Archie clears his throat. “Coulda been Bill he shot.”
My heart contracts. “Oh, Archie.”
“Don’t, January. Don’t‘oh, Archie’me. It coulda been my brother he killed. Coulda been that poor little redhead bitch, and what would I have done? Nothin’. I’da got shot myself before I could take Parker out so I stayed right where I was when he killed Connor. What kind of man does that make me?”
His mouth jerks sideways and I can’t stand it anymore. I throw myself off my stool and wrap my arms around his back. “I’m so sorry.”
Archie turns, pushing me off. “I’m fine. Don’t be cryin’ for me. Get away.”
But I don’t get away. I take advantage of his seated position to hold him even closer. And this time he lets me hug him. After a few seconds his shoulders start to shake.
“It’s all okay,” I say. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“You got no fuckin’ idea,” Archie sobs. “You’re just a kid. An’ you been abducted, like, nine times.”
“I know. But I also think everything is going to be okay.”
And I do. Some tiny, shiny part of me still believes. And maybe that’s stupid but I’m glad. It makes me feel less scared. More like myself.
I hug Archie harder. He smells like leather and stress sweat and as much as he didn’t want my hug he’s clutching me so tight it hurts. I bite back a smile. Archie reminds me of my big brother, Lachlan. Lachy’s always rushing into things he doesn’t understand, like his organic sweater business or the dating app The New York Times called a scam. I could totally see Lachy working for Mr. Parker if he gave him enough free champagne and Knicks tickets. He’s impulsive and a bit silly but his heart is in the right place and I think Archie’s is too. I can’t hate him, or Bill. I want them both to get new jobs and be happy and I try to tell Archie that with my hug.
“Ah, Kitten,” Archie mumbles into my hair. “You should let go of me before someone sees.”
But I can tell he’s not ready yet, his arms are still tight around me and truthfully it’s nice to feel close to someone after what’s happened. I squeeze his big back. “I’m okay if you are.”
He huffs out a laugh. “You’re a ray of sunshine, ain’t you? No wonder the Velvet House boys—”
“What about the Velvet House boys, you fucking lowlife?”
My stomach hits my shoes. He can’t be here. We’ve barely been at the club for half an hour. We’re in the middle of nowhere. I would hear him coming. I wouldsensehis mania. But when I turn, there he is. Domenico Valente, six feet and three inches of twitching, flickering muscle, and glittering blue eyes. His hard jaw juts as he looks at me and it turns my bones to water.
“Doc—”
“You,I’ll deal with in a minute.” His gaze skips over me like a stone to fix on Archie. “Youare a dead man.”
Archie shoves me away from him. “It ain’t like that, brother—”
I stumble and in the second it takes me to straighten, Doc launches himself at Archie like an attack dog. Archie is bigger, wider but Doc tears him off his barstool like he’s nothing and punches him in the face. Archie bangs back into the bar, clutching his cheek.
“No,” I scream. Everyone ignores me. The dancers, the other drinkers, they’re all acting as though nothing is happening.
Doc bounces on his toes in front of Archie, winding his tattooed wrists in circles. “Come on, bitch. There’s gotta be more in you than that.”
“Wait,” Archie moans. “You don’t understand—”
“I understand you kidnapped my woman, brought her to my club and felt her up at my bar.”
“No—”
“And I don’t know if you’re crazy or you have a death wish,” Doc snarls. “But I don’t give a fuck. Get on your feet and die like a man.”
Archie struggles to stand. The second he’s up Doc punches him again. Archie’s head snaps sideways, ruby blood spraying from his nose. I scream again and I must move because the next second I’m gripping Doc’s tattooed bicep. “Domenico! Stop hurting him! He rescued me!”
Doc pushes me into a heap on the carpet. “Get the fuck back, Tits.”
I inhale, my head spinning as relief swells inside me like a small balloon. If Doc is still calling me ‘Tits’ he isn’t going to kill me. I kneel on the carpet. “Domenico,please. Be mad at me, but don’t hurt Archie. He got me away from Mr. Parker. He saved me.”
Doc whips around and stares right into my face. I see the rage burning in his bright blue eyes, but there’s something else. He scans me as though checking I’m really there and when his mouth turns down my heart stops. He was scared. Not because I defied him, because I was in danger. Domenico Valente, a deranged murderer, wasafraidfor me. Doc bares his teeth, trying to return his expression to blazing hatred but it’s too late. I press a hand to my chest. “I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. I just—”
