Page 8 of The Devoted Husband

While Atlas appreciated her honesty, he didn’t like how the honesty made him feel. Why was she thinking about him? They agreed that she wouldn’t talk to him anymore. He knew he couldn’t control her thoughts and feelings, but based on what Sade said, she was detached from Dante and didn’t want to be with him. Something wasn’t adding up.

Deciding that wasn’t the time to address it, Atlas tossed her phone onto her lap. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Her head bobbed softly, and her hand wrapped around her neck as she looked away. Regret immediately filled Atlas. His shoulders slouched as he gently grabbed her thigh.

“I’m sorry, Day.”

“If youeverput your hands on me again...I’ll kill you.”

Sade got out of the car, not bothering to wait for him. If it were any other woman from his past, Atlas would have assumed she was playing. But this was Sade—the woman who had proven she had no problem taking a life for the right reason. And Atlas didn’t want to find out if the next reason would be his abuse.

Nibbling his bottom lip, he stared her down as he headed toward his parents’ front door. Maybe she only killed for Dante. Was he even special enough? Chuckling, he tried to reel his emotions in because he was losing his fucking mind. To think...He wanted to question her about his worthiness through something as toxic and evil as a kill.

“I can’t touch you at all?” he asked softly, stepping directly in front of her on the porch. Atlas allowed his fingers to glide gently down her arm. She shivered, and her nostrils flared. “You’re driving me crazy, Sade.” Entangling his fingers with hers, Atlas lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Just the thought of you cheating and being with another man takes me to the edge.” When she tried to lower her head, he lifted it. “I gave you to him for months. I’m never sharing you again.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Tell me you understand that, baby.”

Atlas hadn’t told Sade because he didn’t want to appear weak, but the whole time she was with Dante, his insecurities and paranoia began to brew. Though she kept telling him the ploy was in play to keep him safe, Atlas was aware of their bond and how tight it had been. Imani had often made jokes about how she took Dante from Sade. Every night, the thought of another man touching his woman plagued him, causing him to lose sleep from those images. Sade returning to him pregnant was his biggest fear. The only thing that made it easy for him to acceptwas her agreeing to never see or talk to him again. Now...It didn’t appear that it had been the truth.

“Sade,” he pleaded.

“I understand,” she replied quickly—crisply.

“Tell me no one else can have you.”

Releasing a shaky breath as her eyes fluttered, Sade put her hand on his heart. “You accepted me and saw me when my past forced me to hide myself. No one else can have me, Atlas.”

He stared into her low, underturned eyes, needing the truth to be there. He became so hypnotized by her beauty he no longer cared. As he stroked her cheek, he confessed, “God, you’re so beautiful. These eyes...your smile. I can never get enough of you.”

He hadn’t given the compliment to soften her toward him, but it worked. She cupped the back of his neck and gave him a sweet kiss.

“I want to validate you, but I also need you to know I’m not cheating on you. Please, don’t do this again. If I feel like me and my baby won’t be safe with you—”

“You both are. It’ll never happen again. I swear.”

Satisfied with his answer, Sade nodded and put some space between them. Atlas knocked, then opened the already unlocked door. Immediately, the smell of soul food assaulted his nostrils in the best way. He hadn’t had his mother’s cooking in a month, and though he enjoyed being on the island, he missed the morsels and his people. Initially, the plan was to lie low on the island until they were sure Dante wouldn’t try to come after them for taking his money. Sade being pregnant changed their plans. She would have to travel regularly for doctor’s appointments, so they agreed to leave the island indefinitely.

Memphis was the last place she wanted to return to, but because her family was there, she agreed. Sade feared people would think she was a horrible person because Dante was withher in Vanzette. Memphis was a small, big city. It felt like everyone knew everyone. In this instance, people were more grateful that Dante was alive and well than anything else. Unless they were a part of the sisters’ or Dante’s family, they didn’t know the personal details about his time away. So far, no one had an idea of Sade’s temporary kidnapping of her best friend...even if it was with the good intention to keep him safe.

“Wassup, y’all?” Atlas greeted his mother, Vanessa, and his father, Clay, as they moved from one side of the kitchen to the other.

Vanessa’s eyes lit up at the sight of him. She dropped the spoon in her hand and rushed over to him. Atlas released hearty laughter as he spun her around.

“I’m so glad you’re home!” she cheered.

“That island food don’ made you lose a li’l weight,” Clay noticed, shaking Atlas’s hand and using it to pull him in for a hug.

“Nah, it wasn’t the food. It was all the working out I was doing in the sun. That was probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I never wanted to be inside.”

Vanessa’s eyes slowly scanned Sade’s frame. Her smile dimmed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Sade.”

“Vanessa,” Sade replied curtly, stepping closer to Atlas’s side.

Since Atlas had always been a mama’s boy, the women had never been close. His father and the rest of his family were more accepting of Sade. That changed a little when Adam was killed. They didn’t just blame Sade; they blamed Imani too. The difference was that Imani had twins with their DNA, and because of that, she got a pass.

They also held Sade more responsible because of Atlas’s loyalty to her. To his mother and her sister, Adam’s mother, it was Atlas telling Sade about Adam’s plan that made everything worse. If he’d been more loyal to his family and kept her outof it, Dante wouldn’t have sought asylum with Sade, and Adam wouldn’t have had to go after him.

“Hey, Sade,” Clay spoke. “You look well. My son must be taking good care of you.”

“He is, thank you,” Sade replied as they briefly hugged.

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