Page 29 of The Devoted Husband

Was she really dreaming...or had Atlas actually been in her room?

As she stared at him, his head tilted, and he stared back at her.

“Do you really care?”

“I do, but I didn’t call you to argue.”

“Then what did you call for?”

“I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.” She paused. He nodded. “Were you in my bed last night?”

He grinned with one side of his mouth. “How could I have done that, Day?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you came through my window.”

“What makes you think I did?”

“I thought I dreamed about Dante, but it was you..... felt you. Heard you. And I smell your cologne.”

He released a grunt of a laugh before licking his lips. “Maybe you dreamed about me and smelled me because you miss me.”

“So, you’re denying that you were here last night?”

“Would you have wanted me to be?”

“No.”

“Then no, I wasn’t.”

“Atlas . . .”

“Unless you have proof, I wasn’t, Sade.” He sat up with a scowl. “Why don’t you love me?”

“What?” she asked, though she heard the question.

“I said, why don’t you love me? I tried to make me easy to love.”

“Atlas . . . you were easy to love. But something changed, and I just . . . It was too much.”

He chuckled, but it wasn’t one of amusement. “Oh, so, he’s worth killing for, but me wanting to watch you and make sure you’re always okay was too much?”

With a growl, she slammed her computer down.

There was no way he’d admit to it, and worse, he’d riled her up.

Now, she would have to get her grandfather or Dante to put bars on the windows.

This was getting out of control. Sade couldn’t dwell on it at that moment, though.

She and Dante were spending the afternoon with Eric and Jessica, his old business partners.

Any other day, Sade wouldn’t be looking forward to hanging out, but now.

..She was grateful for the distraction.

Sade’s Journal

Since I no longer have my phone, I have to write in an actual journal.

I thought spending time with Dante, Jessica, and Eric would shake the feeling that’s been consuming me.

That didn’t work. I feel like Atlas was in the room, and being unable to prove it scares me.

What scares me worst is knowing I liked how he felt in my bed.

I liked the way his lips felt. I liked the warmth of his arms around me.

Even if I thought it was a dream of Dante, I liked the way it felt.

What if I would have allowed more? What if we would have had sex?

There’s no way I would have been able to justify that.

There’s no way he could have explained that.

I would have known it was real, right? The last thing I need is to be paranoid over this.

Over him. I know I’ll feel better once the bars are on the windows.

I can’t believe this is my life. I wanted a man who wanted me, but this is a bit too much.

And he’s acting as if what he’s doing is normal.

Maybe it is for him. Either way, I’m just glad I dodged that bullet.