Page 86 of Ruthless Legacy

Archer fondles one of my breasts in his hands, stroking over my nipple with his thumb and it instantly hardens. “She lived in the next village. She went to the state school there. A fisherman’s daughter, they say.” Archer offers me a tight smile. “You can imagine the scandal when your dad left with her. It was the talk of the town. The Alderman heir and the poor fisherman’s daughter.”

I shake my head, trying to process everything he’s told me. This was my mum’s home, too. I feel an overwhelming need to find out more about her life here and how they met.

“We should get dressed and head down to the police station,” he tells me, his tone closed off and matter of fact.

I grab his face in my hands and force him to look at me. “I’m sorry my dad hurt your mum, but that isn’t on me, Archer. My father made mistakes I can't atone for.

“I’m not asking you to,” he replies, but the tone of his voice tells me a different story. He heads into my bathroom, leaving me to process everything he has just told me.

Once he’s done in the shower, he leaves me to shower and dress. I throw on my clothes and head downstairs to find coffee and toast. As I reach for the kitchen door, I hear Archer’s voice coming from the library.

“It’s too soon!” I hear him bellow. He sounds angry and I wonder who it is he is talking to in there.

“You knew this day was coming, Archer,” a voice that I recognise as his grandfather’s replies with a forceful tone of authority. He must have his phone on speaker.

“Maybe we should wait a while longer,” the third voice belongs to Archer’s dad. I can’t help it. I lean closer and listen in.

“I’m not ready,” Archers insists.

“You’ll do as you're told if you want to get your hands on your legacy, boy. You want your inheritance, then do your duty to this family,” his grandfather orders him. “The Alderman’s are having all four families over for dinner this evening and we’ll make the announcement then.”

“And what if this is the last thing I want? Does what I want have any bearing on the matter?” Archer growls. I can’t see him, but I can imagine his jaw tightening.

“What you want is irrelevant. You’ll do as you’re told. Now this conversation is over. I have business to attend to.”

I panic when I hear footsteps nearing the door, so I quickly but quietly take off down the corridor into the kitchen and throw myself down on one of the barstools.

“Hey,” I say smiling and waving when Archer walks into the room. He falters in his stride and gives me a funny look. Yeah, way to play it cool, Eliza.

“What are you doing sitting there?” he asks me with a frown as he comes to a stop on the other side of the kitchen island.

“I’m waiting for you to make me a coffee.”

He cocks a brow as he folds his arms and studies me. “Are you okay? Is this odd behaviour some sort of delayed shock from last night?”

A cold shudder snakes down my spine at the mention of the last night. The memory of the coolness of the knife against my throat and the man’s breath against my ear has me hugging my arms. The heat from his palm over my mouth. I jump when I feel Archer’s breath against my ear. I have been so lost in my own head that I haven’t even noticed him walk around the island to me. He places my coffee down and surprises me when he kisses my head before he leaves me to make his own coffee. I hug the cup in my hands and take a drink. Just how I like it, black.

“Are you feeling up to giving your statement today?”

“I have to be. I can’t get his voice out of my head.”

He frowns in response. “Don’t tie yourself up in knots thinking about it, Scarlet.”

I feel so frustrated. The fucker had been right behind me, talking in my ear, and I have nothing to give the police to help identify him.

He leans on the island, his cup in his hands. His shirt sleeves are rolled up to the elbow, showing off those muscular arms that held me last night and made me feel safe. He is so beautiful it makes my heart twinge in my chest.

“What’s on your mind, Scarlet?”

“I just wanted to say, you know, thank you for last night. For being there for me when I needed someone.” I gulp and look down at my cup. It’s hard for me to admit that I needed him last night. I’m so used to relying on only myself, but last night it felt good to let him take control of the situation.

“You’re an Ace, Scarlet. You’re one of us now.”

“Is that the only reason?” I ask him. “Because I’m an Ace?”

He doesn’t answer me for a second, he just frowns and, placing his drink down, he rubs at the back of his neck.

Is he nervous? No, surely not. Nothing ruffles Archer’s feathers.

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