Page 42

Atlas-

I had set up dinner on the rooftop terrace of the hotel. I knew the Miami skyline would impress Lu and Ebony, especially since neither had been here before. As much as New Yorkers liked to act unimpressed, an ocean view at sunset got them every time.

I waited in the hotel lobby for them to come down. I’d booked one of the most exclusive suites for them to share—spacious enough to give them privacy, with a separate living area, a full bar, and an ocean-facing balcony. I wanted to share a room with Kairi, but I needed her to see that I wouldn’t keep pushing into her life without boundaries.

As I adjusted my jacket, a woman approached—a tall blonde in a tight red dress, with an overly confident smile. "You here alone?" she asked, her voice low and sultry.

I did a double-take because, for a moment, she looked like Ashlen. My heart sped up briefly. Her presence reminded me that I needed to finalize the divorce as soon as I got back. Ashlen had been avoiding direct contact, directing my lawyer to speak only to hers. I hoped I wouldn’t have to deal with her much longer.

"No," I answered flatly, keeping my eyes on the elevator.

She poked out her chest. "Are you sure about that?" she asked, inching closer and brushing her hand against my arm. "I’m just looking for some company tonight."

I pulled my arm away, my tone turning cold. “I’m not interested.”

She pouted, clearly unaccustomed to rejection. "Come on, you don’t have to be rude, handsome."

"I said I’m not fucking interested," I repeated. "Move along."

She muttered something under her breath and walked away, her heels clicking angrily against the marble floor. I didn’t spare her another glance.

Finally, the elevator doors slid open, and Kairi and her friends stepped out one by one. They all looked incredible. Kairi wore a sleek black dress that hugged her curves perfectly, her hair pulled back to reveal her pretty face. Ebony had on a bold red dress that demanded attention, and Lu wore a form-fitting gold dress that made her skin glow.

“Fuck. You all look good,” I said, smiling. If they'd been Ashlen’s friends, I might've tried to fuck all both. But this was different.

“Thank you, Mr. Moneybags,” Ebony joked, winking as she adjusted the gold necklace around her neck. “Now let’s go so you can buy us all the lobster and steak this place has to offer.”

I laughed, but my eyes lingered on Kairi, who was trying to hide a smile as I stared at her. She looked beautiful. We took the elevator to the roof, and once we settled at our table, the conversation shifted toward Kairi’s books.

“So, Atlas,” Ebony said, leaning forward with a grin. “You really thought Kairi was writing about you in her books? Which parts exactly?”

I glanced at Kairi for permission, and she nodded.

I leaned back, running a hand over my jaw. “The scene in the grass, where the two main characters were fucking with a party going on in the house? That was definitely inspired by me.”

Ebony gasped, nearly spilling her drink. “Outside, with people around? Damn, Kairi, you wild.”

Kairi rolled her eyes, but a blush crept up her cheeks. “That was a long time ago, and we didn’t have sex,” she muttered.

“So you’re admitting you wrote about me?” I teased.

“No. I’m not admitting shit,” she replied, laughing.

Lu chimed in, “We knew she was writing about somebody. Everything felt way too real.”

I grinned at Kairi, enjoying how she squirmed slightly. “The bathroom scene too,” I continued. “That’s how Dion was made. And, like in the book, I sometimes followed her. I didn’t think she knew, though.”

Kairi lifted her eyes to mine. “I knew. You were a giant white boy trailing behind me, a Black girl. Every Black or Brown person on campus noticed and told me. Michael broke up with me because of it and you always staring.”

That got my attention. “Michael ended things because of me?” I asked, leaning closer.

Kairi met my gaze. “Yeah. He said he was tired of you always being around—tired of you watching me, or me watching you.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Her fingers traced the rim of her glass slowly, as if she were weighing her words. “Maybe I didn’t want to,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I couldn’t let it go at that. “Did you like it, Kairi? Did you like me following you?”

She paused, the moment heavy between us. Her lip was caught between her teeth again, and it took everything in me not to reach out and free it. “Sometimes,” she finally admitted.

That single word hit me hard, repairing a fractured piece of my ego. Immediately, all kinds of filthy thoughts rushed through my head. But then softer thoughts followed—maybe she liked it because it made her feel seen. Not as Ashlen’s sidekick, not as just another pretty face, but as Kairi—my obsession.

Our eyes locked, and it felt like the rest of the world had fallen away.

“Sometimes?” I pressed, my voice low.

Ebony cleared her throat dramatically before Kairi could answer, breaking the moment. “Alright, alright, y'all, simmer down. We’re trying to eat here.”

It was hard to tear my eyes away, but I did. The conversation we were having wasn’t meant for other ears.

Kairi cleared her throat and picked up her menu.

The waiter approached, and the girls ordered everything from steak to lobster, laughing and daring me to object. I didn’t. I just watched Kairi as she laughed and joked with her friends, and I couldn’t help but feel hopeful.