Page 35 of Broken Trust

Lowell glanced at Kellen, and his eyes sparkled as if he had just discovered another potential flirting target. “Hey, handsome.”

Atlas stormed around the counter, jealousy ripping through him. “That’s my husband, and if you don’t take your eyes off of him, I’ll remove them for you.”

The twink snatched the cup off the counter. “You’re only acting tough because your hunk is standing there.”

Snarling, Atlas reached for him, ready to wring Lowell’s neck as he thought of Glen and Braylon. Why couldn’t some people respect boundaries?

Kellen grabbed Atlas around his waist and pulled him back. “Never fight when there’s a cop nearby.”

Atlas glanced around and saw most of the customers had already left. The only ones remaining were Tillman and Laith, as well as Deputy Davis and Zayde. All four were watching him.

He jerked his head back around to the blond. “I don’t need my husband to protect me. I clocked a big son of a bitch in his jaw. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”

Atlas still felt bad about punching Colt. Since that disastrous discussion in the kitchen, he hadn’t seen Kellen’s brother, and Atlas had yet to apologize to Colt for hitting him.

“I swear there’s nothing but trash people in this town.” Lowell tossed the cup on the floor and walked out.

Mason came around the counter and picked it up, throwing the cup and lid into a nearby trash can.

“You could have at least let me clock him one time,” Atlas seethed. This time he wouldn’t have felt remorseful about punching someone. Atlas would have even settled for slapping the taste out of the skank’s mouth.

“Husband?” Mason looked Kellen over and then sniffed. “Wolf.”

Kellen’s nose twitched. “Bengal tiger.”

Atlas’s anger was momentarily forgotten as he stared at Mason, his brows hiked. “Did Kellen just call you Bengal tiger?”

Mason shook Kellen’s hand. “You must be Atlas’s mate if he’s referring to you as his husband. I’m Mason, and it’s nice to meet you. I had no idea that Atlas was even seeing someone, let alone mated.”

“Kellen.” He unwound one arm from Atlas to shake Mason’s hand.

Hold the phone. “You’re a shifter?” Atlas couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that he’d worked for Mason for six months and had no clue his boss wasn’t even human.

“Busted.” Mason chuckled. “How long have you two been mated?”

There were Bengal tiger shifters?

“A few days.” Kellen pulled Atlas closer in his arms, uncaring who was around them. Atlas loved that his mate showed him affection in public, something Glen had never done. His ex always said that petting and kissing belonged behind closed doors, and why was Atlas giving the spineless prick a moment’s thought?

Then the wheels started turning in Atlas’s head. If Mason was a shifter, that meant Elijah was his mate, not his boyfriend or husband.

“I’m gonna be working double time since Atlas can have his two-week honeymoon period,” Mason said. “It was that way before I hired him, so I can suffer through two weeks without him.”

Kellen looked just as confused as Atlas felt. “What’s that?” Atlas asked.

Mason smiled. “It’s when someone who is newly mated, if their boss is nonhuman, gets two weeks of paid leave to deepen their bond.”

“Why haven’t I ever heard of that?” Kellen asked.

“Beats me.” Mason shrugged. “It’s not a law. It’s just a courtesy preternatural business owners give.”

Two weeks with pay? “I can’t leave you hanging,” Atlas insisted. Mason had been too good to him, even if Atlas would love the time off.

“I’ll manage. I’ll take you off the schedule tonight.”

Kellen shook Mason’s hand again. “Thanks.”

“Congratulations to both of you,” Mason said with a smile. “Go ahead and get out of here, Atlas. Your shift is almost over, anyway.”

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