Page 37 of The Devoted Husband

Seconds passed before she was asleep again, and Atlas took full advantage—holding her until he was calm enough to sleep. Then he left and went to his home to sleep...alone.

Sade

Sade nibbled her bottom lip as she sent Atlas a Facetime request from her computer. She felt like she was silly even to do it. When she first woke up, she thought she had dreamed about a man, her man, the previous night. However, the scent of Atlas’s cologne lingered against her sheets and pillow. Her mind took her back to what she thought was a realistic dream—feeling a man’s lips, his hands, hearing his voice. When she called Dante’s name, he didn’t respond.

Was she really dreaming...or had Atlas actually been in her room?

She checked the cameras, and he wasn’t near the door, but her room was on the side of the house, which was out of the camera’s view. If he’d come through her window, it was quite possible that what she thought she’d dreamed was actually real. Sade refused to believe Atlas could do something so crazy, but she wanted to hear him say it anyway.

When Atlas accepted the request, Sade was so surprised by his face and aura that it took her a while to speak. Usually, when he saw her, he would smile with his eyes and his mouth. But now, as he stared at her, his eyes were almost lifeless, and his face was void of emotion.

As she stared at him, his head tilted, and he stared back at her.

Clearing her throat, Sade looked away briefly. “Um, are you okay?” she checked.

“Do you really care?”

“I do, but I didn’t call you to argue.”

“Then what did you call for?”

“I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.” She paused. He nodded. “Were you in my bed last night?”

He grinned with one side of his mouth. “How could I have done that, Day?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you came through my window.”

“What makes you think I did?”

“I thought I dreamed about Dante, but it was you..... felt you. Heard you. And I smell your cologne.”

He released a grunt of a laugh before licking his lips. “Maybe you dreamed about me and smelled me because you miss me.”

“So, you’re denying that you were here last night?”

“Would you have wanted me to be?”

“No.”

“Then no, I wasn’t.”

“Atlas . . .”

“Unless you have proof, I wasn’t, Sade.” He sat up with a scowl. “Why don’t you love me?”

“What?” she asked, though she heard the question.

“I said, why don’t you love me? I tried to make me easy to love.”

“Atlas . . . youwereeasy to love. But something changed, and I just . . . It was too much.”

He chuckled, but it wasn’t one of amusement. “Oh, so, he’s worth killing for, but me wanting to watch you and make sure you’re always okay was too much?”

With a growl, she slammed her computer down. There was no way he’d admit to it, and worse, he’d riled her up. Now, she would have to get her grandfather or Dante to put bars on the windows. This was getting out of control. Sade couldn’t dwell on it at that moment, though. She and Dante were spending the afternoon with Eric and Jessica, his old business partners. Anyother day, Sade wouldn’t be looking forward to hanging out, but now...She was grateful for the distraction.

Sade’s Journal

Since I no longer have my phone, I have to write in an actual journal. I thought spending time with Dante, Jessica, and Eric would shake the feeling that’s been consuming me. That didn’t work. I feel like Atlas was in the room, and being unable to prove it scares me. What scares me worst is knowing I liked how he felt in my bed. I liked the way his lips felt. I liked the warmth of his arms around me. Even if I thought it was a dream of Dante, I liked the way it felt.

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