Page 11 of The Last Aether

A cascade of emotions played over Atlas’s face as his arms encircled me. “It kills me that you were hurting at all.”

Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to the spot over his heart. “I’m okay now. And whatever just happened, it made me better.”

He looked down at me, as he puzzled through this information. “It has to be something about our closeness. It must help the healing in some way.”

I grinned up at him. “I can get behind this kind of medicine.”

Atlas barked out a laugh. “You and me both.” His hands skimmed down my back. “Come on, let’s get you clean.”

And that was exactly what he did. Atlas wouldn’t let me lift a finger as he rinsed and conditioned my hair. His hands were incredibly gentle as he massaged bodywash over every inch of my skin. And when we stepped out of the shower, he immediately wrapped me in a towel, drying me more thoroughly than I’d ever done for myself.

He grabbed another towel, wrapping it around my hair. “Don’t want you getting sick.”

It was as if the silver cracks in my chest deepened at his words, and I could feel Atlas embedding himself deep inside my soul. “Thank you,” I whispered. “For everything.”

His expression softened as he pulled me in close. “I should be the one thanking you. For letting me in. For giving me a piece of yourself.”

It was more than a piece. It was all of me. But I couldn’t bring myself to admit that just yet.

“How much longer are you gonna be in there?” Kai called from the bedroom.

My cheeks heated. Had they heard us?

“Fuck off and get me some clothes,” Atlas shouted back.

I buried my face in my hands.

Atlas just tugged me closer. “Don’t let Kai get to you.”

I looked up at Atlas. “Isn’t it awkward for all of you? That you know when I’ve been with someone else. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or—”

He cut me off with a tender kiss. “It’s not like that. I promise. Sure, we want time with you, but we also want you to grow closer to all of us.”

I relaxed into Atlas’s hold. “The last thing I want is to drive you apart more.”

He frowned down at me, brushing a hand over my face. “You aren’t driving us apart.”

My gaze dropped to my toes as Riven’s angry face flashed in my mind.

Atlas’s fingers trailed up and down my spine. “Riven has always been…volatile. Ready to storm out at the drop of a hat. But we always work it out. It will come with this too.”

I nodded as I stepped out of his hold and moved to the pile of clothes. As much as I wanted Atlas to be right, I wasn’t as confident.

My brow arched as I took in the matching bra and panty set in pale pink lace.

Atlas held up both hands. “That was all Kai.”

Of course, it was. I pulled them on and then the cashmere sweat set. Everything was so soft, I wanted to curl up and take a nap.

The door opened a fraction, and a hand reached in with a pile of clothes. “Your Highness,” Kai said in an exaggerated nasally voice.

Atlas snatched the jeans and tee from his hand and then shut the door again. He made quick work of dressing, but I couldn’t help but be distracted by the miles of golden skin wrapped around taut muscle. Everything in me ached at the memory of him moving inside me.

“You keep looking at me like that and we’ll never get out of this bathroom.”

My gaze snapped to the tile floor, and Atlas laughed.

“Come on.” He opened the door, and I shuffled behind him, determined not to meet anyone’s gaze.