“Ah, but you know, sometimes you don't have to know someone to like them. You can just… heara lotabout them and like them.” He’s playing cute, but I don’t find it all that cute.
I slip my beanie off. “Asher?”
Atlas's smile turns to a full grin. He reminds me of that cat in Alice. Cheeky, full of life, and completely unhinged.
“I mean truly, impeccable for someone to work their way under his skin so badly he has to bring a distraction, but I mean…” he lowers his voice as he draws closer.
I’m immune to flirty men. It’s hard-wired into my brain to ignore them.
Until Asher.
I unclip my suit and shuffle it over my waist. “You’re overthinking it.”
His expression flickers with momentary confusion as I move. As far as similarities between him and his brother go, they stop at their looks.
Where Asher’s tattoos are all black and gray, Atlas’s are an explosion of color.
Where Asher's turquoise eyes burn, Atlas's sparkle.
Interesting.
I push my clothes away, the cold air leaving teeth marks over my exposed skin.
Atlas jerks away with a gulp, as if I’m naked and not in a bikini. “See you later, Ivy!”
The faint sound of the gate closing in the distance rings out, but I’m too focused on the water to care.
I dip my toe in and sigh, before pushing off the rim and diving in. Encased by warmth and silence, I wish I could anchor myself and stay here, alone with my thoughts.
Kicking off the bottom, I resurface, raking my hair back and finding myself face to face with Asher.
Just Asher.
My heart does that weird thing in my chest again and I'm getting seriously fucking sick of it. Close to tearing the bitch out if I have to.It's because you're friends. Like Leon. Like Punk. Like Luce. Like Jord.
Lie. None of them make my chest ache. My stomach gnaw at me from within. Like I’m damn well dying a slow, tedious death.
He tilts his head. “Can I ask you a question?”
No?
“You're going to anyway,” I say, swimming across the way until I'm closer to where he stands.
He drops down, testing the water with his palm, and I sink lower, submerging my lips beneath the surface as his attention lingers.
“Why did you marry Parker?”
He’d never asked before, and it throws me off a little.
“What?” I brush him off, placing my hands on the rim of the pool and pushing myself out. I'm close enough for water to fall on his boots.
He chuckles, but I ignore him, squeezing the water out of my hair and walking back to the cabinet to grab my towel.
His words follow me. “Yeah, didn't think you'd answer that.”
I quickly wrap the towel around my body, turning to face him. “Then why ask?”
He whistles, shaking his head and brushing past me. “Because I was hoping your answer would make me feel less guilty about my wanting to fuck you, Venom.”
