Chapter 111

“You know what’s going to happen to him,” Archer says, frowning deeply. His grip is tight on the steering wheel.

I sink back into my seat. Yeah, I kind of do know what’s going to happen to him. Their father is such a monster, Neil’s certain to receive a hell of a beating this time. Will that alone even be enough?

My nails dig into my palms from how tightly I’m clenching my fists.

“I don’t know why it bothers you, anyway,” Archer says. “Since when do you actually give a shit about any of this?”

His words irk through me, prickling all my nerves.

“Is it so difficult to believe that I might actually care about Neil? About all of you?”

“Yes,” Archer says simply, and I kind of want to smack him. “You aren’t treated above your station. Sometimes, I’ve seen it, you’re treated worse. So no, I don’t believe that you care about us. Not unless you want something.”

Gods, these brothers were so full of themselves. Now I couldn’t even express my desire for them not to be beaten without be suspected of having ulterior motives.

“What could I possibly want?” I ask.

“What does anyone want from us? Money, power…” His voice drops. “Sex.”

A blush burns my cheeks so hot and fast, I feel dizzy. I have to exhale slowly while looking out the window a minute to calm down.

“Not everyone is after something from you or your brothers,” I say.

“Bullshit.”

“I’m serious,” I say. “I don’t want anything.”

“When you fingered yourself in my doorway, it sure seemed like you wanted something,” Archer says flatly.

“Shh!” I hush him. Quickly, I glance into the backseat, but fortunately Mia is fast asleep. “Don’t talk like that in front of her.”

Archer presses his lips hard together. After a moment, he speaks again, “I’m only telling the truth.”

“Those things… they all just happened. It wasn’t planned, and it certainly hasn’t been anything I went looking for…”

“I find that very difficult to believe.”

“Well, you should believe it,” I snap. “You of all people should understand how these things just happen. With all the girls lining up to be your romantic partners, I can’t imagine you were actually out to seduce the nanny.”

“The nanny tried to seduce me,” he says.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, cause I’m such a sexual powerhouse.”

He gives me a sideways look that I have trouble discerning.

“I’m joking,” I say, to be clear.

“Maybe you think you are,” he says. “Maybe you were innocent once. But the minute you found your way to my door while I was fucking someone else –”

“Shh!”

“—you became a slut. And when I closed the door on you, you went after my brother instead.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Just admit it. You don’t give a shit about Neil beyond how good he can give it to you.” His voice was cold now, so frosty I shivered.

“I cared about Neil before anything like that happened, and I care about him still. He’s dependable and would do anything to protect his family – arguably, too much. He has stood up for me, even when he hasn’t needed to –”

“And now he’s going to suffer for it,” Archer says.

I don’t have a response to that, because it’s true. If I had kept my distance from Neil, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. Neil saying my name instead of Angela’s was certainly a slip of the tongue, but if Neil had no reason to think of me at all, it wouldn’t have happened.

We’re getting closer to the Pyramid, I can see it peek out over the horizon line. Archer doesn’t say anything as he brings the car closer. Eventually, he turns into the driveway and takes the car into the garage.

My worry boils within me, bubbling and churning uncomfortably in my stomach. I hate that I’m being used against Neil. I hate that Archer is trying to make me feel guilty for caring. I hate how powerless I feel.

I wish I could go to the gym and spar out my excess energy. Instead, I’m trapped here in this car with Archer who is still glaring at me every now and then, like he hates me.

Maybe he does hate me.

I hate that it hurts to think he might. I still care about him, the bastard.

Archer pulls into his spot in the massive underground garage, then puts the car in park.

“You will stop seducing my brothers,” he commands. Like I meant to!

“I wish we never had sex, if this is how you are going to act about it,” I say, hurt brimming in my heart. All he has done since we were intimate is push me away. He keeps hurting me, and I keep letting him.

“We never actually had sex,” Archer says.

And yeah, okay, so his dick was never inside of me, but we’ve done plenty of other things. Things I probably shouldn’t be thinking about right now.

Be good for Daddy.

My face heats again, and my heart races. But I’m furious too. It’s like a whirlwind of emotions tearing through me, and all I can do is stutter as I through open the car door and get out.

As I work to get Mia out of her car seat, Archer comes around from the driver’s side.

“Chloe.”

“Don’t start. Please,” I say. “I physically can’t take anymore tonight. I just want to go to bed.”

I half expect him to argue, but he stays quiet instead. I’m surprised but also relieved.

I pull Mia into my arms and then rush out of the garage, leaving Archer behind me.

I don’t slow down until I am in Mia’s room and changing her into her pajamas. When she’s in a clean diaper and fresh clothes, I lower her into her crib and tuck her in for the night. She’s asleep before she even touches the bedsheet.

When I’m back in my room, I head to the bathroom to remove my makeup and my dress. I change into a t-shirt and a pair of comfortable sweatpants.

I can’t stop worrying about Neil. How long will it take for his father to hear what happened? How soon will Neil be summoned? How long will his father punish him? And to what extent?

What if Neil refuses this time? This was obviously an accident. Wouldn’t his father understand that?

No. I suspected he wouldn’t.

Even so, if Neil would only stand up for himself, then –

A knock on my door startles me away from my thoughts. I check the clock. It’s nearly midnight. Who could be coming to my room at this hour?

Could it be Archer? Didn’t he have enough of our argument, and he’s back for more?

That has to be it. Who else could it be?

I take a deep breath, preparing myself for another tense fight with Archer.

The knock sounds again, louder.

“I’m coming!” I call and head for the door. Might as well get this over with.

I reach for the doorknob and yank the door open.

“Archer, I really don’t want… to…” I start, but trail off quickly.

It’s not Archer at the door. It’s Neil.

He’s lost his suit coat and his tie. He stands here now in his button-up white shirt and black slacks.

His face is carefully blank, devoid of all emotion. When he looks at me, I feel cold, like I might freeze over at any moment and become a human icicle.

“Chloe,” he says, and even my name is flat and lifeless in his monotone voice.

I prepare myself. Whatever brought him here at this time of night after what transpired this evening can’t be good.

He opens his mouth again.

“You have to leave.”