“I intend to be in my building all day long, shuffling paper and whipping my staff until they work faster.” I carefully extract myself from his grip and watch to make sure he won’t fall. Then I take a step back and look him up and down. “You seriously look good. I had no clue how quickly you would bounce back.”
“Your caffeine is done.” Cato stops in the doorway with my to-go cup capped and waiting in his hand. “Fletch is bringing Mia over so we can hang out. You sure you wouldn’t rather take the day off?” He smiles, teasing and arrogant. “Find a bikini, and you could sunbathe with me.”
“Absolutely not.” I flash a sneaky wink at Steve, then I spin on my heels and stride through the door, snatching my coffee on the way past. “UV rays cause cancer, dummy. Make sure you use high SPF sunscreen, don’t stay out during the hottest part of the day, and don’t let Mia get burned. She’s too young to mark her skin up like that.”
“Only someone who truly cared about me would nag me about sun safety.” He follows me into the kitchen, smirking that way I know he does just to annoy me. “Archer’s got a big day today. He’ll be too busy to notice we’ve fallen in love and started a whole new life together. We’d have a head start.”
I walk to the counter and scoop up my bag. “No, thanks.”
“We’d have Mia, too! You and I could get married, just like we always knew we wanted to, and we could adopt the cutest five-year-old on the planet and become a family. That way, we get rid of Fletch and Arch in one go. Two birds, one betrayal.”
I circle the counter and snatch another slice of toast from Cato’s plate, plus a strawberry fat enough to make my mouth water. Finally, I turn and head into the hall, making my way toward the front door. “I don’t have time for another wedding. I have to go to work.”
“I’ll plan it all!” He follows me, his aftershave hitting the base of my lungs, and his playful grin taunting my peripherals. “You want Paris this time? You’ve done the courthouse—lame, by the way—and you’ve done Jamaica. While Felix and them are busy with the Cordoza stuff, we’ll use the plane and jump on over to Europe.”
“Wish I could.”Not. “Don’t forget the sunblock, and Mia can’t swim, so don’t take your eyes off her.”
He stalks ahead two beats faster than me and grabs the front door before I can. “I’ll have her on the plane, ready for Paris, too. Easy peasy. She’ll love it.”
“And no matter what Steve says, even if he begs or cries or pays the cardiac nurse to agree, he’snotallowed to swim. Mia: Can’t. Help her. Steve: Not allowed. Don’t let him.” I take a bite out of the strawberry. “You understand the nuances of what I’m saying? One is allowed, but needs supervision. The other isn’t allowed, and needs a firm no. Don’t mess it up.”
“And just so we’re clear,” he volleys back. “How dumb do you think I am?”
“I don’t think you’re dumb. I think you’re unmedicated and lack impulse control. Like Felix.” I turn and fall into the trap of Archer’s burning stare. He’s formidable in his stance on the stairs, muscled arms folded across his broad chest, a gun settled on his hip, and another strapped around his thigh.
I can’t—I don’t want to—be lectured on my knee again, so I spin and stride out of the house, only to walk face-first into the filthy, oppressive heat and air hot enough to make my lungs ache. “Jesus. When will it end?”
“Doctor Mayet?” Harrison drags the smaller wrought-iron gate open, holding it for me to pass. “Do you require a ride to the office this morning?”
“Uh…” I cast my eyes around the massive driveway and the handful of shiny black SUVs parked in a line. Archer’s truck, still in as-new condition, sits ahead of all the rest, with huge, sparkling rims and a climb up that requires a ladder—or a man helping. “I suppose I should figure this out, huh? Can I borrow a car? You don’t need to drive me.”
He places his hand under my elbow and leads me toward an SUV. “It’s not that youcan’tborrow a car, Doctor. They belong to the family, after all. Which means they belong to you.”
“Well, no. I didn’t?—”
“But I’d be happy to drive you, anyway.” He opens the back door and ushers me in. “Until my return to New York, I’m with you. Whether youneed a ride to the office or anywhere else, it’ll be my pleasure to drive you there. You just have to call.” He takes my coffee and hands me my seatbelt, waiting patiently as I buckle in, before he offers my cup back again and closes the door.
Sliding into the front, he starts the engine and meets my eyes in the mirror. “You could learn to use your commute for whatever other tasks you have, Chief. Mr. Malone typically handles communications.”
It’s like the man reads minds. Like he’s Aubree 2.0, because while I snatch my phone out of my bag and search for somewhere,anywhereto set my coffee and free up my hand, he reaches around blindly and ejects a tiny cup holder from the back of the console in the middle of the two front seats.
Impressed, I smirk and set the piping hot cup down.
Tossing the last of my strawberry into my mouth and following it with the buttery toast, I swipe my phone open—and brush crumbs off my screen—before jumping across to my text inbox and tapping a secret set of three dots in the top right corner. So secret… I had no clue they existed until Sophia put them there.
Sophia:
Cops found the girls and locked them down in their hotel. Archer caught the case.
So tell me why I found that information on my own, when it probably should have come from you?
I roll my eyes and consider my reply. But I feel the prickle of warmth on the side of my face, drawing my focus and distracting me from what I’m supposed to be doing. Nibbling on my bottom lip, I glance out the side window and find Archer waiting by the wrought-iron gate. Despite the dark-tinted windows of Harrison’s car and knowing there’s no possible way for him to see me, I stillfeelthe heat of his gaze and the fury in his narrowed stare.
Guilt sizzles in my veins, especially when I cross my legs and my pantsdon’tcatch on my knee.
I watch him for as long as the angle of our car allows it, twisting my neck as Harrison brings us around the large circular driveway. The moment our wheels touch tar, I peek down again and tap my phone screen.
Me:
