“I told you,” Archer says, “I’m done hiding. But I have a condition of my own.”
My uncle’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t say anything as Archer continues.
“You’ll leave my family alone. They have no part in this, and you’ll never hold them over my head again. My family is as important to me as yours is to you, Carlo.”
He waits for a heartbeat, and then Uncle Carlo nods once. “Agreed.”
Without another word, Archer and I walk to the door. I glance back at my cousins on the floor, but Uncle Carlo is already on the phone, calling in the medical team that he keeps on the payroll to help.
“Where are we going?” I ask once the elevator doors close, and Archer leans heavily on the wall. “My God, you can hardly stand.”
“Get me home.”
“I’m going to get you to a hospital, that’s where I’m taking you.”
“No.” He shakes his head and then grimaces. “Home. I’ll make some calls.”
“Archer—”
“For once, just do as you’re told, Elena.”
I want to yell at him and maybe smack him for having the audacity to speak to me like that, but I can’t argue because he just leans his head on mine and sighs.
“I love you, babe. Was worried I might not walk out of there.”
“I love you, too.”* * *We’re at Archer’s house in West Seattle, and he’s been in and out of consciousness.
I don’t know what to do, so I call Anastasia from Archer’s landline.
“I need your help,” I say immediately and tell her about Archer’s condition. “He won’t let me take him to the hospital. I’m worried his hand is broken, and I think he might have a concussion. What am I going to do?”
“Sit tight,” she says brusquely. “I’ll be there with a doctor in less than thirty minutes.”
She hangs up, and I run a washcloth under ice-cold water, then press it to Archer’s forehead. He’s burning up.
“I called your sister,” I say softly. “I’m so worried. Why won’t you go to the hospital?”
“Too many questions,” he mutters. “I’ll heal. Had worse.”
“Yeah, right.” But he’s done what he likely intended and made me smile. “She said she’ll be here in a few with a doctor.”
“Jase,” he says. “Lia’s brother-in-law. Surgeon.”
“Good.” I dab at his wounds with the rag. He needs more attention than I can give him here with no supplies.
He’s just drifted off again when the doorbell rings. I sprint downstairs and fling open the door, relieved to see Anastasia and a man holding a medical bag.
“Where is he?”
“In the bedroom.”
They both step inside, and Jase takes off up the stairs.
“That’s Jase,” Anastasia says before pulling me in for a massive hug. “He’s a doctor.”
“Archer told me.” I hug her back, just as fiercely. “Hi.”
“Oh my God, it’s so good to see you. I was afraid I’d never see you again.”
“I know.” I pull back and take her in. “Wow. You’re not a kid anymore.”
“Neither are you.” She smiles and we walk to the couch, where we sit and hold each other’s hands. “What happened?”
“So much.” Everything pours out of me. Archer finding me. Falling back in love with him. Getting caught in Bandon and being hauled back here. Everything that happened over the past two days. “I’m so sorry. He’s broken and hurting up there because of me. And that’s the last thing I ever wanted to happen, Stasia. It’s why I broke it off all those years ago because I was afraid of exactly this happening. They could have killed him.”
“But they didn’t,” she says, covering my hand with her own. “And he’s strong. Besides, now you can be together without hiding.”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head slowly. “I’ve been thinking about it since we left the apartment. Uncle Carlo said we could be together, but only if Archer agreed to be a part of the family and do whatever needs to be done when Uncle Carlo needs him. I can’t ask that of him. I don’t want him to get swept up in my family. I think it’s best if I make sure Archer’s well, and then I leave again.”
Anastasia’s eyes are narrowed as she listens, and then she blows out a gusty breath.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” she demands. “First of all, if you run again, he’ll just find you. Or I will and beat the snot out of you. Second of all, if you break my brother’s heart again, I’ll still beat the snot out of you.”
“You’ve become very violent since I last saw you.”
“You mess with my brother, and you bet your ass, sister. You weren’t there to pick up the pieces after you broke up with him before. I was. It was horrible. And then when he found out why you ended it, and went on a bender, singing songs in my husband’s family’s bar? Yeah, it wasn’t pretty.”