A smile creeps up on my face, totally betraying me. Hate that I can't stay serious with this man.

"God, I hate you." Atlas slides a hand down his face. "I was about to cry, again."

"Aw, I missed the crying?"

He shakes his head, exhaling deeply. My hand reaches up to his face, my body internally screaming for me to stop moving as it hurts worse than giving birth. To be fair, I had an epidural as I gave birth to Allie, so maybe that doesn't count.

Anyway, I won't lie. For the first minute of me waking up, I had no idea what the hell was going on. When I saw Atlas, my first thought was "What is my boss doing here?" It took me a hot second to remember, though I am still stuck on me running into the building. Everything that happened after that is completely wiped off my mind. Guess my brain loves taking memories from me.

An actual tear slips from the corner of Atlas's eye, temporarily taking away my breath. Truth be told, I didn't think this man could cry. At least I haven't seen that happening even once, and from what his mother has told me, it didn't sound like much could shake him.

I wipe the tear away just before he grabs my hand in his and brings it up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles. "How long was I out for? It hasn't been years, has it?" He shakes his head instantly. But by the heavy weight that I know is weighing on his chest, I know it hasn't just been a day or two.

"Two weeks, Mrs. Storm," a doctor that must have just entered the room answers for Atlas. Then he fills me in on everything that happened during my emergency surgery, how I almost died and that my heart stopped beating like three times that day. All the while this man does some tests on me.

I personally think he should tell me all this after he ran the tests, because how stupid is this? He listens to my heartbeat while my thoughts are somewhere in the deepest depths of the Galaxy because I was way closer to death that I had thought.

Guess my rapid heartbeat it no biggie then.

"Now, Mrs.—" he turns to Atlas "—and Mr. Storm, you cannot leave the hospital for another couple of days. We'd like to monitor you, Mrs. Storm, for a short while still. The shot wound is healing, and looks great for what your body has been through."

Not sure what I had thought happened, but of course I was shot. Like I said, my memory was erased...again. At least this time it wasn't thanks to alcohol.

Wait—if I was shot...and I remember walking inside the building with Allie in my arms then..."Where is Allie?"

Dr. Shirman chuckles, Atlas doesn't, yet both men turn sideways, allowing me a sight towards the crib in this room. The relief is immediate.

"Someone will come check on you every now and then, as so will I every morning and evening until you're all good to go," Dr. Shirman chirps before he says his goodbyes and leaves the room.

I lie back in my bed, eyes close to falling shut. Getting shot is exhausting. Recovering from a surgery, too. But I have so many more questions that require answers, I can't possibly just fall asleep again.

Scooting over on my bed, I tap my hand to the free space, basically telling Atlas to get his cute butt over here to give me some cuddles. But Atlas wouldn't be Atlas if he didn't shake his head. "Remember the contract you signed?"

"You mean our marriage certificate?" I nod. "I didn't read 'climb into the wife's hospital bed after she woke up from a coma' on there."

I sigh falsely, rolling my eyes. "No, but it did say 'Atlas Storm is required to do as his wife says. So when she wants cuddles after being knocked out for weeks, he has to do so without hesitation.'"

"Otherwise?" The slight smile on his lips doesn't go lost on me.

I hum, thinking of an answer. "Otherwise Sierra Storm will no longer pop out some babies from the husband in question."

His jaw drops, a hand finding to his heart. "That is pure evil. Did you work with Satan to get this on paper and have the government agree to this?" He climbs into bed with me, carefully pulling me into his arms.

I feel his lips press to the side of my head only a second before his forehead leans against it.

"Someone had to be able to tell you what you can and cannot do, Mr. Storm."

He snickers. "And you thought that would have to be you?"

I shake my head. "No, that would be Allie. But until she can speak properly and order you around, I'll have to do."

He doesn't respond to that, not for a whole minute at least. "She will order me around, won't she?" Atlas says, sighing at the end of it.

"She does so already, wait until she begs you to get your nails done by her. Or until she has eyeshadow and lipstick to play around with, and needs a great canvas to try out the colours."

"I'd say no and tell her to ask you." So he says now. I bet we all know Atlas wouldn't be able to say no to his daughter. He barely can say no to Winter, and she's just his sister. "Wait, we're talking makeup supplies? She's three months old. She won't get that witch-crafty stuff for another thirty years."

I chuckle, retting it immediately as the pain in my ribs get worse from it. I turn my face, looking at Atlas. He smiles at me, doesn't speak, just stares. It's far more intimate than him being inside of me.

God, stop this. I woke up from a coma like an hour ago. How the hell does this man manage to make me want to strip and fuck his brains out?

"There's this thing; children's makeup. She'll own it." Atlas shakes his head. "Yes, she will. You know why?" I don't let him answer. "Little girls love playing with makeup, I know I did. I used to steal my mother's all the time and then force Cody to let me do his makeup."

"Do you happen to have pictures of that?"

My eyes narrow at him. "I'm sure my mother took some, why?"

"You need to send them to me." His shoulders shake as he laughs. "I need new ammo to blackmail your brother with."

I slap him, or try to. I don't have much strength in me, but a hit is a hit. However, Atlas chuckles at my attempt to beat the shit out of him. Then, once I narrow my eyes at him madly, he winces and repeats the word "ouch" like I'm breaking a million bones of his. (Not that a body is made of a million bones)

"Atlas?" I whisper, trying to save some energy.

"Sweetheart?"

"I love you."

His lips press to mine softly, carefully. Like I'm made of glass that could break any second. But I know he means well, doesn't want to hurt me. "I love you."

I smile into another kiss he lets me steal from him, my eyes staying closed when he pulls away and kisses my forehead instead. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart," he whispers, suddenly holding me that tiny bit closer to his body. It's like he fears me slipping away when he wouldn't. But I can live with that. I certainly can sleep with that.

A few minutes pass, and yet despite me being utterly exhausted, something is still weighing on my chest, enough to keep me from falling asleep. "Atlas?"

He hums, pressing his forehead to the side of mine. "Yeah?"

"Why don't you ever say too?" I can feel him frown. "When I say I love you. You never say I love you too." It's something I've noticed straight away. He hasn't even done it once.

"Cause that seems too impersonal. I love you. Not because you love me, but because I do. Because I fell in love with every single piece of you, including your little outbreaks of anger when you look into the fridge and realise someone ate the last donut in there." His thumb strokes over my shoulder comfortably.

"You need to stop granting your guests access to our fridge." They do be thinking Atlas is a free grocery store. Perhaps he is. For me.

"I ate them."

My eyes snap open, head turning to face him in a heartbeat all the while I gasp, being completely and utterly in shock. "I KNEW IT!" I whisper-yell. A little bit of excitement rushing through my body.

He ate donuts. Atlas Storm, the Atlas Storm likes donuts. That's something I've never seen coming.

"Do you secretly make a stop at McDonalds on your way home and eat the good stuff without me?"

He nods. "Daily. I'd much rather have you suffer from all the vegetable so I can keep the good, greasy stuff all to myself. If I had to share, god knows you'd eat it all."

My mouth opens, then closes and opens again. "You're rude."

"And you're a ray of sunshine."

I sigh. "Our lives are kinda boring, aren't they?"

Atlas shakes his head, trying not to laugh. "Sweetheart, you got shot by an ex girlfriend of mine. You didn't even like me up until like six months into your pregnancy. I wouldn't exactly call that boring."

"Now I know why I write your press reports and not you," I chuckle. His eyebrows rise. "You starts with the weakest argument, end with the most striking one. Not the other way 'round."

"Go to sleep, smart-ass." His lips press to mine, again. Not that I'm complaining. "Good night."

"You know—" I yawn "—I'll never get tired of your Good Nights."

-♡-

A couple days pass, according to Dr. Shirman I've been doing much better, which is why I'm officially back at home.

Dr. Shirman had told me all about what happened during my surgery, how I've nearly died like two times in less than two hours, and yet I was stubborn enough not to let that happen. Truthfully, I'm glad I was being stubborn. Didn't exactly want to die yet.

As much as I'm glad to be back at home, I hate it at the same time. Sure, it's better for my back because hospital beds suck—it's definitely better for Atlas as he has been sleeping on an armchair for three whole weeks.

Atlas's mother told me he hadn't left my room once, he also didn't leave my room the entire week I've been awake. Every single time I told him he could go home, he'd shut my words down with a simple and one-day-affective "No".

There was one day when he left the room for good twenty minutes. It was when policemen showed up to question me. I had nothing to say as I don't remember anything that went down after I walked inside the building.

So when I couldn't provide a rundown of the scene, Atlas stepped in. I had absolutely no desire of hearing about that day, so I sent them outside.

Well...and now I am no longer on morphine, which means my whole rip and stomach area feel as though I'm on fire. Walking? Yeah, that doesn't work. I can barely stand on two feet for longer than a minute. But, hey, at least I get carried around by my hot husband at all times.

"I have good and bad news," Atlas says as he takes a seat next to me. "I would ask you which one you'd like to hear first, but I wouldn't know which one is which."

"Okay?" I chuckle slightly, regretting it immediately. Why does my ribs have to hurt this much?

"Nico has admitted to raping you. He went to the police and told them. Now, they said they won't even go for a trial or anything unless you report him and want to go to court," he says.

He's right, there's no way to split this up in good and bad news. "I don't know if I should report him."

Atlas seems to be seconds away from bursting into flames, clearly not liking my answer. "Eh, yes. You fucking should."

"I just don't want to go through the pain all over again," I admit. It was hard enough accepting it happened. I'm not even sure the police will do anything now that it's been a couple of years, despite saying it will only come to a trial if I do report Nico.

Well, but I could try, right? I should try. Not just for me, but for every single person out there that suffered from the same, been through even worse, died from it.

Atlas pulls me close to him, carefully not to hurt me. As I sit on his lap, my legs on either side of his body, his hands lie down on my ass.

"He's done you more than wrong. I can't accept that, and neither should you." His hands slide up my body, quickly finding back down as I wince when he accidentally touches my ribs a little too firmly.

As my arms wrap around his neck, I can feel his body slightly shiver. God, it's been far too long since we've had a minute to ourselves. I couldn't even kiss him properly without feeling as though someone was staring at us.

"Nico has to be held responsible for what he's done. One rape is one too many already," he says quietly. "I don't care that it's been years and you probably started to accept it has happened. You shouldn't just ignore that it happened. You never should have. Sierra, if you don't want to go to the police alone, I will go with you. I'll be by your side through all of the trial and longer, but please, for your own good and every single woman out there that had to go through the same, don't let him get through this unpunished."

"I won't," I whisper. He's right, I know he is. Even if there is a chance that nothing will change, that he won't get any consequences for his actions, Nico's records will still be messed up. It's at least something, a lot more justice than some people out there get. "I'll report him."

"Thank you."

"I'm not doing this for you, Atlas."

"I know," he says quietly, pressing his lips to mine, softly. "But I'm thanking you in the name of every single person out there that never even got the chance to report it."

Who would have thought the Atlas Storm wasn't so broody and mad after all? That he has a heart of gold underneath that hard, icy exterior?

I slide closer against his body, my mouth crashing down on his. What started of ass sweet and innocent quickly turns into something more steamy, something that has me rub up on his as I feel Atlas's erection press against the thin layer of my underwear.

His tongue dips into my mouth, getting a taste of me. I moan into his mouth, feeling another shiver run down his spine, his erection only growing. That must be pretty uncomfortable in his pants. "How about that baby number two...?"

Atlas snickers, appearing as if he's considering it before he shakes his head. "Maybe after you recovered from getting shot and nearly dying a whole three times."

I guess he's right...doesn't mean I want his cock inside of me any less though.

"Atlas?"

"Hm?"

I kiss him again, making sure I am as close to him as I could possibly get before I whisper, "I love you."

"Damn right you do." His tongue is back inside of my mouth, exploring every single part of me as if he wasn't already only too familiar with it. "I love you."

"Can we have McDonalds for dinner?"

He sighs, resting his forehead against mine. "Sure, anything you want, sweetheart."

"Anything?"

He nods, though I bet he's already regretting it.

If I didn't know any better...I'd say Atlas Storm is the biggest simp there is. Not that it's anything bad. He loves me, and he loves showing me he does. Nothing bad about that.