Page 30 of Take My Crown

“No need to call the guards. I can take care of things just fine by myself.” Romy got out of the conversation pit and strode over to Archer, the two of them squaring up to each other in preparation for a fight with me right next to them both.

“Woah, woah, woah.” I hurry to put myself between the men. “This is all getting out of hand really quickly. Archer, why don’t you just get out of here? I didn’t ask you to be here.”

“No, but your father did and I’m duty bound to protect you, even from yourself if need be.” Archer doesn’t look at me, his gaze firmly squared on Romy, who seems to be finding everything hilarious. His amused grin never slips and I know this is more than just about me.

“Ivy’s more than capable of taking care of herself as far as I can tell,” Romy replies with a glance at me. “She needed a break from the noise of the party, so I offered to let her hang out somewhere quieter.”

“I know. Milly told me Ivy had a headache, so I came to take her home. It’s my job to protect her. Ivy, if you’ve got a headache, you’re better off home in your own bed. Believe me, the last place you want to be is inhis.”

“I think that’s up to Ivy to decide,” Romy growls. “From what I can tell, she seemed perfectly happy with me.”

“That’s because she doesn’t know you like I do.”

Archer takes a step closer to Romy, practically stepping on my foot.

“E-nough! Both of you!” I put a hand out to both their chests, pushing them away from each other. “Jesus. Can you guys tone it down a little? You’re like dogs fighting over a bone and neither of you seem to give a damn what I think.”

Romy opens his mouth to say something and I glare at him.

“Neitherof you.” I repeat. “As it stands, I have to say the mood is well and truly ruined, wouldn’t you, Romy?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Archer,” Romy mutters sulkily.

“So why don’t we take a rain check?” I reach out and squeeze his arm. Maybe it’s a good thing Archer had interrupted us. Things had been moving pretty fast and it isn’t a bad thing to take time to get to know Romy better before we take things to the next level. “It’s my eighteenth birthday next week. Come to my party?”

“I wouldn’t dream of missing it.” That familiar twinkle comes back into Romy’s eyes.

“Cool.” I turn to Archer. “If you’re ready to leave, I want to go home. You’re right. I do have a bit of a headache.”

“Everything all right, boss?” The security guard who’d been protecting the entrance to Romy’s private room stumbles through the door, one of his eyes swollen shut and blood pouring from his lip. Glancing at Archer’s hand, I see the bruises there and a bit of dried blood. Shit, he did that?

“For now,” Romy coldly replies. “We’ll discuss your failures later.”

I narrow my eyes. There is an edge to Romy’s voice that jars with his usual Casanova charm. Clearly, there is more to him than his womanising ways, and I really feel stupid for falling for it. I should know better. He is an heir.

And the heirs in this town are nothing short of ruthless.

“Let’s get out of here.” Archer takes my arm, gentler this time, and leads me out of the room. I turn to wave goodbye to Romy, who blows me a kiss before sketching an elaborate bow.

“Isn’t Milly coming with us?” I ask, as Archer heads straight out of the building and towards where we’d left the car.

He shakes his head. “She’s having fun. I’ll come back for her later. If she needs a ride sooner than that, she can always call for a driver. Right now, you’re my number one priority.”

“How sweet,” I sarcastically reply, as Archer holds the passenger car door open for me before going round to get behind the wheel. “I can almost believe you cared if it wasn’t for the fact my father’s got some weird hold over you.”

“Actually, when it comes to Romy, it wouldn’t matter who your father is. I would be warning you to steer clear anyway.”

Archer avoids looking at me as he fires up the engine and reverses out of the space.

“Why?”

Archer ignores me, switching on the radio and turning it up so loud conversation is impossible before speeding away from the warehouse and towards the Archaic part of town.

I lean over and switch off the music. Archer goes to put it back on again, but I put my hand over his to stop him. Even a simple touch of our hands sends goosebumps through me.

“I’ve got a headache, remember?”

Archer huffs, but leaves the radio off.

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