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He’d never been on his own in his life, but for some reason that wasn’t what bothered him the most. Neither was walking on the right side of the law for the first time since he was twelve. The biggest problem he was having was the weird, sinking emptiness where his hopes for a future with Mila used to be. Of course, he’d been completely delusional thinking she’d just get over him being the enemy. But being reasonable with her around had been impossible. Who wouldn’t go a little crazy around a feisty, sarcastic cop with big brown eyes and a smile that could make him forget his own name?
By the time he arrived at the hotel, it was teeming with people. Luke and Ophelia were already in the lobby, and Fox and Addison were with them, chatting.
“Whose idea was this anyway?” Fox asked as Atlas joined them. “Zombie Burlesque? Really?”
Ophelia laughed and smacked him. “Well, it was this or something highbrow. For some strange reason I figured funny, sexy, and zombie-related would go over better with this crowd.”
“Seriously? You’re going to complain about sexy zombies, Fox?” Addison teased. “After what you had me dress up in the other night?”
Luke, Ophelia, and Atlas all automatically put their hands over their ears for the rest of that exchange, and the flicker of interest rather than embarrassment in his brother’s eyes made Atlas very glad he couldn’t hear what Addison was teasing him about.
Fox made the sign for time-out, and they all uncovered their ears and sighed in relief.
“Hold me, Luke,” Ophelia said, shuddering. “I think I heard some of that.”
“Not your kink?” Luke asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
She glared at him. “No. Don’t even think about it, mister.”
Atlas opened his mouth to make a joke about horror movie role play, then realized the knife play aspect made him think of that last night with Mila.
He looked at his family and forced back a feeling of regret. It was too late for that. Even though Mila hadn’t stuck around, going straight had been the right decision for him. The decision hadn’t been about her in the first place, but she’d been the wake-up call he’d needed.
“What’s up, Atlas?” Fox asked.
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I still can’t believe this is your last night in town.”
Addison nudged his shoulder with her own. “We’ve been scouting San Fran for a month. It’s not like it’s new.”
“But tomorrow you’re moving out,” Atlas said. “Packing up your shit and taking it to San Francisco makes it real. I’ve been pretending you were on vacation.”
“Awwww . . . baby brother is going to miss us.” Fox hugged him and picked him up off his feet, then let go of him and put a hand over his midsection. “Crap. I think I just gave myself a hernia.”
“Of course I’ll miss you, fuckstick.”
Luke put his hands on either side of Ophelia’s belly. “Shhh. Stop teaching our kids bad words. If the F-word is every s
econd word out of their mouths we’ll be forced to homeschool.”
“Oh . . . about that . . .” Ophelia’s smile at Luke was beatific.
Luke sighed and shook his head indulgently. “Ha. And I take it homeschooling is going to be my job?”
“Probably. It really is better for them,” she said with apologetic enthusiasm.
Around them the lobby was crowded. Atlas checked his phone for the four hundredth time that day. Almost showtime. Still no message from Mila, of course, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from checking. He was still hoping she’d lose her moral compass and show up on his doorstep. There was a good reason she’d never said “I love you” back to him though. It was time he just fucking dealt with that.
Addison tugged Fox closer. “Hey, at the new house we should set up a schoolroom too.”
“Maybe. But only if I get to have one of those jackets with the leather elbow patches.”
She smiled a dirty little smile. “Only if I get a white blouse and little plaid kilt.”
“Do you promise not to hand your homework in on time, young lady?”
She nodded slowly, looking up at him and biting her lip. “I hope I’m not in too much trouble, headmaster.”
“This is why we can never have children.” Fox chuckled evilly and started to back Addison toward a nearby service hallway.
