Page 24 of Empire of Ache & Ruin

“Whatever he said. I agree with him. You need a good fucking. Maybe that’s what you’re missing?” He shrugs and drinks from his water bottle.

He’s not wrong. Maybe it’s not Archer that sets my body on fire. It’s just the lack of human affection that has me all riled up around him. Yeah, that makes more sense than a single man having this much power over my body.

“I have a boyfriend, remember?” I say mostly to myself. I haven’t seen Hunter in days since he couldn’t make the fundraiser.

“Oh please.” Paul rolls his eyes and starts heading backstage. “You’ve been dating him for what is it now? Four years?”

“Two years.” I correct him, falling in step next to him as we make our way backstage.

“Why have you not sealed the deal with that one. He’s not bad to look at.” He stops in front of his dressing room.

“I don’t know. We’re not like that.” I try to picture Hunter kissing me the way Archer did, but the image doesn’t materialize in my head.

“Last chance. You in?” Paul wiggles his eyebrows.

“I can’t. Nico is waiting and I’m sure he’s already on the phone with Dad, giving him the play by play.” I give him a quick hug.

“Your father is a tyrant.”

“He’s protective because he loves me. He hasn’t forgotten the last time I was almost taken. He was out of his mind.”

“Ihaven’t forgotten.” He shakes his head. “The Senator was terrifying the way he went on a rampage.”

“So now you understand. He’s just worried about me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I wave and go into my dressing room.

The quiet settles around me, and I smile. I had wondered how long it takes to get used to the upgrade. How about that? It takes one day. I grab a cold towel from the mini fridge and place it over my knee. If I show up at home in this shape, I don’t know how Dad will handle it. The last thing I need is for him to show up to one of my rehearsals and go at it with Pierre. I shiver at the thought of those two going against each other.

I freshen up while I rest my knee. When I’m certain I can put weight on it again without wincing, I rise to my feet and reach for my gym bag to call Nico. I rummage through the small side pocket, but all I find is my hair ties and makeup. I plop the bag on the vanity counter and undo the top zipper.

In that moment, the lights go off in my room. I roll my eyes. They need us out of here so the janitors can come in and wipe down the place. The fastest way to get us out of here is to cut the lights. In the dark, I grab my gym bag straps and feel my way to the door. I can call Nico once I’m outside.

I expect moaning and groaning sounds outside my room. Everyone hates it when the lights are out. But it seems, I’m the last one out. Jeez. How long did I sit there nursing my knee? Looking both ways, with my heart racing a little, I go right. I’ve walked these halls for years. I know them like the back of my hand. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t find it eerie when it’s so dark and quiet.

For no reason, I stop in my tracks. Like a hunted animal, I feel a presence of sorts. My pulse quickens as I glance at the endless corridor in front of me. I pick up the pace, hugging my bag to my body. My knee barks at me, but I don’t slow down. Something isn’t right. Or maybe Nico just got in my head with talks of kidnapping. I play it off for Dad’s benefit. But that time when some random grabbed me off the street was hell.

Sure, Dad’s detail caught up to the kidnapper before he even made it home. But still, that whole hour stuck with him in a car was terrifying. This is the worst time to be thinking about that. I keep going, fighting the urge to break into a run.

The lights finally come on again, and I run straight into a massive chest. I glance up to meet Archer’s blue gaze. “Jesus, you scared the crap out of me.” I double over to find my bearings. “What the hell are you doing here?”

I wince because antagonizing Archer isn’t the way to get him to help my family. Taking another minute to calm down, I stand to face him and put my entire life in his hands. But when my gaze meets his, I don’t find the same lust from before. He’s calm and collected.

“You dropped your phone.” He hands me the device.

“Oh.” I look at my gym bag and the other stuff that fell out of it while I rushed to down the corridor. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He steps back. “I was on my way to see Pierre when the lights went off.”

“Yeah, they do that, so we don’t linger after practice. Um. Did you see the director?” I ask to make polite conversation. Jesus, I’m bad at this. Should I just blurt it out?

“No. He’s already left.” He smirks. “He’s a bit eccentric.”

“You mean prima donna?” I mouth to him.

“That too.” His brows furrow a bit as if he’s trying to figure me out.

My body aches because even if he’s not interested in me anymore, I still feel his pull. I’m still the moth wanting a bit of light. I use my years of training to lower my heart rate. Then I remember my stuff is still all over the floor.

I squat down and grab a pair of ballet shoes still in the pack. Then a dirty towel and my headphones. He stands there looking down at me. I inhale and then exhale slowly to hide how much he affects me. He crouches next to me at the same time I glance up, and our mouths are inches apart. His lips are full. And I hate that I know how soft they are. That I know how well they kiss.

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