Page 35 of Filthy Secret

Nodding a single time, I take a step backward. I’m not sure what the fuck to think of this. They’re lying in bed together, but it’s clear it’s not romantic. However, my woman is in bed with another man, and that pisses me off on principle alone.

RYAN

I can tell Atomic is pissed as hell. I don’t know if he’s going to do something, say something. Holding my breath, I watch him and wait for him to explode. But he doesn’t. Instead, he jerks his chin toward me, and I move toward the middle of the bed as he strips down to his underwear, then slips in beside me.

And for the next hour, Atomic, Brew, and I lie in bed and watch Hoarders together. I’m not sure how I feel about any of it, but the whole thing makes me smile. Nothing about this moment reminds me of the past. Because in the past, this never would have happened.

Brew was never really part of our relationship. He is Atomic’s biological brother, but past that, unless we were at a club party, we didn’t spend much time together. As my eyes grow heavy, I wonder why that’s suddenly changed. Not that I am complaining. In fact, I’m a little envious because, of all the things I’ve been through with my sister, I’ve never had a moment quite like this.

I don’t think about it anymore because I fall asleep in the next breath. And when my eyes open, although it feels like only a few moments have passed, I’m alone and the sun is shining through the cracks in the blinds.

Rolling onto my back, I stretch as I let out a sigh. Blinking, I stare at the ceiling for a moment. Even though there are only small beams of light, it’s still warm in the room, almost too warm, but I don’t want to move.

Until I sit straight up, my heart racing in a panic as I realize that Adam is not in here with me. And my son is nothing if not an early riser. Too early most days. Reaching for my phone that is charging on the floor next to the bed, I glance at the time. Panic flows through my entire body because it is nine in the morning, and there is no way in hell that Adam is still asleep.

Throwing the blankets off my body, I slip my legs over the side of the bed and stand tall. My thighs tremble as I attempt to hold myself up. My center is sore. Actually, every muscle in my body is sore. It’s been so long since I’ve been with someone I’d forgotten what the morning after feels like.

I feel a little hungover almost. I feel a lot amazing. But as I throw on an oversized sweater that acts as my robe and make my way down the hall and into the living room, all that sexual euphoria disappears and is replaced with another kind.

The maternal kind.

There is my son, sitting at the small rectangular coffee table. An empty bowl of cereal to the side and a set of Legos in front of him as he focuses on the instructions while cartoons play in the background.

Then there’s Grover, who is sitting on the couch, his gaze focused on Adam. I don’t know what he’s thinking. I can’t quite make it out. But I don’t care either. Just the sight of them in the same room together makes me feel all warm and squishy inside.

“Mornin’, babe.”

My head jerks and my eyes widen as I focus on Atomic… Grover. “Morning,” I exhale.

“Brew already went home,” he murmurs, but I didn’t ask.

In fact, I kind of forgot about Brew. Last night was nice, seeing him again. Talking to him again, but my focus is on Grover and only him. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I move one step, then another closer to him.

He reaches up, circling his arm around my waist before he tugs me down to his lap. I fall easily, happily, willingly. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I release my teeth from my lip just as his mouth touches mine.

“You don’t get into a bed again with another man. I don’t give a fuck who he is, yeah?” Grover grumbles against my lips.

My breath hitches as I pull back, my eyes wide as I look at him for a moment. “That’s not what that was,” I murmur.

He jerks his chin slightly. “Yeah, I know it wasn’t. Doesn’t fuckin’ matter, though. I don’t want you in a bed with another man, ever.”

“Does that rule apply to you, too?” I ask, my brow arching as I wait, challengingly, for an answer.

His lips curve up into a grin. It’s a shit-eating grin, so I know he is going to say something I don’t like, and I’m ready to stand and tell him that, too, except I’ve never really stood up to this man in my life. Only once, and I didn’t stand up to him as much as I walked away from him.

“No man will be in my bed, legs.”

“Grover,” I warn.

He doesn’t say anything else, not that he can, because Adam suddenly realizes that I’m awake and in the room. He asks me to come and look at his Legos. Narrowing my eyes on him, I hope he’ll say something reassuring, but he doesn’t. I slide off his lap and sink down to my knees beside Adam, feeling extremely self-conscious and embarrassed.

I should know the answer to that.

I doubt that in all the changes Atomic has made, his sexual habits and appetites are any of those transformations.

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

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