Page 55 of The Devil's Hunt

Kai and Theo exchanged glances, trying to hold in their laughter. Archer chuckled lightly under his breath.

“I came out here because I am worried about you, but clearly, you aren't ready to have this conversation."

"Let's give them time to talk," Archer gestured for Kai and Theo to follow him out of the kitchen.

"Oh, come on. It was just about to get good," Kai teased.

Archer circled his finger, directing them toward the door, winking at me before the three of them walked out, leaving Lacey and me alone.

"Look, we do need to have a conversation," I sighed, nodding toward the chair beside me. She eyed me suspiciously but sat down,nervously running her hands up and down her thighs. "I have some things to tell you, but I also need you to listen. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, folding her hands in her lap.

"Remember the party in the cornfield you dragged me to a couple of weeks ago?"

"Yes, of course."

"That's the first night ImetArcher. He got me out of a really bad situation with the guy I was talking to."

"What do you mean...situation?" she pressed.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Just know that if he hadn't, something horrible would have happened to me, and we might not be having this conversation," I explained, watching her blue eyes tear up. "That night was one of the best nights of my life."

"But you almost died," Lacey retorted.

"You're right. But that night, I started to live. For the first time in my life, someone saw me. The real me. And he didn't run away. He didn't try to make me feel guilty. He let me embrace it."

"Are you saying I don't know who you are? Mila, I'm your best friend. I know everything about you," she scoffed, her voice shaking with emotion.

I grabbed her hands and held them gently in mine. "I don't want you to take this personally because that’s not how it’s intended. This is about self-discovery and embracing my feminine self. I have always had to walk this fine line of etiquette with everyone in my life—you, my father, my professors, society, for God's sake. Archer has no expectations. He likes me for me. And all I wanted to do was run to you and tell you how amazing he is, but I couldn't. It felt like I was disappointing you."

"I just think you're better than Archer King. He’s hot, sure. But he’s not the type you get married to, or start a family with. You deserve so much more than what he's ever going to give you. But I want you to be happy. I've always wanted that for you."

"I am happy, Lacey. That's what I want you to understand. Accept that right now, I don't have all the answers, but with him, I feel whole."

"Okay."

"Okay?" I eyed her suspiciously.

"Yes. If you say you are happy, I will accept that. But the minute he hurts you, I will kill him," she said firmly.

"That's acceptable," I laughed, pulling her into a hug. "There's one more thing."

"Oh, God. Don't tell me you're pregnant."

"No!" I protested. "God, no. I am on the pill. The reason I have been MIA this weekend is, well…you remember when you were telling me about this hunt that happens and how if you were chosen, you'd become a sex slave to the elite?"

Lacey's eyes shot wide open, and her jaw dropped. "No. You bitch! Are you telling me that you got chosen, and now you are living my literal dream of getting fucked by multiple men?"

"Not exactly," I confessed.

"Tell me everything."

"I did get chosen. But I was chosen by Archer. I haven't been with anyone else."

"Yet," she squealed. "So what happened? What's The Hunt?"

"It's just an event where they chase girls around, and when they catch you…"

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