“Yeah,” I admit.
That’s all it takes. Something in his expression tightens further. Behind him, Conrad arrives, taking in the situation in a single sweep.
“Inside,” he says immediately.
Archer steps forward. Slow. Controlled. But I feel it. The restraint. Barely holding.
“What happened?” he asks.
Delilah answers before I can.
“Multiple rogues. Coordinated. Surrounding the building.”
Brooke adds, “They didn’t break in. They tested us.”
Conrad nods grimly. “They’re escalating faster than expected.”
Archer’s gaze is still on me. Like he’s checking for damage I’m not showing.
“I’m fine,” I say again.
“That’s not the point.”
“It kind of is,” I shoot back.
A beat. Tension spikes. Then he steps closer. Too close.
“Do you understand what just happened?” he asks quietly.
“Yes,” I reply. “I got followed, then mildly terrorized in a café. Not my favorite experience, but I’m still standing.”
That earns a flicker of something almost like frustration.
“You were targeted,” he says.
“I noticed.”
“That means?—”
“I know what it means,” I cut in.
Silence. Sharp. Heavy. Then I step closer too.
“I’m not made of glass,” I say quietly. “And I’m not going to start acting like I am just because they decided to notice me.”
Archer goes still.
“Someone almost cornered you,” he says.
“And I didn’t let them,” I reply.
Another beat. Then softer?—
“I know,” I add. “That’s why I came here.”
His expression shifts slightly. Not less intense. Just redirected. Because now it’s not just fear. It’s strategy again. And anger. Controlled. Barely.
“They’re inside town,” he says.
