Page 20 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"You're not."

I draw in a breath and exhale. "Another woman might take offense to that."

"Do you need something?" Archer ignores my remark and I'm not at all surprised.

I shrug. "What happened?"

"What do you meanwhat happened?"

"This just doesn't feel like your normal level of grouch. It seems like something else."

"You've known me less than twenty-four hours, London. Why are you pretending you know what my normal is?"

"I suppose you could be right." I pause and then add, "But I'm not convinced I'm not right, either."

"Persistent, are you?"

I relax my arms and place one hand on my hip. "Does that surprise you?"

Archer maintains eye contact for a long moment and then breaks it, pinching his eyes shut temporarily before staring at his black screen. "I really do need to get some work done."

"Do you need any help?" I ask him, wondering if maybe this will get him to open up.

Archer's jaw tenses, his entire body following suit. Do I get under his skin that badly? I try to read him, to figure out what he's thinking, what he's going to say next, but he's impossible. Maybe I really should just leave him alone and stop poking at the theoretical bear.

"I don't want you leaving the apartment anymore," he says, his words catching me completely off guard, so much so that I can't even control my mouth from dropping open.

"Excuse me?"

"You're in no condition to be wandering around in an unfamiliar area. It's dangerous, careless, and unnecessary."

I laugh, like a full-on blunt chuckle. "You can't be serious."

Archer shoves his feet backward and rises from his computer chair, his stature towering over me.

I hate how fucking tall he is, it's rude.

"Are you trying to intimidate me, big boy?" I ask, tilting my head toward him. "Because it's not working." I point to my arm. "You see this?" And then my leg. "And this?" My nostrils flare. "This is nothing compared to what I've been through, what I've fucking lived through. If you think for one second I'm going to let a man dictate any aspect of my life, you're sorely mistaken."

Archer shakes his head. "Don't put words in my mouth, I'm not trying to control you."

"Are you serious?" My eyes widen. "You just told me I couldn't leave your apartment. Fucking watch me." I march to the door, each step hurting worse than the last. The shopping trip took more out of me than I expected, both physically and financially.

"The fuck you are." Archer rushes past me with ease and puts his back to the door, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

I tug at him. "Get out of my way, let me out of here."

He remains firmly in place, my attempts to move him not even budging an inch. "You can try all night. I'm not going anywhere."

I give him one final shove and slump my shoulders, my breath ragged. I hate how my body betrays me in its weakened state. Suddenly, my vision blurs and my head spins. "I don't feel so…"

"I'm not buying it, London. That's not going to get me to…" But Archer doesn't finish his sentence, and the next thing I know, his arms are catching me as I sway uncontrollably.

Archer scoops me into his arms like I'm weightless, his dark gaze scanning my face.

"I'm fine," I mumble. "Put me down." But I don't wiggle out of his grasp, I don't move at all, I just succumb to his embrace and lean my head against him.

"I told you that you shouldn't go out." Archer carries me into his bedroom and manages to hold me with one arm as he drags back the blanket before laying me on his bed. "You need to rest, little tornado."

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