Page 34 of Wild Thing

Don’t take it. Don’t take it. Please, don’t take it.

I might be silly, but that’s the only way to tell if he still wants to share something. Even if it’s just a stupid chain.

Don’t take it.

Slowly, he raises his eyes to meet mine, then reaches for the chain, his fingers, unusually cold, brushing my palm.

“Thanks,” he says.

My heart falls. So he’s accepted it…

The sound of the phone ringing comes through the open terrace doors. We both turn to look at the lit-up windows—a dark shadow walking through the living room, Raven.

“I should go,” I murmur, hoping Archer stops me.

He doesn’t answer. We’re still both staring at the living room like that shadow came to give us the final judgement. The air is thick with unspoken words, the emotional storm inside me making it hard to breathe. My legs feel like they’re made out of stone when I turn toward the terrace doors and take slow steps away from Archer.

That’s right. I came into his life like a spy, sneaking in. And I go out through the main door, not a word from him as I leave Cliff Villa.

15

ARCHER

“I can do some research,”Raven says. “I’ll talk to Shepherd. He has guys who wouldn’t mind making some money. They can snoop around and find out if there’s any word on the street about a deal with Tsariuk.”

“Shepherd?”

“Butcher’s cousin. They are at war right now.”

“Like us and the Eastside were?”

“Their stand-off is not public and extremely vicious. Bodies show up here and there. There are riots. Port Mrei is divided into two factions. And Butcher is a psychopath, a criminal, and an animal.”

I frown. “This is all happening in Port Mrei?”

“Archer, I’ve been telling you this for months,” Raven says indifferently. “You were in a daze.”

“Are you lecturing me?”

“No. Just reminding you. Port Mrei is doing bad. The Ashlands even more so. There’s a rumor that Butcher is outsourcing people there for all his dirty dealings.”

“What dirty dealings?”

“Weapons. Collateral. Sabotaging Shepherd. Messing with Ayana’s security.”

“I’m not worried about the Ashlands.”

“Too bad. That’s where Butcher gets fearless high trash.”

“Didn’t we make a deal with Butcher?”

Raven stares at me like I’m a child who asks silly questions.

He grew up in foster care, graduated to the streets, and went into the dark web business. Unlike street dogs, he is extremely smart. He analyzes everything he sees. He reads people better than a fucking lie-detector.

“Our deal with Butcher is like that of America and North Korea but without a moral code,” he explains calmly.

I sigh in irritation. “So sit down with Marlow and discuss it. Fuck. We put millions into security. Why, suddenly, in the last month do I not feel safe anymore? Suddenly, I find out Butcher gets weapons while we are supposed to control every damn thing that comes to this island.”

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