Page 67 of Pretty Lies & Ugly Truths

The movement must catch his attention, because before I can run, the man looks up, spying me there.

I cling to the railing as my knees threaten to give out when a pair of familiar steel gray eyes, peering out from behind a skull mask, meet my own. Reaching up with one hand, he pulls it off, and I have never been more relieved to see his beautiful face.

“Archer?” I choke out.

26

Archer

The breath whooshes from my lungs. Standing at the top of the staircase is my sweet Rose.

“Yeah, baby, it’s me.” My eyes roam over her body, taking her in for the first time in several days.“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” I ask, slowly walking towards her.

“No, not really. Not physically, anyways.”

My eyes narrow as I analyze the implications of what that means. I do a quick scan assessing for any obvious injuries. Dark circles bloom under her eyes, but otherwise she appears unscathed. However, I know that some wounds run deep beneath the surface. I can’t allow myself to linger on those thoughts, though, or we’ll never make it out of here.

Right now, my only focus is on Maggie and getting her the hell out of this house of horrors.

“I swear to you, I will burn this fucking house to the ground and everyone in it for even daring to touch you,for even thinking they could take something that doesn’t belong to them,” I vow. “But first—I need to get you out of here. I need to make sure you are safe.”

The guys are outside creating a diversion, keeping Colin’s men busy, providing me with the time I needed to slip inside and look for Maggie. I’ll admit, finding her was certainly faster and easier than I anticipated, but even still, I’m not sure how long we have before someone finds us.

I beckon with my hand for her to come down, only, she doesn’t move.

Her hesitation feels like a stake to the heart, and for a moment, uncertainty worms its way in. What if she doesn’t want to leave with me?

This whole time I operated under the assumption that she was being held here against her will, that she would welcome my help. But what if I was wrong? I never even stopped to consider the possibility that she may chose to stay.

Or worse: that she would rather be here with this monster than go home with me.

“Please…” I plead, my voice cracking at the end.

Something in her face softens, the corners of her lips turning up at the corners. It’s the tiniest hint of a smile, but it still makes my heart skip a beat.

I’m so focused on Maggie, I don’t see him until he is right behind her, but she must register the blatant fear on my face.

“What—?” she starts but is cut off when an armgrabs her from behind. I recognize the man as Colin McGregor, her so called sperm donor.

“Well, what do we have here?” he taunts, and I don’t miss the flash of terror in Maggie’s eyes at the sound of his voice.

“Take your filthy fucking hands off her,” I order.

The asshole laughs.

“No, I don’t think I will,” he replies.

The grip on my gun tightens, itching for me to blow a hole right through this fucker’s head. My finger hovers over the trigger, but the coward hides behind his daughter, leaving me without a clean shot.

“That’s a pretty big mess you made out there. I have to say, I’m impressed you managed to get past my security. Quite a strong feat for a nobody,” he says, cocking his head to the side, eyes narrowing. “But then again, you aren’t a nobody, are you? No, you’re Rhodes’ bastard son. The Reaper. That’s what they call you, right?”

I’m not surprised that this asshole knows who I am, but I am surprised he knows who my father is. IamWalter Rhodes’ dirty little secret, after all. There are very few who know the truth of my parentage.

Maggie lets a loud squeak as he hauls her closer, and I have to force myself to stay rooted when every cell in my body is screaming at me to go to her. I don’t trust him not to shoot her—even if she is his daughter.

“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, The Reaper, no less. If I had, maybe we could have come to a different arrangement. Alas, she is already spoken for. So, it seemsas if you’re too late. My daughter here is going to secure me a very important alliance. Her new fiancé will be coming to collect her in the morning, and I can’t have you here to ruin things for me,” he says, and the blood in my veins turn to ice.

Fiancé? Like fucking hell.

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