Page 10 of Tangled in Vows

Archer: What the fuck is going on over there? Is Olivia okay?

Me: Why am I not surprised you already know about this?

Archer: Because you know I’m awesome?

Me: You’re definitely good at stalking people, that’s for sure. And Olivia’s fine. A bit shaken up, but she pretends she’s okay.

Archer: I’m furious we didn’t get a security alert about the break-in.

Me: Same.

Archer: Also, did you hear that Luke didn’t see anything? He said, one second he was driving back to Phoenix’s house, and then boom, something slammed into the side of the SUV, and he flipped.

Me: Yeah, I called him before O’Neal got here. The other car must have had the lights off so he wouldn’t see them coming. It could have ended very differently.

Archer: Fuck, man. Any idea who could be behind this?

I blow out a harsh breath. I’m so not in the mood for another psychopath in my life.

The Highlander’s“There can be only one”declaration pops into my head.

What a mess.

Me: No clue, but we better find the fucker quick before something else happens.

Archer: Agreed. I’ll review the police reports and video footage again to see if we missed anything. I have a new motion detection software I wanted to test anyway.

Me: Thanks.

Archer: Who will we send in place of Luke? Chase, Beck, and Jax are mostly open.

Me: No to Chase. He can’t keep his dick in his pants. Beck is a no too, but Jax could work. Let me see how the next few days go.

Archer: Are you staying with her?

Me: Yup.

Archer: You sure that’s a good idea?

I brush a hand over my face before I reply.

Me: She doesn’t want me around, so there shouldn’t be any issues if we just avoid each other.

Archer: How’s the weather in Delulu Land?

Me: Fuck off.

Archer: See you Friday at the club?

Me: Yeah.

Archer is someone I’ve considered a brother since we were teenagers. He’s my chosen family, just like Phoenix and Evie. I owe him a lot. If he hadn’t been able to bury my arrest and prison sentence, Olivia wouldn’t have her career.

Archer’s also the reason my future didn’t disappear with my imprisonment. He took care of our investments—a set of clubs as well as cryptocurrency—growing them so much that we were both set up for life by the time I was released. I returned to money, connections, and a security company we had considered opening for years. I could never have built that life alone, not without Archer. He had my back. Something I’ll never take for granted.

A series of barks come from upstairs, where Olivia took Stormy when the police arrived. A second later, muffled thumps on the stairs turn into paws on hardwood. Stormy charges toward me with her tongue hanging out.

She leaps at me just as I slide my phone into my pocket, wiggling in my arms so I slide down the wall with her half in my lap.

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