Page 84 of Claiming Atlas

What if she slams the door in my face?

“Fuck.”

“Well, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

I look to my left as the blonde approaches me, her hands full of laundry. I walk over to her and reach for the basket of clothes, then look behind her for Kayla. When I don’t see anyone else, I look back at the blonde chick and try to grab the basket from her.

She frowns. “I can carry my own laundry basket, thanks.”

I drop my hands awkwardly. “Sure thing.”

She looks me up and down slowly. “You still look like shit, but there’s been improvement since yesterday.” She shrugs then walks past me. “At least you’ve had a shower.”

I smile sheepishly, then look at the ground. No one has ever made me feel like such a piece of shit.

“What do you want, Atlas?”

I look up and quickly follow behind her to the door of her apartment. Their apartment. My heart climbs into my throat. Is Kayla inside, just a few yards away from me?

Her roommate turns around, then shakes her head when she meets my gaze. “Wow, I actually feel sorry for you.”

My brows furrow.

“She left this morning.”

“Oh.” My shoulders slump. I pick at the edge of the letter in my hands. “What time will she be back? I can wait for her—”

“Back? Atlas, you knew she was moving back to California, right?”

I chew on my bottom lip. “Yeah, I mean, I knew she retired, and that she was moving home, but...” I sigh. “I didn’t know where home was.”

She heaves the laundry basket toward me, so I reach out and grab it. Turning around, she unlocks the apartment door and nods toward the living room. “Come on in.”

I follow her inside, looking around for any sign of Kayla. There’s nothing here that physically reminds me of her, but her scent is all over. I take a deep breath through my nose and breathe her in. She already moved back home; this might be the last time I ever feel close to her.

“Set that over there.” She points to the coffee table. “You want a beer?”

I shake my head. “Water?”

She raises an eyebrow, then disappears into the kitchen. When she comes back, she hands me a bottle of water, then looks me up and down. “Well?”

I take a long drink, then shrug.

She rolls her eyes. “Okay, let’s start at the beginning. Hi, Atlas, I’m Scarlet. Kayla’s best friend. I amnota hooker you hired to come to your suite and give you head.” She flashes a smart ass grin, and I drop my gaze to the floor.

“Sorry about that.”

“Yeah,” she says. “That was pretty bad.”

I smile and look back up at her again. “Would you believe it’s been a rough week?”

With a laugh, Scarlet walks to the couch. “Come on. Sit. Tell me how you’re going to make things right.”

I sit down beside her, then set the letter on the coffee table, and tap it with my fingertips. “You brought this to me, so I’m assuming you already have an idea of how I can make this right.”

Scarlet grins, then leans forward and places her elbows on her knees. She looks into my eyes, searching my gaze. “Do you love her, Atlas?”

I swallow hard.No, of course not. I barely know her.“Yes.”

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