Page 17 of Protecting Lanie

"You’re not alone this time," he murmured, voice rough. "You don’t have to run. Cerberus will protect you… I will protect you."

She swallowed hard.

Archer leaned in, his breath a warm whisper against her ear. "But you have to listen to me. You have to obey."

A shudder ran through her.

He tightened his grip. "You’re mine to protect now, Lanie," he said, his voice pure authority. "And I don’t let what’s mine get taken."

Lanie turned slightly, looking up at him, her eyes dark with something more than fear.

Desire. Heat. Something deeper than either of them was ready for.

Archer held her gaze, his own pulse kicking up. He should step back, set boundaries, but he didn’t. Instead, he reached out, trailing his fingers down her arm, his touch deliberate, possessive.

"You think you can follow my rules, little one?"

Lanie swallowed, her breath uneven. Then, after a long pause, she whispered, "Yes, Daddy."

And just like that, the game had changed—for both of them. No one had ever called him ‘daddy’ before.

Archer was halfway through his bourbon when Logan’s voice crackled in his earpiece.

“Archer, you near the kitchen?”

He straightened, instantly alert. “Why?”

“Lanie’s in the breakroom. Crying.”

Archer was already moving. He didn’t respond, didn’t ask why Logan had called him instead of handling it himself. He knew why.

Because Archer was the only one Lanie would let close.

The moment he pushed through the door, he saw her. Lanie sat curled on the worn leather couch, her knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them like she could make herself smaller. Her phone lay face-up beside her, the screen dark now, but the damage had already been done.

She flinched when she saw him, then quickly wiped at her face, trying to pretend he hadn’t just caught her falling apart.

Archer didn’t say a word. He walked across the room, picked up her phone, and turned it on. The message was still there.

I see you. You can’t hide forever, baby.

His grip on the device tightened, fury burning through his veins like wildfire. He was going to kill Molina.

“Did you respond?” he asked, voice low.

Lanie shook her head, her breath unsteady. “No. I turned it off. I thought…” She swallowed hard. “I thought if I ignored it, he’d stop.”

Archer exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay calm. “He won’t.”

Her lower lip trembled. And damn it, that was all it took.

Archer sank onto the couch beside her, lifting a hand to her chin. “Eyes on me, little one.”

She hesitated, then obeyed. That was trust. Not complete, but enough for now.

“I need you to listen,” he said, his grip firm but gentle. “You’re not alone in this. You don’t have to fight him on your own.”

Her breath hitched. “But I don’t want to be a problem…”

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