Barry’s venomous gaze is back, and he shakes his head as he springs to his feet. “Stop worrying, ey?”
Out in the locker room, war has erupted. Ezra and Jordan are holding Ricky back, who is hurling every Spanish insult imaginable in Archie’s direction. Archie, who is being restrained by Troy, is twisting and spitting like an angry snake.
“What the fuck is going on?” I bellow, and at the sound of my voice everything stops for a second. Archie’s gaze lands on me, new fury coursing through his features, and Troy quickly adjusts his grip as Archie’s rage is now directed at me.
“You fucking pig!” Archie roars. “You fucking dirty old fucking pig! She’s my wife!”
I wave a finger at Troy. “Let him go.”
“Sir, I don’t think that’s wise.”
“I said let him go, Everest.”
Archie rushes at me, and while I brace myself for the punch, he stops short. His eyes are wild, bloodshot, and he smells of alcohol. He leers at me, his jaw working as though crushing upthe words he’s preparing to spit at my feet, his head wobbling in an uncontrolled shake.
“How fucking dare you,” he utters. “How fucking dare you touchmy wife.”
“She’s not your wife, and she made that clear, didn’t she?”
The locker room has fallen completely silent but for the ragged sound of Archie’s breathing.
“Didn’t she, Archie?” I ask again, and I can see my calm demeanor is making him rage even more. “She told you your marriage was over when you came back.”
“Oh and that makes it alright for you to fucking swoop in and shag her?” Archie’s lips pull back, baring his teeth and sending more alcohol-soaked haze towards me. “You’re disgusting. How could you sleep with your own daughter-in-law, you dirty old fuck?”
“You cheated on her. You disappeared. You abandoned your club-”
“Don’t you bring the club into this!” Archie jerks a finger in my face. “This isn’t about the club, or my job, or anything else other than you, and me, and Mia. I told you I wanted her back, and you, oh well you made it clear I was to stay away from her.” He backs away, looking around at his former teammates. “Oh yeah, he got extremely irate, he did, when I told him I wanted her back. Told me right quick to fuck off. Now I know why.”
If Archie was hoping for anyone to be on his side, he’s lost out, because every time he stumbles closer to someone, they back away. All eyes regard him as though he’s a madman, completely lost to his ramblings.
And panic starts to creep in. I haven’t heard from Mia in a few hours. And Archie, who’s been drinking for god knows how long, is raging. Did he come here first? Or…
No, Mia is with Holly, or back at Charlotte’s. She’s safe.
Archie, for all his brashness, wouldn’t have gone to Charlotte’s. He knows she’d taser him in a second.
“Archie,” I say, holding up my hands. “I think you should go and sleep it off.”
“Don’t you fucking tell me what to do!” He stumbles towards me, and is instantly thrown off balance by Adedayo’s open palm slamming into his chest. “Get off!”
“I think your father is right,” Adedayo says, his voice low. “You are making a fool of yourself here.”
Archie’s jaw drops, and he scoffs out a laugh. “You’re actually defending the man who’s shagging my wife?”
“I am defending the man who stood by us after you disappeared.” Adedayo’s gaze darkens. “And I will not have Mia’s name slandered here. She is a good woman. She has supported us.”
“Yeah, you know why, don’t ya?” Archie laughs maniacally in Adedayo’s face. “Because the club’s PR department told her to! You think she gives two fucks about this place?”
“Archie, you need to leave.” Jordan speaks up from the other side of the room, and Archie spins to face him.
I see his demeanour shift, as though he’s finally realised how alone he is in this room. No one is regarding him with anything other than disdain. Even Barry looks angry now. Archie has no allies here.
“Fine,” he barks, wiping his face against his sleeve. “Fine, fuck you all. I’m going to fucking air all your dirty secrets, you bastards! Just watch me!”
Santos surprises the shit out of everyone by smashing his sizable fist straight into the middle of Archie’s face. There are gasps, and Ezra rushes forward to pull Ricky away, which makes another argument erupt between the two of them. Archie hits the ground in an almost comically straight line, and he’s out cold.
“Fuck’s sakes!” Barry cries, pulling out his phone. “Calm yourselves fucking down, I’ve got to call an ambulance!”
