The Storm

Chapter 20

Quite frankly, I'm not even sure I would want to stay home when he's gone anymore. I am safer with him by my side. I'm well aware he can't protect me from everything, but he sure would try. And if he were around today, or I was with him...I know for a fact today wouldn't have happened.

"I know you signed the kids up to daycare and you want to work from home as it's less stressful, we'll find a way to work around it, I promise. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I'm not going to risk anything happening to you again."

I let out a heavy breath. Not a sigh of disappointment or pain, but relief.

"What about Allie and Vienna?" I ask, lifting my head to look at him. It's the first time in a couple of hours I don't feel like crying. I don't feel like something happened to me, though I know it had. But let's be honest here, it wasn't half as bad as it was ten years ago when Nico happened.

Still traumatising though.

His mouth opens as he wants to respond but a knock on the door beats him to it.

"Sierra?" a very manly voice speaks from the other side of the door.

I can feel Atlas tense, a dark cloud rising above his head. His jealousy is adorable, truly. Though, my husband tends to fire everyone that doesn't refer to me as "Mrs. Storm."

"Keep it in your pants, would you?" I speak quietly as I sit up. I don't let Atlas react before I say, "you can open the door, Mitch." I don't necessarily feel like talking to anyone other than my husband at the moment, but I guess Atlas forgot to dismiss him for the day, otherwise he wouldn't still be around.

I pull my knees up underneath my chin just as the door opens. Suddenly I'm glad I threw on some clothes before deciding to drown in self-pity for a couple of hours. "Si—Oh. I...I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Alright, alright. I get what this looks like. Mitch never walks in when Atlas is at home, he never witnesses Atlas when it's just the two of us really. Not that it matters.

I once read an article about Atlas and my relationship. Apparently people think Atlas is the world worst husband because he'd be a cold asshole to me too. Which is not true, but I'd rather have those rumours go around than have people all up in my business.

As I chuckle, Atlas does some weird noises next to me. Kind of like growls. God, he does hate people calling me by my first name. I'm not sure why though.

Mitch gathers himself, or tries to with Atlas's eyes burning through his flesh. "I just wanted to inform you that I would start cooking dinner now."

"Don't bother, Kennedy. You're—"

"Dismissed for the day," I say before Atlas could finish his sentence. "The kids changed their minds and wanted to sleep at her uncle's. Atlas and I will be ordering in, but thank you."

Mitch nods and closes the door behind him as he leaves.

"How often does he walk in here without me knowing?" Atlas asks the second the door closes.

"It's not a big deal, Atlas. He's just letting me know when food should be done so I can get Allie and Vienna ready for it."

Atlas shakes his head. "Let me fire him. He wants what's mine."

"He doesn't want me, Atlas."

A second after these words escape me, Atlas pushes me to lie down, hovering over me. He slightly pushes up my shirt, enough to free my stomach. Then he kisses the not-really-visible bump. I'm not very far yet, so there's absolutely nothing to see.

"He can't have you anyway." He plans another kiss to my stomach, then moves up to be eye-to-eye with me. "I could name a couple of reasons why."

"Why?" I sure know he has a few, but I'm interested in hearing them.