Page 42 of The Archer Brothers

She sits up partially and eyes me. ‘I’m not marrying you, Evan Archer.’

I sit up, holding her to me. I love that her legs wrap around my waist. Placing one hand on her stomach and the other on her cheek, I kiss her softly. ‘You’re my life, Ryley. I want nothing more than to marry you, and we should’ve done it back when you turned eighteen. So, I’m asking you now. Ryley Clarke, will you do me the honor being my wife?’

‘Yes… yes, I will.’

I jump and my skin begins to tingle when a loud thunking echoes outside the house. I shake Ryley with my fingers to my lips. She startles and looks around until she focuses on me. I motion for her to take EJ upstairs. I don’t have to tell her what to do. She knows.

As soon as he’s off my lap, I pull my gun out from under the couch and move toward the door. I keep the blinds closed and listen for footsteps. They’re walking up the stairs and on the porch. The last thing I want to do is hurt someone with my son just upstairs, but those bastards have it coming.

The screen door opens; the small squeak is everyone’s worst enemy. I turn the handle slowly and peak outside. Their back is to me and at my advantage.

“Who the fuck are you?” I say, with the barrel of my gun pressing against their skull. “Turn around slowly or it’s lights out.”

Their hands go up slowly and they turn.

I drop my gun instantly. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Mom kicked me out when I sided with you. I need a place to stay.”

I shake my head and pull Livvie into my arms. “I almost ended your life. You might want to try and call first.”

She shrugs. “I would, but you don’t have a cell phone and Ryley and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms.”

Picking up her luggage, I motion for her to go inside. “If you’re staying here, you better fix shit with Ryley.”

Livvie nods. “I will, I promise.”

MY BEDROOM LIGHT IS OFF, and I crack open the door so I can hear what’s going on downstairs. I keep my hand over my mouth so I don’t make a sound. EJ is sound asleep in my bed, spread out and taking up as much space as possible. My eyes close when I hear Evan’s gun cock. I don’t know who’s outside, but I feel sorry for them. My father has always said never come between a man and his family because you’ll never win.

Footsteps on the stairs and down the hall cause me to move away from the door. I stand, with my back facing EJ. My legs are spread at equal width and my arms are raised. The Glock is at my ready and aimed at my door.

“Ryley,” Evan opens my door slowly, his hand coming in first before he pushes the door open. He stands in the doorway with his hands up, his gun in his waistband. “You can put your gun down.” Tears fill my eyes as he moves closer. By the time he places his hand on the top of my gun. I’m shaking.

“Come on, babe, lower your gun.” He pushes it down gently. “I know you’re scared and I am too, but I can guarantee you no one will ever hurt you or EJ.”

“Wh—what’s going on?”

Evan takes the gun from my hand and disarms it, setting it back in my drawer. “Livvie is downstairs. My mom kicked her out and she needs a place to stay. She said she would’ve called, but I don’t have a phone and you guys aren’t friendly.”

I sit on the edge of my bed and clutch at my legs. “I don’t like this, Evan. I don’t want to panic every time someone comes knocking on the door.”

Evan sits down next to me and wraps his arm around me. “This is my fault; I got you worked up. Everything you said earlier just got to me. I don’t like what has happened to us, and I hate that I have no control over it.”

I lean into Evan and try to relax. My body feels heavy and it’s so odd to think of how fast your adrenaline starts to pump when fear sets in. I don’t know what I was afraid of. I know Evan isn’t going to let anything happen to us. But the thought that someone might be in our home and a danger to us really gets to me.

“Why don’t you try and get some sleep? I’m going to go back downstairs and sit with Livvie.” I peer up at Evan, who meets my gaze immediately. I see it. I see it all in his eyes. The love he has for EJ, me and us. I initiate the kiss even though I shouldn’t. I know I’m going to hell and that karma is going to come back to bite me in the ass, but I need to feel him against me even if it’s just his lips.

He kisses me back, slowly. His lips are soft as they move against mine. “You’re my life,” Evan whispers against my mouth, and I know this is true. I know we can be together if I just allow it.

Nate…

He needs to come home. He and Evan need to sit down and figure this out. We need to be a family and figure out why this is happening to us.

“I used to think I had a pretty amazing life. From the outside I had everything others wanted. I had a wonderful family, and I still do. I had a committed boyfriend who I had a future with. I was doing well in college and on my way to having a career that I could move around when my boyfriend needed to move. Then one day, the rug gets pulled out from under me, and I’m flat on my ass. My family is still wonderful, but they’re walking on eggshells around me. My committed boyfriend, who promised to come home, did, but in a wooden box all the while leaving me with the best gift possible, our son.”

“Where are you going with this Ryley?”

I shake my head, not sure where this is heading. “I don’t know, Evan. Tonight, everything just seems…“ I stand and start pacing to get the blood flowing again. “I love your brother and I know you don’t want to hear me say those words, but I do. I always have. But not like I love you. The love I have for you is all consuming. Every fiber of my being tingles when I’m near you, and that’s something I can’t deny.

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