Home
Kitlyn
The house was quiet, too quiet. After weeks of chaos, screaming and Hector taunting us throughout the day, the silence felt unnatural.
My body kept bracing for harsh sounds that never came.
Yara sat with us in the lounge for a while, nicer than her usual self. She wasn't busting my chops or throwing her snarky jabs, but it didn't matter. I felt nothing toward her. No anger, no warmth. After everything I'd been through, I couldn't bring myself to care. I knew she had it bad for Atlas, but I wasn't fazed.He wanted me, not her.
I barely paid attention to the low murmur of her voice as she said her goodbyes. She was flying out tonight now that we were rescued.Have a safe flight, I thought flatly.
My only concern was whether I'd be able to sleep without jerking awake from nightmares. Being here, in Atlas's home, with Becca and Layla beside me, should've felt secure, but forgetting Hector's hell wouldn't happen overnight.
We all knew that.
Atlas's eyes found mine, his smile soft in a way that made my chest ache and sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
"Jacob and I are going to leave you girls alone for a while," he said. "We've got unfinished business at the guest house to take care of. You're all out of harm's way here. There's nothing to worry about. You have me and Jacob guarding you."
He bent and kissed my forehead, his lips warm against my skin. "We'll give you space—time to breathe, time to process. I love you, Kitlyn Menard. Never forget that. I'm going to deliver some much-needed karma."
I knew what he meant. Hector was going to get his ass kicked shortly. The shadows in Atlas's eyes gave him away. Their gray color, almost black.
I cupped his face, holding him there, my voice breaking more than I wanted it to.
"Be careful, please. I love you too, Atlas."
Jacob brushed Becca's shoulder gently before following him out. A moment later, Yara slipped away too, boarding Atlas's private plane the second it touched down.
Now it was just us. We stared at each other in silence for a long moment. Three women who had lived through hell, now sitting in the comfort of Atlas's living room.
Becca and Layla yawned, tired as hell.
I followed, stretching my arms wide…my voice exhausted.
"It's late, ladies. Maybe we should try to get some sleep."
Becca and Layla looked at me, both with tears brimming behind their eyes, fear etched into their faces. They weren't the only ones. I was just as terrified of what the dark might drag back into my head. Images I didn't want to entertain. Becca broke first, her voice small and trembling.
"Kit, I don't want to sleep by myself—not tonight. I'm scared of being alone right now."
I understood all too well. At least I had Atlas, but as much as I ached for him, tonight I needed to be with the girls. The three of us needed each other. To talk, to cry, to bleed out some of the poison Hector had left in us. Atlas would have listened, but he wouldn't have understood this the way we did.
"We'll stay together," I said firmly.
I'm sure there would be room for all of us on one mattress. After cramming into filthy cages like animals, sharing a bed would feel like a luxury.
The three of us fit easily into the massive king-size bed. Hell, there was even enough space left over for anotherbody or two. We sat cross-legged on the mattress, taking in our surroundings. The room itself was vast, with the enormous bed taking center stage like a throne. Off to the left was a bathroom big enough for all of us. Two mahogany bureaus lined the wall, with two roomy closets on either side. A heavy desk stood near the window. In the corner sat a wide armchair waiting for someone to kick back and relax in.
The walls were painted a soft eggshell, the hardwood floor almost completely hidden beneath a light blue and black Oriental rug that looked like it cost more than anything I ever owned. This was much better than sleeping in a damn dog crate, and I was thankful that time of our lives was finally over. We all were.
Becca broke the silence first.
Her voice cracked, tears spilling.
"I…I thought we were as good as sold to another sadistic asshole. Every day, I thought, this is it. This is the day I would die in the training room."
She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
