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35
Troy
Atlas’s greedy handsand mouth are all over me as soon as we’re in his apartment, and before I know it, he’s got my back against the door.
“I like my frisky Atlas,” I say as he gives our lips a moment’s rest.
“Just wanna get to doing all the things I couldn’t do in front of your mom.” He plants another kiss, starting off firm, but then turns gentle before he licks up my lips and pulls away.
There’s concern in his expression. Maybe I know it so well because we’ve gotten good at reading each other after all these years. Or maybe it’s because I saw it when he showed up at the hospital. As much as I hated that I’d made him worry, it was nice to see how much he cared. After what happened with Brandon, it was refreshing to see Mom and Atlas drop everything to be there for me. Reminded me that the people who matter in my life, I don’t have to wonder why they’re not around or try to drag them back into my life against their will. They show up because I matter to them.
“How’s your hand?”
“The pills they gave me helped with the pain.”
“And how are you feeling, outside of the hand?”
It’s been a wild night. The shit with Brandon. The searing pain before the paramedics arrived. Glen walking in on Atlas and me. Finding out about Glen cheating on my mom. And then allthose hours in the hospital to spin in the mindfuck of everything that happened, before I was finally discharged this morning.
As I consider Atlas’s question, he whispers, “Be honest.”
It reminds me of special, intimate moments we’ve shared. But now he’s not just wanting to know my secret wishes and desires, but my heart.
And he’s already got that.
“I’m sad for Mom,” I confess. “I know she was trying to keep it together for us, and I’m proud of her. That couldn’t have been easy. I know she loves the life we’ve gotten to live with Glen. And I know how much she wanted it to work. Not just for her, but for me too.”
Atlas rests his hand against the side of my face, and as I relax into his hold, his thumb strokes my cheek.
“I’m glad you get how hard that was for her,” he says. “And you should be proud. She really put that dick in his place.”
But even in his concern for me, I see something else in that green gaze. “Now it’s your turn,” I say. “How do you feel? About Glen? Be honest.”
I know howIfucking feel about that bastard. That I’d already wrecked my good hand had probably worked out for all of us and kept me from having charges pressed against me.
Atlas bites his bottom lip, his gaze wavering. “Like I’ve been killing myself trying to make it work with Glen for Mom. For years, even when he was a fucking asshole, I kept telling myself that’s what she would have wanted, but after he left last night, I knew if Mom had been in that room and seen his reaction, heard what he’d said about us, she would have told him to fuck off.”
There’s a sparkle as a tear wells in my Titan’s eye. I hook my arm around him, drawing him in for a hug.
“Did it feel as good to shout at him as it did for me?” Atlas asks, making me chuckle.
“It definitely felt good, but yours had that extra kick ofI’m sick and tired of this assholethat could only come from you.”
He leans back and says, “I hope Ellie drags his ass in the divorce.”
“You have any lawyers you’d recommend?”
Atlas tilts his head. “Now that you mention it, Glen had a falling out with a powerhouse family law attorney a few years back. Maybe that’s what he gets for making me show up to his stupid parties. I bet Ellie could reach out to him.”
“She’ll probably take you up on that. I can’t imagine Glen making it easy on her.”
His playful expression turns serious again. “Don’t worry, T. We’ll be there for her.”
And fuck, I love that he saidwe’llbe there for her. That he thinks about our future, and I’m in it with him.
“It’s nice that Mom knows about us now. No need for an awkward conversation about it.”
“Too bad. I was hoping we’d get to have a big surprise coming-out party. I mean, we can still do that. I’d love to send Glen an invite.”
