He stood and closed the distance between them. It was a bad idea. He shouldn’t do it. But he couldn’t help himself. He cupped her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. “If I make that promise to you, promise me you will never go to him. Because it would be willingly made, Lilliane. You have an army to defend you now. Promise me.”
She inhaled deeply. He could hear the rapid rhythm of her heart. “I promise,” she whispered.
“Fuck it all, trouble. You’re a handful to have around.” And with that, he sealed his mouth to hers.
She gasped into the embrace before melting against him. “Fuck,” he said, pulling away just enough to keep his forehead against hers. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“No, no. It’s good. It’s … fine. It’s good. Because … actually…” This time, she kissed him.
Atlas crushed her in his arms, holding her as close as he possibly could. He parted her mouth with a lick of his lips and sipped at her. It was agonizingly good.
It could never happen again.
That’s why he didn’t break the kiss. He wouldn’t. Couldn’t. As soon as it was over, it would be in the past. There would be no more kisses from Lilliane Longborn and all her trouble.
She curled her fingers into the hair at the back of his neck, and Atlas was hers. There was no way around it.
She was his mate.
He was hers.
And that could never be.
He slowly eased their pace and brushed her lips one last time.
“Probably best we don’t do that again,” he said, voice rough.
“Bad idea.”
“No. It’s not that. I can’t be distracted.” He cupped her face again and kissed her forehead. “You’re very distracting.”
He left her there and got in his truck without another word. He drove right to Nero’s place. His friend was sitting on the porch, rocking in a chair with Valentine.
“I’m not surprised to see you,” Val said, laughing. “Did my little sister chase you right out of your own house?”
“Whydidyou take her there, of all places?” Nero joined in on the laughter. “Is she your mate?”
Atlas stilled. “What?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Val said. “Celestine and I have been talking about it, and it would only make sense that she’s your mate. You know, because of Celestine and Reece and me and Nero. Three alpha friends, three sisters. Would fate really leave it two out of three? I don’tthinkso.”
“Val really wants her sister to have an alpha mate that will keep her out of trouble,” Nero explained. “But we are curious. Is she? Your mate?”
Atlas wanted to point out that Nero had suddenly become a “we.” Would that happen to him if he told Lilliane the truth?
“Does it matter?” he answered.
“He’s your friend,” Val said. “You tell me why he won’t answer. Is it because she is or because he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings?”
“Val,” Nero chuckled benevolently. “Easy, love.”
“Well?”
“I’m starting to see a family resemblance,” Atlas joked. “Do me a favor? Don’t tell Lilliane.”
Val nodded. “Okay.”
“Really?” he laughed, disbelieving. “You won’t fight me on it?”
