Page 101 of His to Keep
“Well, I can only speak for myself, but this conversation requires alcohol.” Sheflags downan employee as they walk by. “Can I get a creek water?”
The server nods and turns to me.I order myself a beer, and shescampersoff.
“I'mgonnabe honest.” Nora bounces in her seat. “Idon'treally think I can wait for your drink to get here.I'mgonnaneed you to spill now.”
Cara inclines her head toward Nora. “I have to agree with her, Scar. Spill.”
Scarlet turnstoward Sophie. “So sorry this is your introduction to me. I promiseI’mnot always drama.”
My best friendseems to bestuck in asshole mode, because the idiotmakes a point of scoffing—loudly.
“Ignore him,”Scarletsays, in a sickeningly sweet voice. “It’sthe only way. Now,back to the issue at hand—I have a stalker. Sophie, if you didn’t already know that, now you do. Andhe’sbeen… escalating. Things gotterrifying here recently, so I called Ellis.”
“You could’ve called us,” Nora insists.
“Or me,” Cara adds, a touch of hurt bleeding into her words.
“I could have, but despite what Atlas thinks,I’dnever purposely endangeranyone. Ellis was already aware of the situation, so going to him felt… right.I’vebeen staying with him since then, and in that time,we’ve grown closer.”
Right on cue, Atlas huffs like a toddler in need of a nap. Swear to god, he could rival James right now.Maybe he needs a snacky-snack?
Regardless of what crawled up his ass, I’m not having it. Scarlet’s been through enough. “Do you have something you want to say?”
“Honestly…” He hesitates, his eyes flashing toward Scarlet before locking back on mine. “I think this is all bullshit.”
Nora, god love her, looks like she wishes the floor would swallow her whole. She’s not a big fan of confrontation, so I’m sure this is killing her.
I starttoput him in his place, butScarletreaches over andlays her hand on my thigh, squeezing softly to let me knowshe’sgot it under control.
“I’ve spent long enough letting the likes of you walk all over me, Atlas. You don’t like me, that’s fine. I’ll make it. But this fucking animosity—which is all on you, by the way—is toxic.”
“You would know.”
If looks could kill, Atlas would be eviscerated on the spot. “You’reacting like a child.Grow up. You want to callour relationshipbullshit? Go for it. Idon’tcare. Your opinion of meis irrelevant. But Ellis deserves?—”
“Relationship?” he sputters, choking on his drink.
Noraworries her lip between her teeth, casting nervous glances around the table.“Please be nice,” she whispers to her fiancé.
“I'm trying, Pip. Really, I am.” He softens his tone for her, but I can see his anger in the stiff set of his shoulders and the way he’s white-knuckling his glass.
“Try harder, bro,” Cara says, not caring one bit that she’s willfully walking into a proverbial minefield.
Scarlet sends her a grateful smile before addressing Atlas. “Look, I get it, okay. This is weird… for everyone. The one constant since Ellis and I met is our mutual dislike for one another. Our not getting along is the status quo. Lucky for us though, we cleared the air, and we’re happytogether. So, either get on board or...” She trails off, unsure how to end her particular threat.
Luckily, I have no such trouble. “Or get the fuck out of our lives.”
Cara and Sophie are riveted to the shitshow taking place at our table, their eyes ping-ponging back and forth with every shot fired.
Atlas's face goes completely blank.“You're telling me you would choose her… Scarlet,” he spits her name.“Over me, your best friend?”
“You don’t fucking get it, man.” Shaking my head, I drop my chin to my chest. “I'm telling you that my best friend would never make me choose.”
Nora, Cara, and Sophie all nod.
Nora wraps her arms around Atlas’s and rests her head on his shoulder. “He’s not wrong, and I think deep down, you know that.”
Atlas drops a kiss to the top of her head before picking up his drink and draining it. “I'll try.” Holding my gaze, he squares his jaw. “I'm not saying I'll like it, but I'll try.”
