I Swear I Still Hate Him (Atlas Lawson) novel Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Emery’s POV

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The private jet was already insane. Leather seats, sparkling drinks, a mini-fridge just for snacks. I thought that was peak rich-kid behavior. But then… we pulled up to this.

The beach house.

Correction: The Beach House.

My mouth actually fell open. “What the freak…”

It looked like something off a luxury magazine cover, or the kind of place a Millionaire would retire to after faking his death. White pillars, massive windows, neatly trimmed hedges that looked like they were shaped by angels, and the ocean literally right there. Waves lapping like they had a personal invite.

Was Ford’s dad into tech? Real estate? Politics? International smuggling?

“Welcome, my friends, to my crib,” Ford said with a proud grin, throwing his arms out like he built it with his bare hands.

Jazz stopped walking and blinked. “Okay. What is your dad into?”

“Boring shit,” Ford said with a grin.

The house was glowing under the sun, framed by swaying palm trees and a green lawn that looked too perfect to be real. Like, if I stepped on it, would an alarm go off?

Inside was worse.

Worse in the best way.

Vaulted ceilings with those cool wooden beams that made me feel like I walked into a Pinterest board. White walls, light wood floors, fluffy couches so soft they made you want to cancel all your problems and nap for the rest of the year. There were cozy blue pillows and woven baskets and giant windows that framed the freaking ocean like a painting.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

Atlas brushed past me, his bag slung over one shoulder. His arm grazed mine, and I jolted like a teenager catching feelings for the first time. Chill, Emery.

Ford clapped his hands. “Alright! Jazz and Howard, you guys are downstairs. Atlas and Emery, upstairs, first two doors on the right…and I’m with sammie baby.”

“Why do Atlas and Emery get to be together?” Sam asked, her grin wide and way too mischievous for my

comfort.

I stiffened, clutching my bag tighter like it was a shield. My gaze flicked to Atlas instinctively, he didn’t even

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Chapter 73

flinch, just stood there like a Greek god with zero thoughts in that infuriatingly perfect head.

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“Because they’re technically siblings,” Ford said, draping an arm across Atlas’s shoulder with a smirk. “And if there’s anyone who can stop Emmy Bear from sneaking a guy into her room, it’s Atlas.”

Kill me now.

My mouth opened in protest, but no words came out. Just a noise, something between a scoff and a wheeze.

Sam snorted. “I mean, if she wanted to, she could.”

I blinked. Then blinked again.

My mouth went dry. My palms? Sweaty. Because the only guy I wanted to sneak into my bed was literally standing two feet away. Atlas. With his calm, unreadable face. That annoying way he stood with his hands in his pockets, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world.

And now… now I was imagining him shirtless. No…naked.

Get out of the gutter, Emery.

I shook my head subtly, hoping to reset my brain like a bad Wi-Fi signal. What was wrong with me?

“Andddd,” Ford continued, oblivious to my slow death, “as our loyal and fearless team captain, Atlas gets the room with the ocean view. It’s practically written in the bro code.”

He and Atlas did their signature handshake-slash-chest-bump move, and I hated how ridiculously good Atlas looked with his backwards cap and smug smirk.

Focus. Breathe. Don’t stare at his arms.

“Bathroom’s stocked, fridge is loaded, towels are fluffy, and yes, there’s even sunscreen for sensitive rich-boy skin,” Ford added. “Need anything else, hit me up. I’m your concierge-slash-hero for the week.”

“Wait, where’s Omar?” Jazz asked, glancing around like he might pop out of a tree.

Ford rolled his eyes dramatically. “The sly bastard bailed on me. Said this trip was my punishment for eating his last protein bar.”

“Oh my God,” I laughed.

“I’m gonna send him a dick pic out of pure spite.”

“Hey!” Sam cut in, hands on her hips. “I’m right here.”

Without missing a beat, Ford stood and slid his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in like she was his prized trophy. “Baby, you get to see the main thing in the flesh, and not only do you get to see it, get to be inside you.”

I choked on my own spit.

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Chapter 73

Jazz groaned and threw her hands up. “Ew. You guys are disgusting.”

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She grabbed her suitcase and started toward her room, her blonde curls bouncing with each dramatic step. Howard trailed after her, but not before giving me a soft, lopsided smile. I smiled back, small and polite.

Atlas and I walked upstairs into the hallway, trailing a few steps behind Ford and Sam, who were currently in the middle of their cling-fest. Ford had his arm around her waist like he was afraid she’d vanish, and Sam was laughing at something he whispered in her ear, her cheeks all pink and her eyes glowing.

They were disgustingly cute.

And definitely into each other.

Why couldn’t they just date already? They clearly wanted to. And it’s not like they were related or anything… Well. Not by blood….

I was so deep in my own thoughts, overanalyzing everyone else’s romantic tension to avoid thinking about mine, that I didn’t notice the body directly in front of me.

Thud.

“Oof…sorry,” I blurted, stumbling slightly as my shoulder bumped right into a very solid, very familiar chest.

Atlas.

Of course.

He steadied me with one hand, his warm fingers brushing my arm, and his dimples made a surprise appearance. Those damn dimples. “You good?” he asked, voice soft, almost amused.

I cleared my throat and stepped back, internally yelling at myself to stop being weird. “Yeah. All good.”

He nodded, and the two of us walked side by side down the hall in awkward, charged silence.

I could feel the heat radiating off him. Why did he have to be so tall? And warm? And smell like cedarwood and sex? Damn, I wanna get laid.

“Need help with your bag?” he asked after a beat, glancing at my overpacked duffel.

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