Page 148 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"I'm going to keep things short, because I have another meeting to attend to while I'm in town." Joe coughs, barely covering his mouth, spit flying out.

It's everything I can do to not let my disgust show across my face.

"There is no price. I was promised a bride; I want a bride. Not any—the one I was guaranteed. I know you're well-off Archer, your whole family is. I understand I could profit quite nicely from you, given how you've bonded with her. Unfortunately, money isn't what I'm after, so I cannot be paid off. I'm also aware that I cannot simply put a bullet in your head and take what's rightfully mine, because of the hell that would unleash upon me. I'm afraid that puts us at a stalemate." Joe pauses like he's done, but then he opens his mouth once more. "But what you'remissing is one key detail. I'm not much for gossip, although when it benefits me, it's hard not to indulge."

My fingers dig into the fabric of Archer's sweatshirt, waiting for Joe to spit out whatever it is he's hinting about, the thing that's supposed to seal my fate.

"I know, Archer," is all he says, his gaze boring right into the man sitting next to me.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Archer doesn't fold to his vague threat.

Joe grins and it unsettles me, something wicked in him, unlike most men in this industry. The last time I saw a look that similar was when my father was beating me nearly to death.

"Oh, Archer, you naive boy. You think you have it all figured out, don't you? You think you can break a treatyandget the girl? You're mistaken because if you think for a second that you got away with what you did, you're wrong. And see, that's where this little match of chess goes into checkmate because, I don't have to be the one to put a bullet in your head, the Manor brothers will do it for me when they find out the truth. And that's when I'll swoop in and not only take your girl, but I'll come after everything your family ever had a claim to. The Manor brothers won't stop with you, Archer, they'll end your entire family, and I'll be there, waiting with a big fatI told you so. Think long and hard, boy. Is she worth the price you’ll pay?"

Archer remains firmly planted next to me as Joe rises to his feet, reaching to button his jacket.

Joe continues. "I'll offer you a one-time deal. Hand her over to me in two weeks, and the secret remains buried. Fail to do so and I'll take everything you hold dear. Either way, you lose the girl, so consider how much you're willing to risk." He focuses on me instead of Archer for the first time since he sat down. "And don't worry, London girl, I'll be a better provider than he ever could. I thought I lost you once, I won't let that happen again."His eyes darken. "Don't try to escape me, I'll find you. I'll always find you."

Joe makes his way toward the door, stopping once he's at it to give a few parting words. "Two weeks from today, I'll be at The Branford, room four-twenty-three. If you don't show by noon, I'll consider that your answer." He smiles again. "I do look forward to your response, either way." He leaves a second later, Archer's apartment suddenly feeling so fucking small as Joe sucks all the air out of it with his departure.

"Archer," I whisper.

He stands slowly and takes a few steps away from me. "London, I need you to go into the bedroom and turn some music on."

"What?" I reach for him but he pulls his arm from my grasp. "Why?"

Archer's entire body tenses. "Because I'm about to get very angry and I don't want you to be in here when I do."

Tears well in my eyes and despite fighting them off, one slips down my cheek. "It's okay, everything is okay. We'll figure this out. We have to."

Archer turns around to face me. "You don't understand, do you, London? There is nothing to figure out. There is no getting ahead of this. Joe was right about one thing, he has me in checkmate, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it."

"There has to be something," I tell him, despite having no idea what it could be. "Tell me what happened, maybe I can help. Let me help, please?"

Archer drags his hands through his hair and mutters under his breath, "Fuck."

"Talk to me, Archer, please. I'm begging you."

"I hacked into the Manor, the stupid hotel that is supposed to be a safe haven for us criminals, the one in California. I'm the reason there was an explosion. I'm the one who was responsiblefor it." Archer shakes his head. "I should have never fucking done it, it was stupid. I can't believe he found out. My hacking is untraceable. Unless Silver told him…"

"Why would Silver do that? That doesn't seem like something he'd do." Granted I didn't get the chance to get to know Silver, but he doesn't cross me as someone who would out someone on such a thing.

"It's irrelevant at this point, something to figure out later. Regardless, Vito holds all the cards with this information."

"What's so bad about the Manor brothers finding out? Can't you just pay the damages to the hotel or whatever?"

Archer takes a long breath in. "You really underestimate how badly our families hate each other. We've been looking for something to prove they violated the treaty every day since it was signed. But until that happens, touching one of them would be like signing your death warrant. That goes both ways. It's not just me they would come after either; they would take out each one of my siblings and anyone close to them. Our empire would crumble and nothing could be done to stop it."

"I didn't know it was that serious, Archer. I never would have danced with Blake if I knew. It's a little late for apologies, but I am sorry." I'm not even sure why I'm saying it now, but with the clock ticking until our demise, he needs to hear it.

Archer stares blankly past me, his gaze flickering like he's processing a million different things at once. Always the problem solver, and now he has the ultimate complication to navigate. I don't blame him for ignoring me, not when there are much more important things to focus on. The only solution is the one that I've been trying to avoid.

I fold my arms across my bulletproof chest. "I have to turn myself in, Archer. We're out of options."

"No." He still doesn't meet my gaze. "I won't let that happen."

"We don't have a choice," I tell him because it's true. Each possibility ends with the same fate, and if I want to stand any chance of minimizing the damage I've already done to him and his family, I must give myself to Joe Vito.

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