Now with a limp, I tore through the parking lot, panting and gasping for air as I flew into the bar. The music blared around me, a merry-go-round of lights, people boisterously chatting, and pool balls clacking.
Stumbling past tables, I kept my eyes centered on the bathroom—any place I could safely hide from the wrath coming my way.
A dull roar filled my head as adrenaline flowed through my veins. The grey-haired bartender mouthed what I could only guess were obscenities, and people holding beers and fruity cocktails were staring at me as if I were naked. It made me glance down just to make sure my clothes were on.
I rushed to the back, but as I entered the hall, someone caught me.
“Hey,” a deep voice rumbled, putting a fright into me. “It’s Montana. We met a couple of times at the house.”
I barely registered his cowboy hat.
“Cecilia?” Robyn came into view, but my eyesight was blurred. “What happened?”
“Who did this?” Montana asked, his voice tightly controlled.
I panted, my chest aching, my head spinning, my throat dry.
He’s coming. He’s coming.
Robyn stood in front of me. “She’s hyperventilating. Cecilia, breathe slowly.”
Noah shouted my name, and I blacked out for just a moment. When I became aware of my surroundings, I was on the ground with Robyn and Montana over me.
“What the hell is going on?” Montana muttered.
They helped me to sit up, and when I caught sight of Noah’s tiger, I shrieked.
Chapter 14
The instant Archer walked out of that bookstore, he earned a nomination for the biggest jerk in the world. He hadn’t planned on dropping the bomb on Cecilia at that particular moment, especially after she was having such a good day with her sales. His intention had been to swing by and get a feel for how much she knew about Noah.
At least, that was the bullshit story he kept telling himself. Maybe hewantedto sabotage a dysfunctional relationship on purpose.
Krys’s warning about staying out of people’s love lives ran through his mind as he stalked back to the Rabbit Lounge. Archer didn’t like the way he had left—the things he’d said. It came out all wrong. But she wanted to be alone, so he had to honor that.
He also realized midway during their conversation that browbeating her was the worst approach. Archer wasn’t an explosive hothead, and he sure as hell didn’t want to give Cici the wrong impression by arguing with her. That was Noah’s tactic, and after what he’d seen last night, he didn’t want to come down on her.Archer’s blow had punched her right in the heart, and she must have felt betrayed and devastated by the news.
Once inside the bar, he joined Krys in the back for a game of pool. Krys must have sensed he was in a mood, so he kept quiet, and they focused on their shots.
Archer hated pool. He sucked at it and couldn’t hit anything for shit. But since the darts were taken in the back and he didn’t want to drink, he needed something to distract him even if it meant garnering stares from nosy people. Honestly, he was getting better at pool the more he practiced, just not with complicated shots.
Usually he put on a leather jacket before going out, but tonight he just had on a black T-shirt and sweatpants. Who did he have to impress? Montana, Robyn, and Lakota were sitting by the jukebox, and Mercy offered to work the evening shift since they were busy. Everyone else stayed home, which was what Archer should have done.
“What the fuck?” Krys said, staring behind Archer.
Ignoring him, Archer finished taking his shot. After sinking the ball, he noticed the energy in the room had changed. Montana and Robyn weren’t in sight, Lakota was on his feet, and everyone was looking to the back.
Struggling to assess what might have happened, Archer spotted a man staggering through the front door.
Noah’s long hair was as wild as his eyes, which were bloodshot. He had scratches on his face and arms and a red mark splashed across his left cheek.
Archer walked with the pool stick still in his hand, weaving by the tables until he arrived at the bar area.
“Cecilia!” Noah boomed.
Archer did a slow turn toward the back. Montana and Robyn were crouched on the floor by a pair of legs. He firstrecognized the black boots, laces undone on one of them. When they sat the woman up, Archer glimpsed her bruised face.
His self-control detonated.
