Page 83 of Atlas Uncharted

Then—she smiled.

A slow, wicked smile.

“Oh, Atlas,” she purred. “You really think I lost?” She tilted her head. “I don’t need your money,” she said, her voice mocking. “I’m going to make so much more writing my tell-all book.”

Kairi’s grip tightened in mine.

“And,” Ashlen continued, her voice oozing smugness, “I just signed a streaming movie deal.”

She laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “This is a fair trade, don’t you think, Kairi?” Her voice turned fake sweet. “I get to be who you always wanted to be, and you got my leftovers.”

Ebony stepped forward. She had come from New York to support us.

She waved her long black nails in Ashlen’s face. “That right there says it all. You’re jealous of Kairi, Ashlen,” Ebony said, grinning. “It’s pathetic, really, with your rotten twat-having ass.” Ebony had been waiting for the chance to go off on Ashlen for months. She was giving it her all.

I cringed.

Ashlen’s smirk dropped.

And then—she snapped.

She shoved Ebony. Hard.

Before anyone could react, Ebony jumped up, swung, and connected.

Hard.

The crack of her fist against Ashlen’s jaw echoed through the almost-empty courtroom.

Ashlen stumbled back, hands flying to her face, eyes wide with shock.

“You crazy bitch!” she screeched.

Ebony stepped forward, casually rolling her shoulders, looking completely unbothered.

“I’ll be the last bitch you ever put your hands on,” she said smoothly, flexing her fingers. “Try that shit again, and I’ll make sure Kairi don’t never have to worry about your ass again.”

Ashlen’s mouth opened and closed, her eyes darting to the bailiff, who looked like he wanted nothing more than to clock out early.

I just shook my head, smirking.

Mason let out a slow whistle. “Should’ve kept your hands to yourself, Ashlen.”

She glared at him, humiliated, and then turned to me one last time.

“This isn’t over,” she hissed.

I grinned. “Oh, sweetheart. It’s been over. You’re just the last one to realize it.”

She let out an infuriated scream, turned, and stormed out of the courtroom, her heels clicking angrily against the floor.

Kairi let out a deep breath, finally relaxing, then turned to Ebony. “You good?”

Ebony dusted off her hands. “Yeah. But my ring might’ve been dented by the bitch’s hard-ass skull. It’s gonna be on sight every time I see that bitch, I swear.”

Kairi burst out laughing. “Can we all just agree to let Ashlen be Ashlen and leave her completely alone?”

I slipped an arm around her waist, leaning down to murmur, “I agree. Can we go home now?”

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