I Swear I Still Hate Him (Atlas Lawson) novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Atlas POV

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might crack open. I didn’t know how long, I’d been running, just that I couldn’t stop. Not until I saw her.

“Yo, you Atlas?” one of the football guys called out, but their voices blurred into background noise. I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.

I had to find her.

Now.

I burst out of the rink’s back doors, lungs burning, and then froze. She was standing there. Right next to him.

Him.

My stomach dropped. And then it twisted. Like someone shoved a hot blade straight through it. His face turned toward me, smug and satisfied. Like he knew exactly what he was doing.

The smile he gave her…fuck.

I didn’t think. I didn’t care. I crossed the space between us in seconds.

“Atlas?” Emery’s voice barely left her lips before I grabbed her hand and yanked her

“What the hell? Atlas, let go of my hand!”

away,

But I didn’t stop. Not until we were out of sight, away from the football field, away from him. Away from everything.

“Atlas, what the hell…”

Her words died on her tongue the second I turned and pulled her into me.

I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. My chest was too tight. My heart slammed against my ribs like it wanted to escape. My hands shook as they wrapped around her waist, clutching her like a lifeline. I pressed my forehead into her shoulder, breathing hard. She froze for half a second. And then… her arms slid around me too.

God.

I held her tighter. Tighter than I probably should’ve. But I needed to feel her. I needed to know she was real and safe and mine.

Even if she wasn’t.

When I finally pulled away, my vision blurred for a second. Her brows were drawn in, her lips parted in concern, her eyes wide and soft.

15:16 Tue, Dec 30

Chapter 69

“What happened?” she asked, her voice quiet.

I shook my head. I couldn’t get the words out. Not yet.

:

“Wanna get out of here?” I finally muttered, voice hoarse.

She nodded without a second thought.

67

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I opened the car door for her, then rounded to my side. My hands were still trembling as I gripped the steering wheel, knuckles pale as I drove off.

The ride home had been dead silent. Not tense… just quiet. Like Emery knew not to push. Like she could feel everything boiling just beneath my skin.

Now we sat in the living room, both of us still in our jackets, like neither of us had the energy to fully settle in. She stood up for a moment, walked to the kitchen, and returned with a bottle of water. Wordless. Calm.

She handed it to me.

“Thanks,” I muttered, fingers brushing hers for a second too long.

She gave a small nod and sat beside me. Not too close. But close enough to make me feel anchored.

We didn’t talk….She didn’t ask.

It was like she was waiting, knowing whatever I was about to say would come when I could handle it.

Finally, I broke. My voice scraped out of my throat like it was clawing its way free.

“I’m sorry… if I scared you.”

Her head tilted slightly. “It’s fine.”

I swallowed hard. My throat felt tight, like the words were stuck behind a lock I didn’t want to open.

“The man you were talking to…” I started, my voice dropping. “He’s my-”

The word refused to come out.

Father.

I hated that word. He wasn’t my father. I just had his blood. That was all. And if there had been a way to get rid of it, cut it out of my veins, erase it from my bones, I would have done it without thinking twice.

The thought of having a piece of him inside me made my stomach twist. Made me feel sick.

“Atlas,” she said softly. Her hand lifted, warm and gentle against my cheek. My eyes fluttered shut without me meaning to, and I leaned into her touch like I needed it just to breathe.

“That man…” I forced myself to finish, my jaw tightening. “Is my father.”

15:16 Tue, Dec 30

Chapter 69

Her eyes widened slightly. “Oh… I…I didn’t know.”

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