Carson and I have worked for Archer for a long time now, but we don’t get a lot of details about who everyone is. Only the people we are hired to take out. I’ve heard the name Lancaster before, though.
“So why the fuck is he here? If he knows you’re actively trying to shut him down, wouldn’t he try and steer clear of this place?”
“Because he loves to torment me any chance he can get. He also knows we are closing in on him and he’s getting scared. Any chance he can throw us off, he tries. This isn’t the first time he’s pulled something similar, but this is the first time he’s done something this drastic.” I can see the veins on the side of his head throbbing the longer he talks about this piece of shit. Which has me concerned. I need to get Brielle fucking far away from this hotel right now. There’s no doubt in my mind that Archer will make sure this place is secure again within the hour, but he’s still here, and I don’t want to risk Brielle’s safety, so we leave. Now.
When we enter the room, Brielle and Killian are now sitting on the floor with blankets wrapped around their bodies as they argue about whatever is playing on the TV. Her demeanor has done a three-sixty since we got here, and I think I have Killian to thank for that. She warmed up to him within minutes. There’s just a way about him that brings people out of their shells. I’m certain that if she were around anyone else, I’d still be seeing the closed-off Brielle.
Carson’s leaning back in a chair to the left of Brielle, a smirk on his face while listening to them argue.
“How can you say you hateCriminal Minds, Killian? It’s like the best show ever!” Brielle yells, looking over at Killian, who then rolls his eyes at her.
“Because, Brielle, I do shit like this every damn day, and whatever bullshit they’re doing is dumb! If they’d just pull outa gun and shoot half these dumb fucks, it would save them so much time,” Killian responds, setting down what seems to be an empty milkshake glass off to the side. A few trays of chicken tenders, fries, and a shit ton of empty Sunny D bottles surround them on the floor. Guess Archer was right about the tenders and Sunny D.
“What the hell is going on here?” I ask, and as soon as I step farther into the room, everyone’s eyes swing in my direction.
“We were having a great time until this one decided to put on a stupid cop show,” Killian says, and Brielle gasps at him in shock.
“How dare you—” She goes to yell, but I scoop down and pick her clear off the ground, the blanket falling off her when she’s safe in my arms. Which wasn’t to save Killian from her wrath, but because I needed to touch her to know she’s okay. Knowing some asshole is in this hotel wholiterallysells people makes me feel on edge. I don’t want her out of my sight.
“Your cousin is infuriating. Must run in the family, I guess,” she huffs her frustration, but I can see a small smile trying to peek through.
“We have to leave,” I tell her, placing her back on her feet. She takes a small step away as disappointment washes over her face, but she nods anyway.
Archer is already filling Killian and Carson in on the issue at hand.
“Let’s go get everything together while they talk,” I say, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the room, knowing she doesn’t need to overhear their plans. But instead of grabbing the bags and leaving, I push her back to the closed door and slam my mouth over hers, and to my surprise, there’s no hesitation from her.
Brielle parts her lips, and I sweep my tongue into her mouth, needing more. I need her so much fucking more right now. Ourtongues fight in a dance, and I know we need to leave, but I need to feel her.
I cast my eyes over every inch of her face, which is currently blazing with need and more beautiful than ever. “If we didn’t need to leave right now, I’d have you bend over, making you scream my name.” I say against her lips before forcing myself to pull back.
“Let’s go.”
32
BRIELLE
The lobby is packedwith people when we exit the elevator. Emris has my hand gripped tightly in his as we navigate our way outside, where the valet is waiting with Emris’s car.
Something’s shifted in me. I’m not sure if us hashing things out and him giving me some answers softened me toward him, or if I’m going insane, but I find myself not wanting to leave him. It’s like a switch in my brain turned on and this is where I want to be.
He lets go of my hand before handing our bags to the man and then stops in front of Archer.
As if on cue, my bladder starts screaming at me.
Looking over at everyone, I see Emris in a deep conversation with Archer. Killian’s talking with security a few feet away, and Carson’s sitting on the hood of his car behind Emris’s while on the phone.
After all that Sunny D, my bladder feels like it’s going to explode, and I remember seeing a bathroom next to the bar when we first got here. I’ll be fine running there and back before anyone even realizes I’m gone.
With one last look at Emris, I walk back in through the automatic glass doors, my mind still on how he makes me feel.
Rounding the corner, I push open the bathroom doors and find a few women applying and fixing their makeup in the mirrors. All rich bitches, who of course send a glare my way, looking me up and down as if I’m beneath them with my black skinny jeans and band tee. I give them a condescending smile that gets them to look away.
I quickly do my business and wash my hands, ready to get this drive out of the way. Emris doesn’t know because I didn’t tell him, but I was getting nauseous from the drive, which doesn’t happen often, but it’s why I was so quiet on the way here. It was either I put my focus into not throwing up all over his car or blow chunks and make things worse. I didn’t technically want to talk since I was already irritated, but here we are.
Pushing the bathroom door open, I step out and run right into a hard chest. Of course, Emris would be waiting for me.
“Emris, I was just—” Before I can finish my sentence, I look up and see that the hands on my shoulders are not Emris’s hands.
