Page 18 of Broken Trust

“Have patience with Kellen,” Colt said, drawing Atlas’s attention. “He’s going to fuck up a lot with you, but his heart will always be in the right place.”

“Do you two always try and kill each other?”

Kellen honked the horn.

“Let my brother explain our upbringing to you.” Colt jerked his head toward the door. “Kellen is panicking right now because of your hand. I wouldn’t suggest you keep him waiting.”

Using his good hand, Atlas twisted the door knob and hurried out. Kellen jumped from the driver’s seat and opened the passenger door. The smell of leather enveloped Atlas’s senses. He inhaled as he slid into the passenger seat, noticing how soft the leather was. Kellen reached in and buckled his seat belt, closed the door, and hurried around the car.

Atlas’s dad would need a drool bib if he saw this car. Kellen had ten muscle cars? If the two men ever met, Kellen had one hell of a conversation icebreaker.

“Try not to speed,” Atlas said. “This isn’t life or death, and I already broke one hand by stupidly punching a brick jaw. I don’t need to end up in a body cast.”

“You really do need to meet Sam.” Kellen pulled from the back of the house and drove down the driveway.

“Is he one of your skanks?”

Kellen chuckled, but Atlas saw the worry in his eyes. “He tried to beat the brakes off of one of them. Sam is mated to my friend Morgan. If he didn’t have two hundred stitches in his back, it would have been an epic takedown.”

Atlas lowered his hand onto his lap but quickly pulled it up and cradled it to his chest. “Why did he have two hundred stitches in his back?”

“I’m not telling you until your mind has dealt with what you already know.”

No lie, Atlas was curious as hell, but he was thankful Kellen was looking out for sanity. “Just how many shanks and bar whores do you have?”

Kellen sped down the road. He was probably used to driving that way in Lucille and didn’t notice his speed. “None. I’ve never double-dipped.”

“Not that it’s any of my business, but aren’t you afraid of catching something? I know condoms are effective, but—” Atlas’s mind froze when he realized they hadn’t used a condom. For the first time ever, he’d forgotten.

“Nonhumans can’t catch diseases,” Kellen explained. “Which means we can’t pass any along.”

“So I’m safe? We didn’t use one. I’ve never let any guy go bareback.”

Kellen clenched his jaw as his nostrils flared. “Babe, preternatural are extremely protective and possessive of their mates. Just hearing you talk about having sex with another guy makes me want to hunt him down and—”

“How many times within the past hour have I heard about the guys you’ve fucked?” Atlas demanded. “From what I gathered while you and Colt were trying to kill each other, every twink in town has been with you.”

“Not true,” Kellen argued. “I’ve rarely picked up a guy from Midnight Falls. I know a lot of people in different towns and cities. Whenever I visit, I find a hookup. The handful of guys in our town that I have had sex with have never stepped foot in my house.”

“You are a double-standard douchebag, Kellen. At least I can say I’ve only been with three guys before you. How many notches do you have on your belt?”

“I’m over two hundred years old!” Kellen exclaimed. “You can’t hold that against me!”

Atlas twisted in his seat and crossed his arms, only to shout when he remembered his hand was probably broken.

“Damn it, babe.” Kellen glanced at his hand. “You have to keep it still.”

“Watch the road! You’re going a hundred!”

Kellen rolled his eyes. “I’m going sixty. I feel like I’m going through a school zone at this speed.”

Atlas eyed him. “You do know that a school zone is twenty?”

“I was joking. We’re here, anyway.” Kellen pulled into the closest parking space by the front doors. He jumped out and helped Atlas out of his seat. Then he ran inside and came back with a wheelchair.

“Not a chance,” Atlas argued. “My legs work just fine, and I’m not in labor. I don’t need one of those.”

Kellen growled. “You’re hurt. Either sit or I carry you inside.”

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