Page 49 of Atlas Uncharted

Davis stood silent.

"I lied to you because... the truth was embarrassing," I admitted, looking down at my hands. "I didn’t want you to know how messy my life was. You know me as the strong, put-together New York author. I didn’t want to change that by admitting the real circumstances behind Dion’s birth."

Davis took a step closer. "So why now, Kairi? Why tell me this now?"

I met his eyes. "You deserve the truth, no matter how ugly it is. I lied because I was afraid—afraid of how it would make me look,afraid of how it would change how you saw me. I needed you to see the version of me I was trying to be."

I sighed and blinked back tears. This was harder than I thought it would be; it felt like closing the door to a room I never got to fully explore. "I’m owning my mistakes now. And I’m sorry." My eyes flicked to Atlas. "I was stupid and let my best friend’s husband string me along for years. And in a moment of weakness, I made a mistake that changed everything.”

Davis shook his head. "You could’ve told me from the start, Kairi. I was there for you, and I would’ve understood. But you made me look like a fool. You made me care about a child while lying about the father."

I nodded. "I know," I said quietly. "And that’s why I’m standing here now, telling you everything.”

His face softened slightly, stepping even closer until he was right in front of me. "Did you ever love me, Kairi?"

I blinked, not expecting that question. "Almost," I admitted. "I almost loved you, Davis. I wanted to, and I would’ve loved you with all of me because you were good to me." My voice dropped. "Good for me. Mind, body, and soul. You actually treated me the way I deserved."

"Almost isn’t enough," he said softly. "But I forgive you. Not for you, but for me. I need to move on."

He stepped into my space, reached up, and cupped my face gently—his fingers warm against my skin. "You don’t seem like the same Kairi I knew in New York. You’re different here. I don’t know the full story, but I can see it in your eyes—you’re not yourself anymore."

His words hit me harder than I expected, and I felt my throat tighten. "I’m trying to find myself again," I whispered.

Davis leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "I hope you do. Call me if you need anything," he said, quiet—like he was leaving a door open. Then he kissed me on the lips—so soft I wanted to cry. He pulled away.

Watching Davis walk out of my life had me feeling so much regret it hurt physically,

I turned to Atlas. Malice morphed his feature. Good. He was mad. Nobody told him to insert himself into a private conversation; he hurt his own feelings.

"You’re a bully, Atlas," I snapped, before he tried to play victim. "You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve given me a minute alone to apologize. Keep it up, and I swear—if you push me further, you’ll have me feeling more angry than guilty, and we might end up in court after all.

Atlas didn’t react immediately. He stood up, walked toward me, and brushed his fingers across my lips, wiping away the kiss from Davis. The gesture felt dismissive, but he said, "I hear you." Then he stepped back.

"Get Dion ready," he said quietly, his tone eerily calm. "I’m going to make breakfast.

Then he turned and walked away, leaving me to work through everything that had just happened in my head.

Chapter 35

Atlas

Fuck Davis.

Why couldn’t she look at me like she had looked at him? All soft and vulnerable. She looked at him like he hung the fucking moon.

It had just happened, and it was already festering in my head. Davis stood there in front of me—in front of her—telling her he was moving on, and she stood there looking as if she was about to cry.

But me? I didn’t get that.

No, she couldn’t even look at me without the bitterness in her eyes. Ever since college, bitterness or defiance.

What was it about him? What did he do to deserve that tenderness—while I deserved to be lied to?

I couldn’t stop replaying that kiss.

The soft way he touched her face. The way her lips parted for him.

She let him kiss her like I wasn’t right there.

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