“He already knew, Maddy!” I shout after her. “He knew, and he had pictures, and records.”
She turns around but doesn’t stop, walks backward, her eyes spitefully narrowed on me. “And you just said, yeah, take her, here she is.”
She doesn’t listen. She won’t listen. She is walking away.
Archer is right behind me, grabbing me by my shoulder. “Let her go.”
I shake him off, but he pulls me back again. “Let her go, Raven!” he snaps, holding me.
We both quietly watch her and Ali, following her out the door.
“She needs time to process it,” Archer says. “I unlocked her phone. Tsariuk can call her directly.”
“Fuck,” I exhale, running my fingers through my hair.
“They will figure it out. It was a long time coming.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
I am ready to leave, but Archer stares at me like I have three eyes.
“You can’t give up all you have for her,” he says, bringing up the deal I made with Tsariuk.
“I can,” I snap. “And I would if I could, but that’s not all I got, Archer.”
“I don’t understand, Raven. You are not even together anymore.”
“You are missing the point.”
“What’s the point?” Archer snaps back. “Trying to sort out her own family drama? Letting the Russians in on the business?”
“Everyone is in on the business, Archer. The Middle East, Japan, Europe, the US. Governments. Corporations. But you are somehow prejudiced about a Russian mogul.”
“He is a crime syndicate.”
“And our other investors are not? How many are not? Can you say for sure?”
He knows that. We’ve talked politics a million times.
“You are right.” Archer nods, his jaw tightening. “Then what’s the point? Explain. Because I am utterly confused by your reasons.”
“I’ve never done anything for anyone in my life. Besides going to jail.” Not quite true, but in a nutshell, yeah.
“You do a lot for the kid.”
“Not much, really.”
“You do for whatever those social programs you send aid and resources to on the mainland.”
“I owe Mac my life. And that’s an understatement.”
Archer shakes his head.
“She doesn’t want to leave, Archer,” I say. “She doesn’t want to go back. She wants to have a choice. I know what it feels like being trapped under someone else’s fucked up control.”
Archer chuckles bitterly. “You are still not saying it, but all right.”
“Saying what?”