke about "crawling out of hell," it wasn’t just a taphor. She literally clawed her way out of that hell to live the life she has now — and that was why she treasured it more than she could ever say out loud.
Everyone stared at Lola in stunned silence. Izu and Allen’s jaws practically hit the floor. As for Atlas, his brows were deeply knitted.
"You have the blueprints?" Atlas asked.
Lola nodded. "Yeah," she said, tapping her temple. "Right here. I can draw them out for you guys, but it’ll take ti."
After all, before Lola beca a successful businesswoman with a construction company, she was Taz — a comic illustrator and an engineer. She could recreate the blueprints she had morized, but they were heavily detailed.
However, the situation was already at its worst. They didn’t have the luxury of waiting for her to finish everything first.
"I can summarize the routes we can take for the rescue," she continued, her eyes sweeping across the room before locking on Atlas.
She didn’t even get the next sentence out before Atlas spoke, never breaking eye contact.
"We’ll gather n for the mission." He nodded once. "Tell who we need."
Lola smiled and nodded, then listed the specific requirents for the team. They needed more than sharpshooters and combat experts — this mission demanded people with different specialties.
Atlas and Allen nodded in agreent.
"I’ll gather them as soon as possible," Allen said imdiately. "I’ll give you their profiles once I’m done."
"Good." Atlas then glanced at Izu. "Izu, help Allen."
Surprise flashed across Izu’s face. "?" he blurted, but Atlas only stared at him expectantly. "Yes, sir."
Izu turned to Allen and bowed his head slightly. And then...
"I’ll go too because I’m bored," Haji announced, raising his hand. "I’m allowed, right?"
Atlas nodded without hesitation.
With that, the three exited the office. Lola watched them go, still leaning against the table with her hands braced on its edge.
Once the door clicked shut, Atlas turned back to Lola.
"What happened to the blueprints?" he asked with genuine curiosity in his voice.
Lola grinned at him.
"Well," she smacked her lips lightly and glanced at the map, "I burned them all."
Atlas’s brow arched as she chuckled and gave him a knowing look.
"Vito sent on a last mission, told that if I completed it, he’d let go," she said. "But knowing that cunning snake, he’d find a way to keep even after the job."
Even if the chance of her survival was lower than one percent, there was still a chance — and Lola was stubborn enough to play mind gas with Vito.
"So, after stealing the blueprints, I burned them," she said with a shrug. "I morized everything, and since I was the only person who saw all three maps at once, it beca my leverage. That’s how I bought Haji and Amala’s freedom too. Although for the longest ti, Haji barely got his leash loosened."
Atlas listened carefully, his eyes lingering on her face. After a mont, he let out a shallow chuckle and shook his head. Then he lifted his hand toward her.
"Co here," he said.
Lola gladly took his hand and skipped closer. The mont she reached him, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her onto the edge of the table. Standing between her legs, he rested his hands on either side of her hips.
"Good thing he didn’t put a bullet in here," he murmured, pointing between her brows.
Her lips stretched into a wicked smile.
"Baby, do you think I didn’t consider that?" she teased, looping her arms around his neck. "I gave him a detailed map of where he could earn money. And if there’s one thing that man loves, it’s fast money in Ravah."
Atlas’s eyes darkened, utterly enchanted by her.
"I’ll have my dessert now," he whispered before capturing her lips hungrily.
Lola resisted for a second, brows twitching as she inhaled his breath. His hand worked quickly, fingers sliding toward the buttons of her blouse. Pressed against him, she clung to his shoulders as he slowly pinned her back against the table. Her hips were pulled down until her thighs wrapped around his waist, her skirt riding up and revealing the lace of her panties.
But the mont she felt his erection pressing against her, she paused. Her hand slapped his shoulder lightly, making him break their kiss until his face was hovering close.
"What?"
"..." Lola blinked at him. "Is this table new?"
A smirk tugged at his lips. "All the tables here are new."
Even the countertops were newly renovated to his "perfect dinsions."
She pouted, then pulled him back into another kiss. But as their lips moved in heated silence, her heel pressed sothing hidden beneath the table edge.
A soft beep and a burst of light flashed in the corner of her eye.
"Hmm?" She stopped and turned her head slightly.
Atlas groaned. "What now?"
Lola didn’t answer as her eyes widened.
"Huh?" she whispered.
Thin beams of light shot up from the table’s rim, forming a holographic projection of a map. A 3D holographic tactical map.
Specifically, Ravah.
Her jaw dropped. "You have this all along?"
Atlas glanced at the holographic display. "Mhm."
"Why didn’t we use it!?" she gasped.
Atlas paused... then answered honestly:
"Because you pulled out a map."
He was Lola’s devoted husband. So even though he had a recent satellite-synced map of Ravah Territory... he didn’t use it.
"I didn’t want to hurt your feelings," he added before dryly saying, "Can we continue now? I’ve been trying to get into your pants for the past two hours. My groin is starting to hurt, Lola Bennet."
Lola stared at him, dumbfounded.
"I can’t decide if I’m speechless because we could’ve used this map... or because all these tables were upgraded... or because my husband wants to devour regardless of the situation."
Atlas chuckled, leaning dangerously close.
"Let know the answer after."
And just like that, he finally got his way.
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