But then the joy fades, and reality sets in.
“I’m sorry, too,” I whisper. “For almost doing it—giving your body to that thing.”
“Shh,” Atticus coos, pulling me tighter against him with a wince. “I don’t care to hear it. Do you still love me?”
“What?Yes. Of course, yes,” I rush out, my eyes blowing wide as I stare at him.
He grins. “Then okay. We’re all good. Promise.”
“Does this mean I get to keep you now? Actually?”
Atticus sits up with a grunt, pulling me to follow suit. As I try to insist heshouldn’tbe doing this, he shushes me and holds out a pinky.
“Here. Link it with mine,” he instructs, so I do. I wrap my pinky around his. “I pinky promise, sweetheart, that I’m all yours now. Forever.”
Forever. You’d think the word would trigger me, but instead, as I stare into those beautiful hazel eyes, all I can think is a relievedfinally.
So I kiss him. Gentle and sweet, because heisstill injured, but there all the same.
Atticus sighs into my mouth, cupping my face with the hand not intertwined with mine.
“Missed this,” he murmurs. “Missed you so much. Never leave my side again.”
“I promise,” I tell him, tightening my pinky around his. “I swear it.”
Atticus
28
“I SHOULDN’T HAVE ACCEPTEDthe vacation,” Oscar tells me, low and dejected. “I should have been here for you, Young Master Atticus.”
“Nonsense.” I grin, taking his hand in mine. “How would I have explained to you all my late-night sneaking around?”
He doesn’t find the joke funny, only giving me a stern look. “Not funny. If I had seen it, I would have protected you.”
Our butler looks sad, genuinely guilty. And I can’t stand it.
“Truly, it’s not your fault. You deserved that break after helping Atlas how you did. Plus, wasn’t your wife sick?”
Oscar nods, squeezing my hand.
“Then, as I said, nonsense,” I continue. “And you’re here now, so if I somehow manage to make another deal with the devil, you can help then.”
“Not funny,”he repeats.
I laugh anyway. I can’t help it—in the past few days since myexorcism, my life has been so pleasant, sofull, that I almost believe I’m dreaming.
Sure, I’m shacked up in the guestroom, which isn’t ideal, but everything else is wonderful. Atlas hugs all over me, no longerafraid of walking in my direction; my body is completely in my control, and Father even said that at the end of the summer, I can start my employment with Portline Enterprises. He’sfinallygoing to train me to handle the business I’ll one day inherit.
Only three things are weighing on me now, and the first is Julian. I… I have to apologize to him. Not only did he literally jump from a cliff to save my baby brother—as I failed to—but he continues to protect him still.Andme, surprisingly.
He’s done all of this, and I still treat him like shit. I’m pretty sure I even told him to die before I was officially taken over that night.
The second thing weighing on me? I’m having horrible nightmares. Nightmares in which I’m barehandedly slaughtering my entire family and the man I love. I’m not sure how to handle them, how to escape them, and I haven’t found the courage to ask for help.
I still… I’m still struggling with my previous loss of control, so I’m not really looking to give anyone any ammunition to use against me.
And finally, my only other worry these past few days has been Cameron. The man I love—the one who was willing to break into my home and make a deal with a demon just to keep me.
