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Not to mention, I’m in a fantastic mood, and I don’t want to ruin it.
So, jumping Archer’s bones, it is.
I smirk as I pull in behind Archer in his driveway. Movement in my rearview catches my attention, and I frown when I see a black SUV pull in behind me.
No.
My good mood evaporates, replaced by swift, all-consuming fear.
I step out of my car, just as my cousin Rocco climbs out of the driver’s seat of the SUV. But he smiles at me, and that loosens the knot in my stomach, just a smidge.
Then my cousin Shane gets out of the back seat, and when his eyes lock on mine, he winks.
Okay, maybe this won’t be so bad.
But then Carmine gets out of the SUV, and the fury on his face has my stomach clenching all over again.
“You have exactly fifteen seconds to get the fuck off my property,” Archer says from behind me. He plants his hands on my shoulders, and I watch in horror as Carmine pulls a gun from under his jacket and points it at us.
“Wrong,” Carmine says. His jaw is tight, and his brown eyes are locked on mine, his expression filled with hurt and anger and more that I can’t read. I want to hug them all. I’ve missed them. And I’m terrified of what’s about to come next. “You’re both going to get in the car.”
“No,” I say immediately and step in front of Archer, shielding him.
“You’re coming with us, or I’ll kill him here and now. And trust me, Elena, I have no problems doing exactly that.”
“He has nothing to do with this,” I insist.
“Uh, yeah, babe, I do,” Archer says and kisses my hair. “I go where you go.”
“No.” I turn and stare up into his eyes. “No. You can’t save me from this.”
“I told you,” he says, “I’m in for the long haul, no matter how it shakes out. I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself. I’ll never do that to you.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“As entertaining as this lover’s spat is,” Shane says, “we have things to do. Get in the fucking car. Both of you.”
I press my lips together and will myself not to cry. This is it. This is the moment when my life is being torn away from me. The moment when everything I’ve worked so hard for over the years is just gone.
“Hey.” I turn at the sound of Rocco’s voice. He’s standing closer now, and his voice is softer than Carmine’s. “We really do need to go, Elena. Once we get where we’re going, we can talk, okay?”
“You have to promise me you won’t hurt him.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Rocco replies. “Come on. We’ll figure this out.”
Archer takes my hand in his and leads me to the black SUV.
We have no choice.* * *I don’t know how much time passes. No more than a few hours, I’d guess. We flew in the family’s plane to Seattle and are holed up in an apartment in the heart of downtown.
“I thought for sure you’d take us to Uncle Carlo’s office,” I say to Carmine, who’s currently pacing the floor.
“Why would we do that?”
“Because he’s the boss.”
His eyes narrow into slits. “So you have been paying attention to the family all these years.”
“I had to keep tabs on things. I’m not stupid, Carmine.”
His hands slide into his pockets, and he doesn’t look away from me when he says to the others, “Give Elena and I some time alone.”
“You heard the man,” Rocco says, nudging Archer out of the room.
“I stay wherever she is,” Archer insists.
“He won’t hurt me,” I say. “He’s mad at me, but I’m safe with him, Arch. I promise.”
Archer squeezes my shoulder and then leaves the room with my cousins, and Carmine and I are left alone.
God, how I’ve missed this man. He was basically a brother to me my whole life. He was my protector. My confidante. My best friend.
“What—?” I begin, but he cuts me off with one look.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” he demands.
“At what point, Carmine? When my parents were brutally murdered, and I was afraid I was next?”
“We would have protected you,” he says, pacing the room again. “I would have protected you.”
“How? They managed to kill my father, and as much of a bastard as he was, he wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t protect himself or my mother. I was a sitting duck, and Grandma knew it. So, she got me out of there and told me to wait for her to send for me. Which she never did.”
“Un-fucking-believable,” he growls and pushes his hand through his dark hair. “Do you realize that we thought you were dead? The three of us mourned you.”
“I’m sorry.” My voice is soft as I think of these three men that I love so much hurting over the thought of losing me. “I’m so sorry that it had to be that way.”
