Page 172 of My Ruthless Neighbor

She schools her expression and stares at me. “Like what?”

“OMG!” Brielle rushes to us with a phone in her hand. “You look so cute together.”

Freddie smirks and wraps an arm around my waist. “Thanks.”

I squirm out of his hold and grab Brielle’s phone. Then glance at Hannah, bewildered. “Why did you share our picture in the work group chat?”

“Some of the team members couldn’t attend the party so I thought I’ll send pictures.” She smirks.

“Yeah, I don’t buy it.”

Mia jumps in out of nowhere, scaring the bejesus out of me. “Summer, it’s Cardi B. Let’s dance.”

Hannah smartly escapes and starts dancing as if her action wasn’t suspicious.

When Mia tugs at my arm, I decide to stop overthinking and have fun.

???

Head tilting back, I throw my arms up and shimmy my hips. I shouldn’t have worn the deadly high heels. In mere fifteen minutes of dancing, my feet are killing me.

I am going to regret not stopping tomorrow but right now, I don’t care. I want to dance despite the hurt. I want to keep dancing until the ache in my soul eases.

My bag is at the bar and my heart is begging me to go get it.

It wants me to check my phone again.

Too bad, heart. I am not going to.

Closing my eyes, I feel the thumping of the music in my chest as I let go. Reaching up, I run my fingers through my hair as I move my body.

“Damn, Summer,” Freddie murmurs. He’s close. Too close for my liking. I can feel his breath on my face.

I open my eyes and put my hands on his chest, intent on pushing him. He misinterprets my action and curls his arms around my waist.

“Let go of me.” I squirm but he acts as if he didn’t hear me. I try to shout this time. “Can you—” My words halt when a shadow appears behind Freddie and a second later, he’s ripped away from me.

I gasp. “Archer.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Freddie staggers to the side, losing his balance and falling to the floor.

The entire house goes quiet. The music is cut off. Everyone stops dancing around us.

“What the fuck?” Freddie yells as his friends help him up. He turns, stares at the man who grabbed him by the neck and wrenched him away from me. “Archer?” His shocked voice echoes around the room.

“Boss?” Brielle pushes past people and comes forward.

“Archer at a party?” Chris gawks at him while Nina mutters, “No fucking way.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Hannah fist-bumping Raleigh.

I, on the other hand, am frozen because Archer’s staring straight at me. Dead on. The dark brown orbs are blazing with wrath, sending a chill down my spine.

There’s a war raging inside of me. My heart is elated by seeing him here. But my brain? It’s befuddled. Why is he here?Howis he here?

For a moment, I think maybe I’m imagining it all. That he’s not real. That he did not just shove Freddie out of the way so he could glare at me.

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