Page 62 of Atlas Uncharted

I let him change the subject, and I nodded, taking a deep breath before stepping into the hallway. The sound of Ebony and Lu’s voices stopped. I forced myself to walk in like everything was normal, though my pussy was sore.

“Hey, y'all,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Any food left?”

Lu was the first to notice me. She raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp but playful. “Yes, plenty. Baby daddy ordered a lot,” she said, smirking.

Ebony, sitting cross-legged on the couch, eyed me suspiciously. “You’re acting weird.”

I just shrugged, plopping down next to her. “Am I? Maybe because I just got out the hot shower…”

Before they could pry further, Atlas appeared in the doorway.

He leaned against the wall, trying to look casual, but there was a slight tension in his posture.

Ebony narrowed her eyes. “You changed clothes, Atlas. Why? You looked cute.”

He was clearly caught off guard and opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Lu and Ebony burst into laughter, the sound ringing through the room.

Lu’s laughter suddenly stopped, her expression turning serious— too serious—for a moment. She leaned forward. “But seriously... what’s with y’all and fucking in bathrooms?”

I froze, trying to keep a straight face. They had obviously heard us.

But Atlas chuckled low, scratching the back of his neck. “Good question,” he replied. “I guess it’s our thing now.”

Ebony rolled her eyes dramatically, while Lu shook her head, muttering, “Y’all are weird. But at least when she writes about it in a new book, you’ll absolutely know it’s about you.”

Chapter 44

Atlas

It took until after brunch for Lu and Ebony to stop teasing Kairi and me about the bathroom incident. By then, they’d moved on to talking about New York. We were all sitting around, lounging on the sofa, the Miami skyline in the backdrop.

I cleared my throat. “We have to head back around five,” I announced. “Should be home by nine.”

They all groaned, rolling their eyes in unison.

I smirked, pulling out my credit card and holding it up. “But for the next few hours, y’all can shop. Just have mercy on me.”

Ebony stood and stepped forward, her expression half-amused, half-mocking. “You know Lu and I are independently wealthy, right? You can’t bribe us into liking you.”

I wasn’t trying to bribe them—just trying to build a bridge. Before I could respond, Lu nudged Ebony sharply. “Shut up, stupid. We can be bribed. If this man wants to spend his money on us, let him.” She snatched the card from my hand. “Better his than mine.”

Kairi laughed, her eyes meeting mine briefly before Lu grabbed her arm.

“You—let’s go,” Lu demanded. “Don’t even look at him anymore. I’m tired of y’all eye-fucking each other, and I definitely don’t need y’all getting lost in the bathroom again.”

Kairi’s laughter rang out as they headed out, all three of them dressed in yellow. I’d never realized just how good that color looked on brown skin until now.

Once they were gone, I started packing so I’d be ready to help them with theirs later. As I zipped my suitcase, my phone rang. I checked the screen—Ashlen.

Of course, she’d call now. I answered with a tight jaw.

“Three million fucking dollars?!” she screamed in my ear. “You had that much stashed away and had me on a budget? You couldn’t even buy doves for our daughters’ funeral?”

My grip on the phone tightened. It pissed me off that she was conflating her spending habits with the arrangements for our children’s funeral—twisting everything to play the victim. I knew this call was coming the moment my lawyer sent over the financials her attorney requested.

“You can have half. Just sign the papers for the divorce you initiated,” I said, trying to keep my voice level.

Silence hung between us for a beat, and then her voice dripped with venom. “I don’t want half—I want it all.”

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