Page 13 of Atlas Uncharted

I shook my head, my face heating. “No. Why the hell would you even ask me that?”

Mike let out a humorless laugh. “Because I see the way he looks at you. And I see the way you don’t look at him.” He shook his head, his voice getting rougher.

Frustration my stomach roil. “I’m not lying. There’s nothing going on. He’s Ashlen’s boyfriend.”

Mike just stared at me.

He didn’t believe me.

He stood up, running his hands over his face. “I can’t do this.”

My stomach dropped. “Mike—”

He held up a hand. “Nah. I’m not gonna be some idiot sitting here pretending I don’t see what’s right in front of me. You fuck his ass.”

Then, before I could say another word, he grabbed his keys, shot me one last look, and walked out.

The apartment was quiet again.

I was so confused.

I let out a slow, shaky breath, rubbing my temples.

The bedroom door creaked open.

I looked up.

Atlas strolled out and into the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, twisting off the cap.

Then, casually he said “He doesn’t trust you. You shouldn’t be with someone who doesn’t. And he’s insecure. You deserve better.”

I clenched my jaw. “Go to hell, Atlas.”

He chuckled.

I flipped him off, grabbed the blanket, and laid down on the couch.

The bedroom door clicked shut.

Chapter 7

Kairi

About fifty feet away at the bar, Atlas was staring at me. He was always staring at me. It was a bad habit he couldn’t kick, and it was one Mike had picked up on early. Now I couldn’t ignore it. I still couldn’t believe Mike had broken up with me like I was the one who had done something wrong, like I had invited the attention. Two years had passed since that mess ended, and now Ashlen and Atlas were two and a half years deep into whatever the fuck they called a relationship.

I’d taken to calling them the toxic duo—fight, fuck, break up, repeat. It was their cycle, and I’d become a pro at dodging their drama, slipping through the cracks when they were together and ducking Atlas when he was alone. I only let our paths cross out of necessity.

Like tonight.

We were at Ashlen's birthday celebration, a profligate affair that mirrored her personality. Atlas had paid for it all. Bottles. VIP. Dinner. Ashlen loved this lifestyle for herself. She spent his money like she spent her daddy’s. And I loved that for her.

The VIP section was thick with a sultry mix of expensive perfumes and laughter teetering on the edge of hysteria, the kind that only comes when everyone’s either drunk, high, or both. I sipped my drink, the burn of the brown liquor trailing fire downmy throat. I exhaled as the warmth spread through me like a slow release.

Mason was beside me. Tall and inked up, his mixed Black and Indian heritage giving him this exotic edge that he played up. Everything about him screamed bad boy, but deep down, he was just a nerd fronting, hiding behind tattoos and a row-club body. Still, somehow, I knew he could fuck me to sleep if I let him, and I was thinking very hard about letting him. He was one of Atlas's boys.

“Kairi,” Mason leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “You look like a fucking snack. You should let me eat your pussy,” he said, being vulgar and unapologetic, his lips brushing my skin, causing goosebumps to explode on my flesh.

I liked it.

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