Page 62

Atlas

The morning after court was the first time I’d woken up feeling unburdened.

The divorce was final. Ashlen was gone for good—out of our lives.

I got to wake up to Kairi’s warmth pressed against me, her breathing slow and even. My son was sleeping peacefully.

The weight that had been sitting on my chest, crushing my heart for years, was gone. I could breathe normally again.

I slipped out of bed carefully, not wanting to wake Kairi, made my way to the bathroom, then to the kitchen. The house was quiet. Peaceful. I poured myself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, savoring the moment. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could finally move forward.

Kairi wandered in a few minutes later, her hair messy, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She smiled when she saw me—that soft, easy smile that always made my chest tighten.

“Morning,” she murmured, her voice still rough from sleep.

“Morning,” I said, handing her a cup of coffee. She took it, her fingers brushing mine, then turned and went right back the way she came. She wouldn’t be good to talk to until after she’d showered and gotten Dion ready.

Just as I finished my coffee, my phone rang, cutting through the silence of the house. Mason’s name lit up the screen. I stared at it for a moment.

Why was he calling me so early?

I answered. “Yeah?” My voice was rough, sleep still clinging to the edges.

“Turn on the news.” No hello. No explanation. Just that. His tone was tight, urgent.

I didn’t ask questions. I made my way from the kitchen to the living room. The remote was in my hand before I could think, the TV flickering to life.

And there she was.

Ashlen.

Her face filled the screen, her professional headshot staring back at me—polished, perfect.

brEAKING NEWS: BODY FOUND IN TAMPA BAY LAST NIGHT AROUND SIX P.M. IDENTIFIED AS 31-YEAR-OLD ASHLEN CARTER.

My eyes were locked on the screen. The anchor’s voice was clear despite the noise in my head.

“Authorities report that Carter’s body was discovered early this morning near Bayshore. The cause of death has yet to be determined. However, sources close to the investigation claim foul play is suspected.”

Foul play.

The words echoed, sharp and unrelenting.

Someone killed her.

Kairi’s footsteps broke through the noise, soft but unmistakable.

“Why is the TV so—” She stopped, her breath catching. “What the fuck?”

I let the mug I was holding slip from my hand. It hit the floor with a dull thud.

I didn’t turn to look at her. I couldn’t.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Somebody was knocking—hard, like the police.

My feet carried me to the door, each step heavier than the last. My pulse thundered in my ears as I pulled it open.

Two cops stood there, their badges glinting in the morning light. One was a stocky man. A Latina woman stood beside him, holding a folded piece of paper, her expression unreadable.

“Mr. Carter?” the man asked, his voice steady.

I nodded, my jaw tight. “Yeah.”

The woman stepped forward. “We regret to inform you that your wife was found dead this morning.”

I gritted my teeth. “Ex-wife.”

I blinked, my brain struggling to catch up. “My ex-wife—as of yesterday. I just saw it on the news.”

She held my gaze, her voice cold. “Did you know she named you in a statement she made to an officer yesterday, Mr. Carter?” she asked, her tone cool and measured. “You, Ms. Monroe, and an Ebony Nzinga. She said that if anything happened to her, all three—or one of the three—of you were to blame.”

The room went still. Kairi’s sharp inhale cut through the silence. My heartbeat roared in my ears.

The officer’s hand shifted toward his cuffs.

“So, Mr. Carter,” he said, his tone like ice, “where were you last night?”

I cleared my throat, unfazed. “I was here all night, as were the other two you named. My mother’s friend, the police chief’s wife—was here with us. Ask them. She came with my mother to celebrate. We reconciled after Ashlen tried to tear us apart.” I folded my arms. “If you want, I can call her. You can speak with her. She was here until about midnight. What time did you say Ashlen was found?”

The male officer sneered.

“I know all about your little love triangle,” he said, his voice thick with condescension. His eyes flicked between me and Kairi, lingering just long enough to piss me off. “And your poorly disguised threat won’t keep us from finding out the truth.”

I clenched my jaw, my patience threadbare. “That wasn’t a threat. It was a fact. You want to waste time investigating people with airtight alibis, be my guest.”

His nostrils flared, but he didn’t say anything else.

I stepped back and shut the door in his face.

The lock clicked into place, and I exhaled slowly, turning toward Kairi.

She was still standing near the couch, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her face blank in that way that only happened when she was trying not to let anything show.

Her lips parted like she was about to say something, but before she could—

My eyes flicked toward the staircase.

Ebony stood there, a few steps from the bottom, arms folded, her expression unreadable.

“Do either of you have something to tell me?” I asked.