Page 94 of Killer Confections

“You don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with, Loxley.” Atlas says.

I shake my head, forcing my trepidation down as my hands tighten on the wheel. “Tell mewhat to do, Dom.”

Atlas curses over the speaker, and Dom’s voice bleeds through. “Swerve. Back and forth. Accelerate and try to lose him so we can force him off the road.”

“On it,” I grit before slamming my foot down on the gas and lurching us forward. Alana holds onto the seats, her phone tumbling to the floor as Thalia laughs manically beside me. “Hold on!”

I turn the wheel side-to-side, creating distance between us and the truck as I bob and weave in and out of traffic. Car horns blare and people swerve to miss me, but I never lose focus as the truck gradually begins to lose us.

Eventually, it’s lost to the traffic and I only register it’s over when I see smoke billowing up in the distance from my rear-view mirror.

“Pull over at the next exit, baby. You did it. It’s over.” Atlas says breathlessly. He sounds relieved, but I’m too stunned to speak.

I slow us down to a normal speed before flicking on my blinker. The uniform sound fills the cab and I snort at howmundaneit sounds compared to what just happened.

Alana is next, taking a stuttering breath as she laughs. Thalia chuckles beside me, her head shaking as we all come down from our adrenaline and I pull into a random gas station.

Alana speaks to Connor in a hushed tone, between her delirious laughter, to calm him. I didn’t know he was still on the phone with her, but judging by his worried voice and quick promises to keep her home and lock her away, he adores her deeply.

When we stop, my car door is ripped open and my frame is swallowed in a desperate hug. Atlas’s scent washes over me and I quickly blink my surprise away as I bury my face in his neck and let him squeeze the daylights out of me.

“Fuck,” he groans in agony. It makes my heart crack open as I rub a shaky hand down his back. I know I should let him comfort me, but he sounds like he needs it just as much.

He pulls away, but only to cup my cheeks as he gives me a strange expression. It’s a mix of fear and anger, but I know it isn’t with me. He’s upset about what just happened and it makes my heart warm to see him so cautious about my safety. I may have been mad, but how can I with the way he’s looking at me? Like his reason for existing was just threatened? Like Atlas—a fearless assassin—was terrified of losing me?

His thumbs brush the apples of my cheeks. “Tell me you’re okay, Short Stack. Ineedyou to talk to me right now.”

I nod, my hands moving to cling to his wrists. “I’m okay. I’m fine, baby.”

His shoulders drop as he releases a breath. He leans forward, closing his eyes tightly as he presses a long, pained kiss to my forehead before he squeezes me to him again.

“Oh, barf,” Thalia whines. “She’s fucking fine, Atlas. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

He pulls away to rest his chin on top of my head as he crushes me to him. “Youshould have been more vigilant.”

Before Thalia can argue with her brother, I pull back and lift a brow at Atlas. “I’ll have you know Thalia followed all procedures while we switched locations.” His lips thin as I speak, but I won’t let him blame this on her. “She scouted every location and triple checked to make sure we weren’t being followed. When that man approached me, she had us out of the restaurant in ten seconds flat. Don’t blame this on her. Not to mentionshe’sthe one who took out two of those guys with one bullet.”

“Fucking right,” Thalia smirks as she gives me a high five. All three of us turn to Atlas.

Alana holds her phone up, pointing to it. “Connor is on our side, too.”

His eyes narrow on the device that’s strangely silent.

Finally, he hangs his head and sighs. “Okay, that was a dick move. I’m sorry, Thalia.”

“Yeah, sorry, I don’t have a pair of nuts,” she quips in return.

His lips quirk as he shakes his head. He runs a hand through his hair. “You three are going to be the death of me.”

“There’s a forth coming too,” Alana adds with a smile.

“New friend!” Thalia shouts as she pumps her fist.

Atlas deadpans. “Don’t remind me.”

We hang out for a few minutes, Alana and I both becoming jittery from our adrenaline depleting. Thalia is perfectly fine, talking a mile a minute as Atlas strokes my back in comforting circles while we wait on Dom.

When the assassin finally shows, everyone is on edge waiting for his report. He looks solemn as he dismounts his bike and tosses his helmet aside. “Four reported dead, but none of them are Kai Hayes.”