Chapter 40

Archer gently opens the door to the nursery. He’s careful not to bump his cargo against anything. She’s so small in his arms that he doesn’t think it’s possible. He gently places her down on her bed and shimmies the cover up to cover her.

Chloe grumbles slightly and turns over in her sleep. Archer can’t help but to watch her. She sleeps so soundly, especially for someone who lived in a place that had no security. He wonders if she’s ever felt at peace and he thinks that look at her, right there, may be the only time she’s had peace.

She looks beautiful there, too. Like an angel, her round face framed with her yellow gold hair. The freckles on her cheeks are honeyed stars on the pale moon of her face. She glows even in the low light. She’s perfect. She’s –

Archer gags slightly. This is the Nanny he’s thinking of this way. The nanny who’s mother seduced Isaac Jones into divorcing his wife. She’s not to be trusted.

However, the emotions stirring deep within his stomach say maybe she should be. He shakes his head but it doesn’t stop. He still finds her to be a cherub wrapped in silk sheets. He wonders what she’d look like, spread out on his navy duvet, naked and ready and –

No, no, no! He thinks. He shakes his head again and makes his way towards the door. He can’t be in her prescience any longer or he’s liable to do something dumb. He closes the door quietly behind him and looks down the hall.

Neil and Steven’s doors are shut. They arrived home about an hour before Archer and Chloe, beating the storm instead of being caught smack in the middle of it.

Archer thinks about visiting Neil. He’s always respected his older brother’s opinion on girls. He frowns as he remembers the state of Neil’s current relationship. Then he considers Steven. However, Archer fully recognizes his younger brother has not fucked a girl, let alone dated one, in several years.

It only leaves one brother left.

Archer makes his way down the hall and turns into the kitchen. Beau and a few staff members are scattered about. Beau is shoveling some mushy baby food into Mia’s mouth. She’s trying her best to actually eat all of it but some is dribbling down the side of her cheek.

Beau is making absurd faces at the baby, trying to teach her how to eat. Archer stands and watches for a few moments with a smirk on his face. When Beau finally notices his twin brother is in the room he frowns and sets his spoon down.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” Archer says. “I asked you to feed her not to put on a show.”

“Maybe Mee-mee likes the show,” Beau coos at the baby. Mia claps her hands together.

“Mee-mee?” Archer inquires. He shakes his head. “No just – no.”

“You’re no fun,” Beau pouts. “First you tell me I can’t get her a Barbie Jeep. Then you tell me not to throw her in the air and now no airplane? This kids going to be as miserable and boring as you are.”

“You’re so kind,” Archer deadpans.

He pulls out the chair next to Beau and sits down. Mia reaches out for him and gurgles slightly. Archer gives her his hand. She wipes her mushy baby food all over it and squeals happily. He looks up to see Beau watching him with curiosity.

“Did you come here be painted with mushy peas?” Beau asks. “Or can I help you with something?”

Archer grunts. Damn Beau for being able to read his mind. Twin telepathy was a bitch sometimes. He runs a hand down his face and looks back at Beau.

“I have a .. predicament.”

Beau’s face falls. “Arch,” he warns. “We already have one kid. I can’t do another because you’re too embarrassed to ask the nurse for condoms.”

“Fuck off,” Archer scowls. “I was fourteen. You try asking for condoms at fourteen.”

“I have,” Beau says plainly. “And I did.”

Archer rubs his eyes then pinches his brow. “This was a bad idea.”

“I kid! I kid!” Beau says. He leans his elbow on the table. “Tell big brother Beau about your problems.”

“You’re older by three minutes.”

“Still older.”

“Oh my Gods—”

“Your predicament,” Beau starts as he leans back. “Does it have to do with one such Nanny?”

Archer’s eyes go wide. “How’d you know?”

Beau shrugs. “I can read you like a book, brother,” he says. “You watch her the way you watched Eloise. All hawk-eyed and possessive.”

Archer considers telling Beau that he actually told Chloe about Eloise but then decides against it. It’ll only rile Beau up and he genuinely needs help trying to fix this. He sighs.

“I can’t get her out of my head,” he says. “At first I thought it was because she’s so infuriating. So defiant. But then all the thoughts twisted. I went from wanting to throttle her to wanting to … er –”

“Fuck her?” Beau fills in. Mia squeaks and he hushes her. “Bad word. Don’t repeat it.”

“Well…yeah,” Archer replies. “I wonder if she put some dark magic spell on me.”

“Those only last like a week,” Beau says with certainty. “She’s been here almost a month. You’d shaken it by then if that was the truth.”

“So what do I do then?” Archer says. “Father will kill me if I bring Isaac Jones’s step-daughter home. Furthermore, she doesn’t fit in. She Gods’ sake she didn’t even have a cellphone when she showed up! I can’t expect her to be an Alpha Queen. She wouldn’t know Gucci from Coach!”

Beau hums. He takes in a deep breath and leans back on the table. “Well you know what I always say,” he says. “Only way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”

“You can’t possibly expect me to believe that’s true,” Archer drawls.

“It is,” Beau shrugs. “Remember Alice Quincy? Broke my heart. Until I started hooking up with Maria DiRoza, I was lost. One night between DiRoza’s beautiful olive thighs and I was back to new.”

Archer ponders this for a second and pulls out his phone. He scrolls through his contacts. All the while, Beau is leaning over his shoulder. He scoffs.

“You got Claire Haines’s number?!” He sounds outraged. “She rejected me like four time. Left me to relieve myself.”

Archer narrows his eyes at Beau. “Have you no shame?”

“Nope,” Beau pops the p on the word. Archer rolls his eyes. He continues to keep scrolling.

Jane Smith.

Nope. Blue eyes.

Maddie Scott.

Nope. Red hair.

Isla Drew.

The same golden blonde hair.

That could work.

He taps on the messages button and writes an elaborate message. He hits send and sets his phone down on the table. Beau slaps him on the back.

“Well done, brother,”

Archer says nothing. He looks over at Mia. He thinks he’s going crazy because for a minute, he sees disappointment on her face.