Page 114 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"Archer, please…let me explain."

His hand balls into a fist and he looks at me like he's never looked at me—like he hates me, but not in a cute and annoying way, like he truly wouldn't be bothered whether I lived or died.

"Get the fuck out of my apartment right now before either one of us does anything they regret."

"Please," I protest, my voice smaller than it's ever been. In all the times I begged my father for my life, I've never been this desperate. I reach for Archer, but he yanks himself away.

"Get the fuck out of my apartment, London." His jaw tenses as if he's choosing his next words carefully. "I never want to see you again."

My heart rips in two, both from having something so wonderful and losing it, and from knowing there's not a single thing I could do to ever fix this. A sad reality that I'm going to have to learn how to face, even if it takes me forever.

Chapter 26

Archer

Two weeks have passed since things ended with London, and everything still feels as fresh as the moment I saw that email pop across my screen.

I wanted to keep some kind of anonymity between us, let her bury her secrets in the depths of hell like mine. Of course, there was this dying urge to know her, but I thought things were better off this way. I had my demons, and she had hers.

I just never imagined her demons would have anything to do with the man who killed Madison, the girl I loved more than anything. I gave up everything once I lost her, because the idea of living in a world that killed her killed me more than I could bear. That's why I left it all behind, or well, at least that’s what I've tried to do, only my family and their criminal past have their claws in me deep and there doesn't seem to be any escaping the things that haunt me the most.

My phone rings and despite not having answered it six times already, Ivy keeps trying me anyway.

Reluctantly, I answer. "What?"

"Well hello to you, too, brother."

"What do you want, Ivy?"

"Not even a hello back. Not even a happy birthday?"

"Happy birthday."

"Say it with a little emotion."

"Ivy. I love you. And I want the best for you. But right now, I can't. I can't handle your patronizingI told you so’sand your condescendingget over its."

"Give me the phone," someone calls out from the distance on Ivy's end. "Arch, buddy, hey, it's Seven, your favorite brother."

"You're my least favorite brother," I tell him, not entirely sure if it's the truth or not. I'm not fond of any of them at the moment.

"I'm going to pretend like that didn't hurt my feelings."

"You don't have any feelings. You're a sociopath." I stare at my computer screen, clicking through the same few tabs I have for the last couple of weeks. It's pathetic that despite not wanting to see her ever again, I can't stop keeping tabs on her. I guess Silver's voice keeps appearing in the back of my mind, that it's my responsibility to keep her safe, regardless of how badly she hurt me.

"Oh right," Seven says. "It's my birthday. I'd say it's only fair you're nice to me today. Humor me and come out. Please. Don't make me beg."

"I'm not leaving my apartment."

"He said he's not leaving his apartment," he yells to someone else. "Come on, Arch, what do I have to do? Do you want an escort? I can get you one. Name your flavor, I'll make it happen."

"I don't want an escort."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to leave me alone." I hang up the phone, not caring to hear another word from him or any of my other siblings. Sure, it might be the twins’ birthday, but they have one every year, and maybe next year I won't be this fucking numb and hurting all at the same time.

I should have known the first person I'd open up to would rip my heart to shreds.

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