Atlas
Chapter Three
After confirming with Maizyn that she still wants to go out tonight, I grab my keys to the Alfa Romeo Giulia and head out the door.
I prefer driving the Supra, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seat three.
Even though she is getting a ride-share there, I refuse to let her ride-share home.
There is no point in making Gavin get another ride home either.
I find it a bit strange he isn’t home, knowing we had plans, but I don’t say anything about it. I typed the address Gavin sent me into the maps on my phone to see how far it was.
Gavin: Okay. Sounds good, I will meet you outside.
I follow the directions coming from the robot voice on my phone as I make my way to where Gavin is, pulling into the parking lot fourteen minutes later.
It’s always fun beating the estimated arrival time, even if it’s only by a minute.
I don’t know where I expected to be picking him up from, but it wasn’t from in front of a hotel.
I come to a stop in front of where Gavin is standing and roll down my window.
“Personal driver for Mr. Blackwell.” He forces a fake accent, causing his words to come out nasally.
“Ha ha, very funny.” The sarcasm drips from the words.
“I thought it was. Do I need to get out and open the door for you, or are you going to get in the car already?”
He opens the passenger door, takes in what I am wearing, then laughs.
“What’s so funny, Gavin?”
“If I knew we were gonna be matching tonight, I would have told you to change.”
“And why the fuck would I change?”
“Because I look better in it than you do.”
I punch him playfully in the arm as he plops into the passenger seat and shuts the car door.
“Glad to have you back.”
“Happy to be back.”
Putting the car into drive, I head towards Elixirs before asking my next question. “How was it? Is everything situated at the Willowhook office?”
“It was lonely and annoying as hell, but yeah, everything is handled. You know I wouldn't have left it otherwise.”
“I still appreciate you staying behind and handling everything for me. I really didn’t want to keep Maizyn there if I didn’t have to.”
“Of course, man. I get it. Speaking of Maizyn, I thought she was coming out with us tonight.”
“She is supposed to. She said she was going to meet us there.”
“We could have done something else if she didn’t want to go out. I would like to actually meet the special woman who has made you lose your mind.”
“I told her the same thing before I left, but she insisted she wanted to. I am hoping she does. I think finally getting out of the house will be good for her.”
“What do you mean?”
“Something has been off with Maizyn since we came back. She hasn’t been herself.
She has been lost in thought most of the time.
She is completely fine one moment, then not even there the next.
It’s like she has these walls she built around herself to keep everyone out, me included.
We haven’t discussed what happened the other day; we haven't discussed much of anything besides moving back here. I know we have a lot of shit to talk about between us, but I have been giving her space.”
We come to a stop at a red light when he asks, “What actually happened that day, Atlas? I never thought of you as a killer, yet you left Ramos and me a body to clean up.”
My brows furrow as I realize how little I told Gavin. While it’s not really my story to tell, I won't lie to him. “She would be one of the few people I would actually kill for, but the problem with the statement is the fact it wasn’t me.”
His eyes flash with surprise. “What are you trying to say, Atlas?”
“I didn’t kill Trevor. He was dead when I arrived. She was covered in his blood and had a gun pointed at my fucking head.” A small chuckle slips out as I think about the fact she could have easily killed me.
“What is so funny?”
“She almost shot me. The bullet landed into the wood two inches from my head.”
“Still not seeing the joke.” The light turns green. I start driving again before turning my head towards Gavin and answering.
“I am crazy enough about her I would have let her.”
I turn my attention back to the road in front of me as I brace for his response. The car is silent for a while before he finally speaks again.
“Do you think that’s what is weighing on her lately?”
I am slightly shocked he didn’t say anything about what I just said, but I am also relieved. “That’s what I assumed. I don’t know what even happened to her before I arrived, but killing someone has to have a toll.”
“Did she tell you killing him was bothering her or…?”
“Well, no. I didn’t want to bring it up.”
“It might be important to find out the truth.”
I pull into a parking space at Elixir’s before throwing the car in park and turning it off. “What if it somehow ruins everything we have? I just got her back. She is my yellow. I don’t think I could handle losing her again, Gavin.”
Before he can respond to what I just said, I get out of the car and rush inside the bar. I need a fucking drink, and I want to be calm before Maizyn shows up.