Page 153 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"I'm good," I tell him and hope he continues. Typically, he's in more of a manic state, but today he's articulating himself well and doesn't appear to be as unhinged as he usually is. It's refreshing, honestly, but I have a feeling it won't last. The secondhe finds out Grace is dating or even talking to someone, he'll probably revert to psycho Seven.

"Your dad, though, that sucks." He finishes chewing and barely swallows before starting again. "Come to think about it, I think I heard from him, like, six months ago. Something about a deal, he was trying to sell something…" He zones out for a moment. "Oh right, a daughter. He was trying to marry her off to the highest bidder."

I force a smile and wave my arms. "And here she is."

"No shit, that was you?"

I nod slowly. "In the flesh."

"Wait, I think he said she was a virgin. He kept saying it like it was his selling point."

This time, it's me who rolls my eyes. "He was just a disgusting pig who thought that would help him get more money."

"It wasn't true?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no, and my father knew this. He killed the guy I lost my virginity to when he walked in and found us getting dressed after hooking up."

"Brutal."

"Yeah. He killed the next guy, too."

"Shit, that's ruthless." Seven eats another handful of chips, his mouth still full when he says, "This dude you're wanting to kill, he's the one who bought you, isn't he? That's why you're here, hiding out with a fake name."

I can't quite tell whether Seven is asking for confirmation, or simply stating that he's pieced it together. Still, I give it to him anyway. "Yeah, but if you don't mind, I'd like to keep it a secret a little longer."

"I'm good at keeping secrets," Seven announces and taps his head. "It's like a vault in here."

"Would you like another one?"

"Would I? Are you kidding?"

"She's not dead."

His brows pinch together. "Who's not?"

"Madison—Archer's girl." Calling someone else Archer's girl turns my stomach, but I have to come to terms with the fact that I can't keep him and that I can never be Archer's.

"You're shitting me."

"Nope. That's where he is right now."

Seven's eyes widen. "You let him go? What the hell is wrong with you?" He tosses the bag of chips on the counter and latches onto the countertop, staring right at me. "Dude was so heartbroken he abandoned his family, and you gave him permission to walk out of here and be with her? You’re either wickedly confident or completely out of your mind."

Archer told me not to worry but it's hard when Seven is freaking out the way he is.

"I don't control Archer," I tell him.

"Not for long." Seven rocks his head back and forth. "I never liked her."

"Why?" I wait anxiously for him to give me dirt on Madison to hopefully settle my nerves about Archer being with her.

"Oh man, where do I start? Let's go with the fact that she was sleeping her way around the Manor, looking for anyone to bunk up with totake care of her." Seven uses air quotes on the last four words. "Thought we were going to go to war with the Manor brothers back then. Madison was doing this back-and-forth shit with Blake and Archer. God, it was fucking nauseating."

"Blake Manor?"

"Yeah, what other Blake would I be talking about? Keep up, firecracker."

I want to ask him more questions, uncover more of what Madison was like with them, because I only knew the version of her that was involved with my father, and the one that shot mein the fucking stomach, but before I get a chance to, the door to Archer's apartment opens and Archer steps inside.

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