Page 21 of My Ruthless Neighbor

As soon as Raleigh’s voice reaches us, Archer frees me. I whirl around.

There he is. Clad in dark jeans and a leather jacket. My best friend who is responsible for this mess. His dark longish hair is messy. As if he just came from a bike ride. He was having fun while I was walking for miles, lost.

“You are the biggest jerk on this planet!” I am about to wrestle him when a slender brunette steps between us. Her stunning features halt me for a second.

She is also in a black leather jacket and cut-off jeans shorts. She somehow makes the simple outfit look classy. Her jaw-length hair also appears to be all over the place as if tussled by the wind.

As her sharp gray eyes meet mine, I know who she is in an instant. Hannah Cooper. Raleigh’s archenemy who also happens to be his fiancé.

I know their engagement is fake. So imagine my surprise when Hannah tactfully inserted herself to protect Raleigh from me.

“Hey, I am Hannah Cooper, Raleigh’s fiancée.” She extends her elegant hand. I take it.

“Summer Donovan.” My smile is small as I add, “Raleigh’s potential murderer.”

“You know her, Raleigh?” Archer asks in an icy tone.

At his question, Raleigh steps forward. “Yes, she is my best friend.” He shoots me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come to receive you.”

I stare blankly at my best friend’s baby blue eyes. “You forgot I was coming today, didn’t you?” Crossing my arms across my chest, I wait for his answer.

A sheepish smile tugs at his lips. “I am sorry?”

“Apology rejected,” I say calmly before lunging at him. Clutching his ear, I twist it.

“Ow, Ow, Ow.” He winces and tilts his head down to ease off the pain. I use the opportunity to yell in his ear. “How can you forget?”

He grabs my wrist but doesn’t apply enough pressure to force me to release him.

“You didn’t even send someone to pick me up. I waited for you at the airport for two hours. Then spent another two in search of this stupid resort!” I let go of his ear to slap his bicep.

“I had texted you the address!” He holds his hands up and tries to dodge me.

“My phone was dead. And I couldn’t for the life of me remember the name of this place. So for two freaking hours, I was asking people to give me directions of the resort called Hysteria!”

Archer snorts. I grind my teeth. I feel my face going red with anger. He makes it worse when he inclines his head to the side and smirks. As if he is relishing in watching me all flushed and frustrated. The jerk cocks his eyebrow as if challenging me to say something.

When Raleigh snickers, my head snaps in his direction. I narrow my eyes. “Don’t. Laugh. Asshole!” I punch his arm thrice, enunciating each word. I may have imagined hitting Archer while doing so.

“Sorry! I am sorry!” He speaks as he tries to hug me but I shrug him off, pushing him away half-heartedly. I can’t stay pissed at the asshole for long. He knows it. And takes advantage of it. Every damn time.

“You know how much I had to walk? And when I finally reached here, the front desk person told me you were out so I was waiting in the atrium. A staff member offered me a glass of water. I was so parched that I couldn’t even mutter a thank you. I was gulping down the water when he ambushed me.” I point at Archer.

It feels like I am a kid who is complaining about a naughty kid who was bullying her at school.

Raleigh frowns at Archer. He stands a bit straighter. His shoulders tight. The change is minimal but I see it. He is very protective of me.

It’s like one of those days when we were young. Raleigh used to stand up for me against the asshole Caleb, our foster parents’ son who used to bully us for shits and giggles. Raleigh and I were no match for him, but that didn’t stop him from fighting for me.

This situation is different from our past though. Archer hates me. But he has a reason for it. His impression of me after that disastrous interview is not so great.

While Archer was rude to me, comparing him with Caleb would be wrong because he was pure evil.

Not to mention, Archer is Raleigh’s boss, and I don’t want them to have a conflict over me. Raleigh is still unaware of the interview.

Before I could say anything to divert his attention, Hannah speaks, “Have you eaten yet?”

A sharp pain pierces my stomach at her question. I am starving. I avert my gaze and shake my head. My face heats up.

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