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ATLAS

“I have a surprise for you,” I said.

I came up behind Nyx as we stood in front of the building that was our home for the hellish years we’d spent in captivity. He turned quickly, his lips pulled into a smirk as he stepped closer.

“I like the sound of that.”

My hand slid up to his neck, holding him back even though desire pulsed through my blood.

“Not that kind of surprise,”

I rasped, my voice betraying me.

“Hey lovebirds,”

Knight called. “Did someone call for an RPG?”

“No way,”

Nyx breathed, a smile lighting up his entire face. “You brought it?”

Knight laughed and handed it over to Nyx who looked like a kid who’d just been handed a puppy.

“I recall I told you I’d be aiming one at that house one day,” I said.

Nyx’s gaze locked on mine and it grew heated, the air suddenly thick between us.

“Whoa, okay, this is definitely some kind of foreplay so I’ll leave you guys to it,”

Knight said, socking Nyx in the arm and winking at me. “The house is clear, by the way. Fire when ready.”

Nyx looked over at Knight. “Thanks man.”

Knight saluted him casually before heading off towards the waiting chopper. Nyx looked eagerly at me, and I laughed.

“Well, let’s do this thing!”

We quickly set everything up and Nyx rested the RPG on his shoulders, leveling it at the building.

“Count me down, Atlas,” Nyx said.

“Three, two, one—fire in the hole!”

Nyx fired the grenade, and we watched it fly off towards the house, landing a direct hit into one of the massive first-floor windows. The sound of glass shattering echoed in the space as the fire exploded inside. Nyx giggled—actually giggled as he loaded another one. Each one he fired, I could see the tension start to ease away from him. After the fourth one, he handed it over to me.

“Your turn,” he said.

The front of the house was nothing more than a fiery smoking mess by the time we were done pummeling it with grenades but I felt more closure than I ever had. I lowered the grenade launcher to my side then turned to Nyx and pulled him into me by the back of his neck. My lips slammed into his and his fingers twisted into my hair, yanking me closer. The kiss left me wanting more but not here. Never here.

“Let’s go home”

I whispered against his lips. “It’s time to leave it all behind.”

We walked back to the helo hand in hand and once we climbed in, the bird took off only to hover nearby. Knight handed his phone over to North with a smirk.

“Care to do the honors?”

A slow smile spread across North’s face as he took the device.

“Figured Nyx and Atlas shouldn’t have all the fun,”

Knight chuckled.

“Yeah right—you just wanted to blow something up,”

North said dryly.

Knight just shrugged and sat back. “That’s what I call a win-win,”

he said smugly.

North looked down at the house. The rain had cleared up and the house lay in a broken ruin below us. I gripped Nyx’s hand and with great delight, watched North press the button.

We flew away to the fireworks of the explosion, leaving behind nothing but a hole in the ground.

The perfect grave for the past.