“You saw her go into the building?”
He winces, wetting his lower lip. “Actually, no. We walked about halfway, and then I saw someone I needed to talk to, so we parted ways.” He huffs out a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry, I feel bad. I totally should have stayed with her. You were trusting me to do that.” Scrubbing his hands through his hair, he shakes his head. “What does this stuff that happened Monday have to do with what happened downstairs just now?”
“That fucker Alec told her today that he saw her ex take her right off the porch and didn’t do a damn thing to stop it.”
Dane shuts his eyes, a slow exhale spilling from between pursed lips. After a moment, he finally grits out, “Are you serious? He’s such a fucking dick. I almost wish I hadn’t pulled you off that fucker.”
I scrub my hand through my hair and glance down at my watch. I’ve been gone too long. “Yeah, look—I’ll have to catch up with you later. Elliot’s upstairs waiting for me. Keep an eye on things for me, would you?”
Dane looks down, his lips pressed together. “Yeah, of course. Tell Elliot I’m thinking about her.”
THIRTEEN
ELLIOT
I’m goingto drive myself insane wondering what’s happening downstairs. Archer’s down there, and I can’t bring myself to do anything but curl up in his computer chair and wait. The look in his eyes when he told me he had to take care of things—Oh, fuck.It’s not like him to be anything but calm, cool, and collected. At this point, I know these guys fairly well, and he’s the least likely to fly off the handle, but the crazed look in his eye as he stormed out of here has me on edge. My nerves are quickly fraying. I draw in an unsteady breath, then another, wetting my lips as horrible thoughts of what could be happening begin to take root in my head. Maybe I should go down there, stop him from whatever he’s doing. But shit, I can’t. He asked me to wait here for a reason. And if I don’t have to set eyes on Alec ever again, it’d be too soon. Archer is smart. He wouldn’t get himself into a situation he can’t easily extricate himself from… would he?
“Peaches, how about we get you out of these clothes?” At the sound of his strong, sure voice behind me, I put a leg down and swivel the chair toward him. My gaze runs quickly over him from head to toe. I inhale shakily, then let the breath back out. He’s okay. He’s fine.
I bolt out of the seat and crash into him, letting his strength wrap me up and his warmth soothe me. “That’s not a very subtle way of trying to get me naked, Archer.” I press my lips together, trying to be strong and hoping he laughs. “What? Am I not funny?”
He eases away from me with a small smile. “Hilarious.”
“What happened down there?”
“Alec won’t be bothering you anymore. Let’s leave it at that.” He sighs, scrubbing his hand over his cheek. “I really want to put it behind us. But… can I ask what you were doing down there with them in the first place?”
I draw in a breath and work up my courage to explain what’s still in my head. “I was actually looking foryou.”I look steadily into Archer’s curious eyes, all while my heart rate accelerates unbearably. He’s the one who saw me at my most vulnerable, he’s the one who has already heard the awful truth of what’s been in my head since Nick hurt me.
I have no doubt that I might have scared him enough to share that information with Cannon and Kingston, but I can’t be positive. And l really do think the two of them are dealing with enough right now—Kingston with the constant reminders of Juliette and Cannon trying to contain the possessive animal that likely wants to beat Nick’s face in.
I’m at ease with Archer. He comforts me in a way no one else does. He’s been watching over me. Even when he’s not with me, I know he’s there. Watching. Because that’s what Archer does. He helps me forget when the voice in my head gets so loud I don’t know what else to do.
I’d recognized him as a kindred spirit when we first met—smart, witty, and kind—and maybe hiding a little something behind the funny business. It’s similar to the way I hide things with my sassy mouth and the boldness that is partly an act, but quickly becoming a part of me. We’ve come so far in just a few weeks, and now I don’t know what I’d do without him. Ineedhim, but I don’t know if he realizes how much he’s come to mean to me.
A tug at the hem of my soiled shirt gets my attention, and I raise my arms so Archer can peel it off. “Sorry, I can’t stand seeing you covered in his blood another second.”
Glancing at him, I nod and tuck my thumbs at the sides of my waistband and push the leggings down over my hips and ass. I’m still not used to or completely at ease undressing in front of someone else, but he’s never given me a moment’s worry about what he thinks when he looks at me. Never made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. In fact, he’s done plenty to remind me he thinks nothing of the sort. He holds out a hand for me, and I quickly step out of the leggings and kick them to the side. As I stand before him in my underwear and bra, I recognize I’m surprisingly comfortable with him seeing me like this, even as his eyes land on the bandage covering my upper thigh.
No, it’s not Archer seeing me mostly naked that’s going to throw me, or even letting him take a look at the wound. It’ll be admitting that I need help, because I’m unsure whether I can trust myself. That’s some scary shit.
I give him a half-smile. “I don’t think I put it on as well as you did the first time.”
“You should have come to me. I’d have helped you. You know I would.”
I nod, closing my eyes to the naked sincerity and kindness I see in his gray-hued gaze. “I know.” I draw in a breath.Now or never.“Um. If you can put the asshole Alec out of your mind for a bit, I could actually use some help, but it’s not with the bandage, I mean, unless we get it wet—” The words get caught up in my throat. “I mean—”
Archer frowns, skimming his fingertips lightly over my upper arms. “I’ll try. What’s going on, Peaches?” he rasps, his concern slipping over his features.
“I—” I wince, my eyes crashing shut again for a second before I murmur, “This is so dumb.”
“It’s not. Not if it’s upsetting you.” He reaches out to brush a stray lock of hair away from my face.
“Do you remember what I told you? After—” My teeth catch at my lip and pull hard when his brow furrows. “About how I was having thoughts about wrecking the initial Nick put on me.” My gaze drops to the floor.
Archer’s warm breath gusts past my temple as he drags me close. “Yeah, baby. That’s not something I’ll forget.” His big hands run up and down my back, like he knows I’m not done. “Are you afraid of those thoughts in your head?”
I exhale heavily. “I don’t really know ifafraidis the word, but what I do know is the idea of picking up a razor to shave my legs is making me so anxious I could throw up, and I really hate the prickle of stubble on my legs, so was hoping you would help me. I don’t think I’d really do it, but the thought was in my head, and I don’t want to chance it at a time when my emotions are so unpredictable.”
