Page 117 of Hot Knot Summer
“Are you sure?” he asks, his voice clipped. “And the owner wants to— Fuck. Yeah, I understand.”
That’s when I know this is about the burned cabin. The cheese turns to sawdust in my mouth, and my hands start to shake.
Atlas is quiet for a long moment, listening to whatever Levi is telling him. I can see the muscle inhis jaw ticking, the way his free hand clenches into a fist.
“We’ll head back now,” he finally says. “Don’t let them do anything until I get there.”
He hangs up and turns to me, his expression carefully controlled in that way that means he’s trying not to scare me. Which, of course, scares me more than if he’d just looked panicked.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” I whisper, setting down the crackers with trembling fingers.
He’s beside me in an instant, pulling me against his chest despite the fact that we’re both still damp from the river. “We have results from the cabin investigation.”
“And?” My voice is barely audible.
“It was started by a candle. Accidental probably... but...” He hesitates, and I can feel him choosing his words carefully.
“But what, Atlas? Just tell me.”
“The owner was contacted about the findings. He wants to sue for damages.”
The world tilts sideways, and I can’t breathe. Sue. The word echoes in my head like a death knell, bringing with it images of lawyers and court dates and my name splashed across headlines. Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve built—gone.
“Emma.” Atlas’s voice sounds like it’s coming from underwater. “Hey, look at me.”
But I can’t. I’m drowning in panic, my chesthurting like someone’s sitting on it. My vision starts to gray at the edges.
“Sweetheart, breathe. Just breathe for me.”
His hands frame my face, forcing me to meet his eyes.
“I can’t,” I gasp. “I’m scared.”
“You’re going to get through this with us by your side,” he says firmly. “We’ll figure this out. I promise you, Emma.”
“How?” The word comes out as a sob. “He’s going to sue me for everything I have. My career, my reputation, it’ll all be gone. I’ll be that author who burned down someone’s cabin. No publisher will touch me.”
“Stop.” His voice is sharp enough to cut through my spiral. “That’s not going to happen.”
I want to believe him, but the fear is too strong, too familiar. This is what happened with Chad, everything falling apart, my world crumbling around me while I stood helpless to stop it.
“You don’t understand,” I whisper. “This is what I do. I ruin things. I trusted Chad, and he destroyed my career. I come here, and I burn down someone’s property. Everything I touch turns to ash.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” His voice is gentle but strong. “Chad was a bastard who took advantage of you. The cabin was an accident, a fucking candle, Emma. You didn’t burn anything down on purpose.”
“But the lawsuit?—”
“We’ll deal with that. Together.” He pulls me closer, and I feel his heart beating steady and strong against my cheek. “You’re not alone in this anymore. You have us—me, River, Levi. We’re not going anywhere.”
I want to believe him, but the fear is a living thing in my chest, clawing at my ribs. “What if you change your minds? What if this gets too complicated, too messy? What if?—”
“Emma.” He tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes again. “Do you remember what I told you earlier? About us being broken?”
I nod, not trusting my voice.
“We found each other because we needed family. Real family. The kind that doesn’t abandon you when things get hard.” His thumb brushes away a tear I didn’t realize had fallen. “You’re part of that family now. Which means when you hurt, we hurt. When you fight, we fight beside you. That’s what pack means.”
“You barely know me,” I whisper.
