All Lust and War ✓

Chapter nine

"Listen, you're both of legal age, you're both grown adults, some more than others," I looked down at my fingers. "You can make decisions yourself. If it involves continuing your relationship with him, then so be it. I'm stoked to have someone like him with you."

"He threatened me twice."

"No!" She yelled out.

"I didn't tell you this but the day we met in the classroom, he came to the house with Luke. He's Luke's boss." Her eyes widened. "He came up to my room and heard me in my alone time. He even saw the damn vibrator." A laugh escaped her throat. "Not funny. Do you understand how embarrassing that was?"

"Yes, but this is gold." She wiped a tear from her eye. "How the hell is this real life?"

"He said that if I had known half the shit he had done in life, I'd run from him."

"So he's a bad boy." I rolled my eyes.

"Not helping." She held her hands out in defence.

"I wanted to tell you something that I'm not sure you'll like. Maybe you will, I don't know." I glanced up at her, my brows pinched together. "You know that guy Atlas?" I nodded. "He admitted to me he likes you." I gave her a look as if she was playing with me.

"What the fuck, Rose? Like this helps me out in any way. He doesn't. You're making shit up." She put on that wicked smile I've grown to be afraid of. "What did you do?"

"Get ready, you're going on a date with him." My eyes widened as I stood up straight.

"What the fuck!" She jumped off the stool.

"Listen, he's your age, your type, smart, had money-"

"How much do you know about him?"

"My FBI skills are immaculate." By FBI, she most likely means digging on Facebook. Something she called Facebook'al bureau of investigation. Not my idea, hers.

But fuck it. Nathanial isn't for me. He can't be. I need someone who'd be my age or a bit older. Nathanial isn't someone who'd make me happy. Whereas Atlas seems like the perfect guy.

"Where?"

"Your place."

"Really? My place?"

"He asked me on the spot and it just came out." I nodded.

"Fine. When?"

"In two hours." Shit. My head was in pain, the hungover was still clear. But something inside me couldn't stop hurdling. Maybe I was trying to fool myself but perhaps this will help me forget what happened last night.

————

Rose left the house thirty minutes ago, leaving me completely alone with an island covered with snacks and a wine bottle on the side as well as the silence. Just the house though. My brain was on full blast going from one thought to the other.

I changed into something more appropriate for a first date. A date that I haven't had in years. Not that I complained much. I wore a light beige sweater, which was tucked into my black pants, paired with black heels. My hair was straightened and pushed back, while my make up was lightly done.

As the doorbell rang, my heart rate sped up to a million miles per hour. I walked over to the door, took a deep breath and opened it.

Atlas stood there with red roses in his left hand and a faint smile on his face. He wore a light brown coat with black jeans and a white dress shirt underneath. He looked very handsome. How did I, in the span of a month, find two men gushing over me?