Broken

Chapter 22

"Who was that?" Collin asked when Makenna joined them,

"No one important." Makenna picked up her drink,

"Well, he's a hottie," Lexi confessed,

Makenna ignored that comment and took a sip of her drink, her gaze unconsciously found Killian's gaze. He raised a brow at her silently asking what all that was about. Makenna shook her head and looked away.

"We should join the party," Killian said to Thea,

"Yea, sure." Thea smiled up at him even though she knew he was just trying to get them away from Makenna's friends. "Thank you for letting us stick around."

"Anytime." Lexi smiled before they left,

"They were boring." Kent said,

"Because she didn't want Hee's spiked drink?" Makenna asked,

"Well, that and no PDA. What's a relationship without PDA?"

"Definitely not disgusting," Lexi said,

"Like you guys." Collin added with a smile,

Hee swatted Collin,

"Ouch!"

"PDA is not disgusting."

"I didn't say it was." Collin defended, "I just meant you guys are." He laughed,

Brandon leaned closer to Makenna and whispered,
"Who was that?"

Makenna followed his gaze to where Atlas still stood,
"No one."

"Didn't look like no one."

"Just some guy that pissed me off." Makenna said, "As I said, no one important."

Brandon nodded and leaned away.

The night went on great for Makenna and her friends while Killian and Thea found a corner in the house that wasn't as crowded and noisy to just chill and hang out, enjoying each other's company. Atlas kept an eye on them and Will tried to get him to relax but Atlas wasn't having it.

Thea was tired and wanted to get back to her dorm before midnight, Killian stepped out with her intending to walk her back but Atlas intercepted them.

"Leaving?"

"Yes, I'm knackered."

"I'll walk with you." Atlas offered,

"I'm walking her." Killian said,

Atlas shifted his gaze from Thea to Killian,
"I want to hang out with my sister, Killian, just the two of us."

Killian knew exactly what Atlas was doing but Thea didn't,
"We're meeting up tomorrow, might as well spend the rest of the night my brother."

Killian who was looking at Thea nodded with a smile,
"Of course," He leaned in and placed a kiss on her temple, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, you will." Thea smiled at him before turning to Atlas, "Ready."

Atlas shifted his gaze to Killian as he walked past him to stand beside Thea and then shifted them as he and Thea walked away from him, heading out of the main house.

Killian figured their conversation hadn't swayed Atlas on his decision and Killian wasn't sure what to do about that.

Projection.
A tiny voice whispered to Killian.

It was faint but Killian felt it more than he heard it and he couldn't help but wonder if Atlas was projecting. People usually projected their insecurities onto others and Killian almost let his thoughts wander in that direction but the major part of him already believed in the fact that Atlas was just being an overly protective brother. So, he let go of the projection theory because he thought Atlas seemed more like the 'in control' protective brother rather than an insecure, broken person.

Killian was standing in the centre of the main house still staring at the door Thea and Atlas had walked out of when Makenna walked inside alone and saw him,

"Everything alright?"

Killian turned to look at her,
"Yea."

Makenna didn't buy it because she knew her brother too well,
"Where's Thea?" She was interested but she figured that was his problem,

"Gone."

Makenna quirked her left eyebrow in question rather than speak up,

"She was tired."

"Let me guess, the brother went with her."

"Atlas." Killian nodded,

"I don't care what his name is." Makenna said, "He is one snobbish class A jerkwad."

Killian was starting to smile as he stared at his sister,
"Since when do you say 'snobbish' and 'jerkwad'?"

"Since I met one."

Killian was full-on smiling by then,
"He's just really over-protective."

"There's that and then there's him."

Killian studied Makenna feeling like she knew more than he thought she did,
"What did you talk to him about?"

"Oh, you know, the usual."

"No, I don't."

Makenna sighed as she pretended to get into character,
"If he hurts, he pays." Makenna said in a jersey-girl tired rehearsed voice,

"I thought that's something you tell the person I'm dating, not their sibling."

"Yea well, the person you're dating is literally an angel but the sibling is out for you."

"Did he say something?"

"No, he didn't have to." Makenna said, "I picked up on it and confirmed it when I confronted him."

"He's just looking out for Thea."

"If you truly think that, then you're definitely not my brother. Because that is not 'I'm just looking out for my sister', it's 'I'm out to sabotage my sister's relationship because I can'."

Makenna studied Killian hoping he wasn't serious when he tried to defend Atlas,
"Something is really wrong with your girlfriend's brother."

Makenna walked past him heading towards the kitchen to get a refill she knew was just for show and she wouldn't be drinking.

"Mac?"

Killian turned around to look at her and Makenna stopped and did the same,
"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing." Makenna said too honestly, "Just that he would regret going after your relationship with his sister. Nothing bad."

Makenna smiled at him and Killian knew better than to believe that. She seemed happy as she turned and kept walking and Killian just knew he and Thea were going to be dealing with their siblings at war while he simultaneously tried to get Atlas to see how he felt about Thea.

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Hey guys,

I hope you're enjoying Broken. I'm working really hard to get in some writing after my work everyday. Somedays, I'm unable to, other days I complete half a chapter and that little progress just makes me so happy.

I was hoping to complete Broken by the end of the year, but I honestly didn't take my job into account. I apologise for the slow weekly update. But I hope you stick around till the end.

Love,
Jane Lanett. ❤️