Chapter 184

“No,” Archer says with a hint of restrained fury making his voice dark and deep. “Absolutely fucking not.”

“It’s the best idea,” I say. Now is likely the only chance I have to plead my case. “You know how proud he is. Me beating him last time really ruffled his feathers. He’d jump at the chance to prove the last challenge a fluke.”

“Do you have any idea how injured you are? Or how close we came to losing you last time? And you want to do it again?”

I held up both hands. He was raging now. I felt like I was trying to placate an angry, bloodthirsty animal.

“I’m not going to actually fight him, Archer. You guys are going to save me before it comes to that. It’s just a way to get him out in the open. You have to agree he won’t be able to resist.”

“I will agree to nothing,” Archer growls. “And I am done speaking of this with you.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Maybe that is for the best for now. With Mia here, I don’t exactly want to coax Archer into a rampage. But if he thinks I’m going to actually let this topic drop permanently, he’s kidding himself.

His lingering glare lets me know, yeah, he knows I’m going to bring it up. And now I know to expect another lecture, and some pretty harsh resistance. Maybe the others will side with me.

Or maybe I’m dreaming.

No, I’ll just have to do a better job at convincing them. Besides, with the time crunch, they are running out of options. If they want to catch Wyatt before I’m out on my own, they have to act fast.

Put me in danger for a little while now, to keep me out of big-time danger later. It seems a fair trade to me. They probably aren’t going to see it that way, though.

Archer tries to relax, while I play with Mia. She’s starting to lose interest with the lion, so I show her the brightly colored tiger. She tosses the lion to the side and reaches for the tiger instead.

Archer once more lifts the wolf. He holds it out, but Mia ignores it. He sighs, “Stubborn.”

“Definitely a Hayes, then,” I say.

Archer gives me a withering look. I try not to laugh, but I do smile. His glare hardens.

Uh oh. I might be in for a lecture sooner rather than later.

We stay with Mia until she yawns big and it’s time for a nap. Once she is settled, Archer grabs the baby monitor in one hand, and my wrist in the other, and drags me from the wrist.

His hold on my wrist is unyielding, though not tight. He’s not hurting me. He’s also moving at a slower pace than he usually does, likely to allow me to keep up with him without hurting myself.

I can’t help but compare again, in the way Archer acts now to how he did when I first arrived. Maybe it’s my near departure that is making me nostalgic, but… Back then, when Archer tossed me around, he didn’t seem to care much for my physical safety.

But now, even angry, he’s treating me like I’m made of glass. I want to tell him he doesn’t have to. Truthfully, I like when he’s a bit rough. He’s so sexy when he’s man-handling me, tossing me around, flexing those muscles and showing off that strength.

Yet if he does any of that now, he’s likely to do irrefutable harm. My rib-situation is precarious. If I trip and fall wrong, my broken ribs could shift and that’s it for me.

Archer knows that. He’s being so gentle.

Gods, I try not to notice the way my heart warms at the thought. What good will it do me to develop feelings for the brothers? I’m leaving in seven days. Seven days, and this will all be a memory, or a dream. Years from now, I might doubt it even happened.

It’s all so surreal, so different from my life before, and the life I am sure to lead after.

Archer turns in the hallway, away from his own room. He takes me to mine instead.

Curious. Does he intend to kiss me, then abandon me again? I’m not going to just stand here and let that happen.

“Archer.”

He drops my arm, leaving me standing beside my bed. He walks to my dresser and leaves the baby monitor on top of it. Then he turns back to me.

“Take off all of your clothes,” he says in his deep Alpha baritone.

A pleasant shiver shoots up my spine, and my pussy gets wet. Gods, one command from him and I’m ready to drop to my knees.

But. This doesn’t exactly track with how he’s been treating me. When we have sex, it’s wild and rough. Surely he wouldn’t try that now, after just treating me so preciously.

He sighs, and combs a hand through his hair. Maybe he hadn’t meant the command? Maybe he was too used to –

“I’m going to show you exactly how injured you are. And me,” he says. His intense focus trails down the length of my body. “I want to see it for myself.” When his eyes are on mine again, his are alight with flame. “I am going to personally inspect your entire body.”

I swallow hard. Oh Gods, I am going to die. But it’s not going to be from Wyatt crunching me into a pulp. It’s going to be from Archer unraveling me until there’s nothing left.

“Now, slut.” Archer growls, and my panties are even damper. “Strip.”

I hastily reach for the bottom of my shirt, ready to yank it over my head.

“Slowly,” he corrects, and I still my hand. Then I move slower. I still slip my shirt up and over my head, but I do so inch by careful inch.

It’s not a pretty picture under my clothes. Most of my torso is bruises and cuts. My ribs are tightly wrapped, keeping them in place. I imagine when Archer told me to strip, he didn’t mean my bandages, so I leave those alone.

I kick off my pants, until I’m down to my bra and panties.

Archer’s hungry gaze sees all. When I hesitate, he glares until I’m moving again. I’m not against showing my body, but I needed to make sure he wanted me nude, and not just naked enough to see the damage.

I unclasp my bra, then drop it down my shoulders. It falls onto the pile on the floor. I shimmy my panties down next, then kick them among the rest.

When I’m naked, Archer finally comes closer. His fingers tentatively reach out and touch my skin. He doesn’t press. It’s all feather light. So different from how we usually are.

Gods, I want him any way I can have him.

Slowly, he walks around my body, letting his fingers trace where the trail of his eyes. I wince a little in certain spots, but it’s more sensitive than painful.

When he’s at my front again, his gaze falls to my mouth.

“Archer…”

“Don’t,” he says, and then he leans down and kisses me, like he didn’t trust me to be quiet on my own.

Usually his kisses are devouring, all-encompassing. This time, he’s gentle and soft.

When the kiss breaks, he stares me down.

“I will never allow you to be this hurt ever again.”