Page 68 of The Archer and his Rosebud

Kissing her until our hands are seeking and we’re panting, I force myself away. I smack her ass and grab my keys before I’m late.

* * *

“Rosebud,you’ve got to stop leaving your front door ope—” The sub sandwiches fall to the floor as my gaze lands on the back of a man dressed in dark jeans, a ski coat, and a knit beanie, standing in the middle of Willa’s living room. “Who the hell are you?”

He turns, his head jerking back. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“But you didn’t, so, who are you?” I stalk across the space, my gaze darting about. Her bedroom is open, toys are scattered on the blanket on the floor, a half-finished bottle sits on the end table. “Willa?”

She’s not here.

“You’ve got two seconds.” A lie. My hand meets his chest beforeone, my forearm barring across his shoulders bytwo, and I shove the prick into the wall bythree.

“You feeling threatened, buddy?” The blond’s head tilts against the wall. “I’m a friend of Willa’s. She went—”

My arm applies pressure across his chest. “Bull, you’re not one of her friends.”

“Yeah? And you’re the authority on her, are you?”

“You’re damn right I am. I’m her boyfriend.”

A cocksure sneer mars his face. For the first time, I pay attention to his looks. He’s young, likely Willa’s age. He could be a friend, but his refusal to tell me who he is makes me doubt it.

A solidthwackat the front door turns my head. “Sorry, that was harder than I thought it would be.” Willa pushes inside the apartment with a splotchy-faced Clem in one arm and Clem’s half-constructed porta crib in the other.

“Archer?” Dropping the crib, Willa rushes forward.

My gaze roams from her stockinged feet to the messy bun on her head—the same as she was when I left. Then I scan Clem—angry but safe. Clearly, Willa knew this guy was in her place, but I have to ask. History proves that. “Are you two okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, we’re fine.” Her hand settles on my forearm, removing me from this unknown person.

The moment I’m distracted by her touch, the blond shoves out of my hold, cursing and putting space between us. “Did you seriously send your boyfriend to attack me?”

“No, I didn’t know he was here. I—”

“Don’t apologize to him,” I snap, my temper rising. Willa flinches.Dammit.I reach for her hand, giving her fingers a silent squeeze of apology, and she squeezes back.

“And I don’t care who you are,buddy,don’t ever speak to Willa like that again. You hear me?”

The stranger huffs, and if Willa and Clem weren’t in this apartment, I swear I’d be tempted to throw a punch.

Adjusting a fussing Clem in her arms, Willa looks between the blond and me. “Archer, this is Ty.”

My balance falters as eyes, the same blue as those I adore, hit me. Only they’re not from her tiny cherub face but from the face of a man I’ve promised to loathe for as long as I live.Thisis Ty. The man who broke Willa’s heart and changed her life. Clem’s father.

Clem’s father.

My stomach roils at that knowledge. Her father is standing in the same room as her, looking at her sweet face. Scratch that. I don’t think he’s glanced at her once since Willa returned. So I do. I look at a whining Clem as her fists swipe over her red eyes. Her bottom lip quivers, and I don’t think twice about reaching for her.

Without pause, Willa hands her over. “Ty, this is—”

“Your boyfriend, I get it.” The jackass interrupts. “Now, can you leave so Willa and I can talk in private?”

Though she looks at Ty with a frown, she doesn’t speak. Instead, her hand goes to her stomach and her face pales. As much as I feel like ripping this guy a new one, I won’t cause Willa unnecessary anxiety over a situation she’s dreaded for weeks.

“It’s fine.” Holding Clem to my chest, I lean in and kiss Willa’s cheek. “I’ll take Clem to my place and lay her down.”

“Okay.” Her brown eyes hold a wealth of feelings. “I’m sorry.”

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