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“Stop asking me, I’m sure about this, Arch.”
It had been two days since my seizure and it had been all go behind the scenes, because while Archer wanted to go and confront Eliza, I wanted to bring her to her knees and see her get what she deserved.
“What if—”
“Archer, enough.” Dawson’s cool, hard voice snapped him back into focus, making me wink a thank you across my hospital room.
Riverstone Rollers had four members, three of which were lovely and hated what their lead singer had done. It seemed they never really liked her, and the promise of a new addition to the band and a renewed recording contract with the label had them all singing like canaries.
Eliza was obsessed with Archer. Apparently, her bandmates realized it had gotten out of hand when they found her screaming about us sleeping together after she’d overheard Dawson and Archer joking about refilling the condom supply on the bus because we’d used them all.
I’d asked Archer about whether we’d always used them or if he really had only started them since we got back together, Eliza’s words still leaving me with a lingering doubt. He pointed out that he’d presumed, after losing my memory, birth control hadn’t been at the forefront of my mind and he also guessed I wasn’t in the best place for an unexpected pregnancy. He really was the best.
“If it makes you feel better, we’ll go over the plan again. You all leave me here, alone and vulnerable, with news of my impending demise spreading like wildfire… but really, only to the other members of Riverstone Rollers, who will call Eliza to let her know. She’s going to come here to finish me off, because, well, I’m that irresistible, and you are going to get all the evidence we need from her, because she won’t be able to resist telling you, then the big guns step in and erase her from our lives for good.”
I smiled at the group of new friends I’d made over the last few days; Addison Stone and her husband, Mav, who I’d apparently met before, Matt Hills who ran security for the label and Tanner Hastings, who was the lead singer for the Cosmic Gods and was apparently here because he had two sets of twins at home and needed some drama to remind him of his old life.
Tanner pushed his tattoo covered hand through his hair, and my cheeks blushed. That man had a way with the ladies.
“Ionee. Remember which rock star you’re with. Tanner’s too old for you.”
“Fuck off, munchkin,” he laughed, flipping his finger at Arch.
“Seriously, it’s like living with kids. I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for marrying one of these,” Addi pointed her fingers between Mav, Tanner, and Archer, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“I can’t wait, but first, let’s get rid of the woman who tried to kill me.”
Everyone left, and I closed my eyes, pretending to be weak and asleep; what Eliza didn’t know was between my new medication, Archer, and the love and support I’d gotten from everyone, I’d never felt stronger.
I heard the door to my room open and close and I knew it had to be her because we’d asked the staff to stay away, so no one got hurt. She stepped toward me slowly and I could hear her lifting my get well cards, obviously reading them, muttering angrily under her breath the whole time.
“God, I didn’t know seeing you like this would feel so good. You’re so weak, so easy to break. You took those tablets without a second thought. And if the seizures didn’t get you, I knew the talc would. A week. One week of messing with your medication and I broke you. And now he’s going to be sad and need comforting and I’ll be there for him. You were right, I didn’t fuck him before, but I will now and you won’t be able to stop me.”
“Oh, really?” I replied as I popped one eye open.
Screaming, Eliza ran at me, her hands reaching for my throat. Lifting my leg, I slammed my foot into her stomach, sending her tumbling backward. “Why won’t you just die?” she cried as she ran at me again, but this time Matt was behind her, his huge bear-like frame pinning her.
“Now, now, Eliza. This isn’t how we behave, is it?” Addi walked into the room. Her blond bobbed hair perfectly in place, her hand firmly in Mav’s, looking like a vampire power couple. “You wouldn’t answer my call, and I had some very important news to deliver. The band no longer requires your services—we’ve found someone to replace you—and the police would like to speak to you about what happened to Ionee.”
“Archer,” she screamed. “Archer. Archer.”
Archer appeared in the doorway, looking like the dark, moody rock star he played so well.
“Eliza.”
“Archer, tell her. Tell her you love me. Tell them all. Don’t let them get rid of me. We had something special. You and I could be everything together.”
“Tell me what you did,” he asked, his voice almost sounding hypnotic.
“I did it for you. You don’t want her. She’s broken. I mean, she can’t remember you, she doesn’t know what you need. I do. You told me. You liked it when she tied you up. I can do that. I can tie you up and ride you. I can be that for you. Just let me show you.”
“What did you do?”
“I stole her tablets, and I fucked with them. I’m the reason she’s here. You’ve idolized her while she was missing, made her more than she is. I mean, who could be that fucking perfect? And then you found her and it got worse. The bitch has an ugly scar across half of her head. She had a lump cut out of her brain and she can’t even remember you and you still chose her. You’re a god, Archer. You need someone who treats you like a god. You’re a god to me.”
Eliza’s eyes were wild, her make-up smudged, her hair half covering her face as she thrashed in Matt’s arms.
Archer sidestepped her to reach me, wrapping my hand in his.
