Page 134 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"Would you if I said yes?"

"I'd consider it." Archer tightens the strap under my neck and shuts the visor before throwing his leg over the bike and turning on the engine. It roars to life and I contemplate running away, but I know Archer would catch me quicker than I could get away.

I breathe in, hike the dress up, and step onto the back foot peg, using Archer's hand to help me climb onto the back seat. "These aren't exactly the right shoes for this," I tell him.

"Wrap your arms around me." Archer glances back. "Hold on tight."

I do what he says, using his instructions as an excuse to feel his body against mine. I hate that even after a month, I still hate and want him the same. I would have thought all that time would have made it fizzle out, but it's done nothing to ease the ache in my chest at how things ended.

Archer slides a pair of clear glasses onto his face, shifts the bike into gear, and eases onto the throttle. He slips us into the traffic around the gala with great caution and only drives a few miles an hour over the speed limit the entire way back to the apartment complex we both live in. He pulls us into the parking garage, and I have to remind myself that we’ve stopped and that I can take my arms off of him. He helps me off the bike, removes the helmet, and pats down my hair.

His eyes meet mine and I regret ever leaving with him.

"I'm so fucking mad at you," I whisper.

"Good, then maybe that means there's still hope for us."

Chapter 30

Archer

Ianswer my phone, not because I want to, but because Leo has called me seventeen times and if I don't answer soon enough, he's going to show up to my apartment to bother me with whatever it is he wants. He doesn't call just to talk; Leo calls because he needs something, this time being no different than the last.

"What do you want?" I put him on speaker and continue typing away on my keyboard, hoping I can get this over with and be done with him.

"I need a favor."

I laugh. It's short and blunt and the sound almost surprises me. "No."

"Archer, please, listen."

"No." I cut him off. "You listen to me. You're lucky I don't shoot you in the leg for what you did last night. You pretend like you care, like you're my brother, and you let her get that close tohim."

The image, replayed in my mind, makes me want to rip my fucking hair out. The Manor brothers are our enemy, andhe knows this. Why would he be stupid and let him near her? Unless he's dumber than I give him credit for.

"She was in no danger, Archer, you're being dramatic."

I laugh again. "Dramatic? The guy you're trying to get a favor out of? Why don't you call someone who actually cares, Leo, because I can't be bothered? You don't deserve my help, and honestly, I'm sure whatever it is, you had it coming."

"Listen, Arch, I'm sorry, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I'm fucking sorry. I fucked up. I should have kept a better eye on her, but I'm telling you, the situation was under control. The second I saw him next to her, I went over there."

"I saw you on the fucking camera, Leo. It took me less time to get across town on my fucking bike than it did for you to walk across the room, and you only did it when I showed up and handled things myself. Don't pretend like you were on top of shit, you fucking prick." I hover my finger above the red button, ready to disconnect the call.

"Archer, I wouldn't ask if I had another choice. I got robbed."

I set my hand on the desk and stare at the phone. "What?"

"Yeah, this girl I went home with last night, she stole my?—"

"Hang on," I interrupt him one more time. "You didn't go home with Grace, you know, your fucking date?"

"Grace and I aren't exclusive. She's cool with it. But yeah, I went home with this girl last night, woke up, and she fucking robbed me. Can't you do that thing you do and find her? She was there at the gala, jet-black hair, tiny little thing, black dress."

"I'm hanging up now." I press the button and hang up on Leo, not wanting to hear another word that comes out of his mouth. If he would have gone home with Grace, none of this would have happened, and if he hadn't let Blake Manor get close to London, she probably would have been there to advise him against fucking some stranger. It's his fault he got robbed, and knowing him, it's something that’s easily replaceable. Betweenall of us siblings, we have enough money to buy anything we could imagine, except the pride he lost when his date got the best of him. If anything, more power to the mysterious woman who got the upper hand on my asshole brother.

I drag my hands through my hair, annoyed that I let Leo interrupt what I was doing and taint my already frustrated mood. I can't quit thinking about Blake, his hands on London as she danced with him at the gala in the dress I bought her—the dress that was meant for me. I've never been a possessive man, but with her, I find it hard to be anything else.

Rising from my computer chair, I go to the kitchen, open the fridge, which is pretty fucking bare, and close it again. I distract my mind with a glass of water, chugging it down and washing the cup, returning it to its home in the cabinet before wiping the water droplets out of the sink.

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