Page 68 of His to Save

“Yeah. My dad used to bring me here all the time when I was a kid.” Memories of our many meals here flash through my mind, leaving me as excited as I am sad. “One time he even won the Clucker Challenge. He gave me the shirt, and I slept in it every day for a week.”

“Maybe next time we come, I can compete and win you a shirt.” He hops down and jogs around to my side, opening my door.

“You’d do that for me?” I ask, once I’m on my own two feet beside him.

He gives me aduhlook. “I’d offer to do it today, but I have something else in mind.”

“Oh, yeah, what’s that?” Butterfly wings flutter low in my belly as possibilities race through my mind.

He presses a hand to the small of my back, ushering me toward the entrance. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

“That was so good,”I mutter for the hundredth time since polishing off the last of my six wings. Growing up, I always got honey barbecue, but Atlas convinced me to try the mango pineapple habanero, and I have zero regrets.

Ugh. Is it possible to have a real baby and a food baby?

“We can come anytime you want, Pip.” He smiles over at me from the driver’s seat. “You just gotta say the word.”

“I’ll hold you to that. Where to now?”

His kissable lips curl into a mischievous grin. “You’ll see.”

“Atlas.” I whine his name, not caring one single bit how childish I sound. “I don’t like surprises.”

Surprises have rarely ever turned out well for me. Instead ofsurprise, we’re going on vacation, I gotsurprise, your dad is dead,and it really just snowballed from there.

“Okay, fine.” He pauses a beat. “I was thinking we could go shopping.”

“Shopping?” I ask. “Like for groceries?”

“No.” He draws out the word. “Like for you.”

“For me?” My brows dip in confusion. “What for me?”

“Clothes for one.”

“I have clothes,” I argue, knowing full well that’s a lie. I’ve been living in the same two pairs of leggings and borrowed shirts and socks for weeks now.

“C’mon, Nora,” he pleads, turning into the Target parking lot. “That bump of yours is growing every day and as much as I love seeing you in my clothes, I know you need some of your own.”

“You know I don’t have any money.” Guilt over the money he’s already spent on me pricks at me like tiny needles. “And you’ve already done so much for me?—”

“So let me do one more thing.”

On one hand, he’s right, having my own clothes sounds like a dream, but my debts owed to him are racking up faster than I can tally.

“Atlas.” Tears fill my eyes as I whisper his name.

“Please?” He has the audacity to pout at me, puppy dog eyes and all.

Damn him. I can feel my resolve weakening… bending to his will. At least he uses his powers for good and not evil.

“Fine.” I heave the word out on a sigh. His answering smile is one of pure victory. “But my agreeance comes with terms.”

“Name ‘em.”

“Okay, well, it’s actually only one term.” I can feel my cheeks heating under his scrutiny, but I press on because this is important to me. “You can’t spend more than a hundred bucks on me.”

“Pip,” he pleads, but I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head. His eyes momentarily dip to my breasts, but I don’t mention it.

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