“Actually, first, can you tell me your name?”Taliaspoke up beside me, looking atArcher. “Hi.I’mher best friend,Talia.It’snice to meet you.”
He paused his barrage of orders to turn and faceTalia, smile at her, and shake her hand. “Niceto meet you,I’mArcher.”
I saw the moment that smile worked onTaliaand she fell for his smooth guy routine.
“I don’t mean to be rude,Talia, butIneed to take your girl out of here and get her someplace safe, andIneed to do it now.Ihope you don’t mind.”Hegave her a grin, allowing that magical dimple to trick her into doing anything he said.
“Oh, of course.”Talianodded, and then turned to me. “Gobe safe, bestie.Itrust this man to take care of you—in more ways than one.”Shewhispered that last part.
Yeah, and that’s whatIwas worried about.
“Did you drive here?”Archerasked asIslid from my chair and grabbed my purse. “Howwere you planning to get home?”
“No,Irode over withDan, our sports guy, from the station since he andIwere both there getting some work done.Iwas going to get a ride back to the station with someone who was working the late show tonight and pick up my car from the station and drive home.”
“Good.Let’sgo,” he said, scanning the room, and then he leaned down to whisper so onlyIcould hear. “I’llfill you in once we are away from all these prying eyes.”
“Archer, no disrespect, butIhaven’t seen or heard from you in more than four years, and you thinkI’mjust going to follow you blindly because you say so?”
“Jesus, you are as stubborn as you used to be,” he grumbled.
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,”Isaid, standing my ground with my arms now crossed. “Giveme the brief version, orI’mnot moving.Andjust so you know, we’re attracting attention.”
I saw him look around and realize several of my co-workers were openly staring at the situation unfolding.Themore attention, the harder it would be to slip out, and he knew it.
Archer leaned in to whisper in my ear. “AmanIput away a long time ago whenIwas a cop just got out of prison.Heis hell bent on retaliation, even thoughI’mnot a cop there anymore.Apparently, he is already here or on his way here toGeorgiato kill me.Healso put out a hit on my wife—also known as you.”
What did he just say?
“I’m not your wife anymore,”Ipointed out, wondering why these men who wanted to killArcherwould add me to their list.
“They either don’t know that or don’t care,”Archerresponded.
I knew my eyes were bulging given the lookTaliawas giving me right now.
“Girl,”Talialeaned over to say. “Youbetter wipe that look off your face before the boss-man sees it and thinks you just got the dirt on the next best news story secret and won’t let you leave.”
“Now can we go?”Archerasked impatiently. “Ineed to get you somewhere safe—somewhere you aren’t expected to be or easy for someone who wants to kill you to find you—and thenIwill give you the rest of the details.”
Okay, thatIcould do.Plus,Ididn’t know a lot about bounties on people’s heads, butIknew that was not something you messed with.
I turned to face him. “Whereto?”
He reached his hand out for me to grab. “Tomy cousinVince’scar, which is currently waiting outside for us.Alongwith two other vehicles to make sure no one follows us.”
Okay, this sounded like a good plan.Fornow.
“Let’s go,”Itold him asIput my hand in his and followed him out.
To not be rude,Iwaved or briefly said goodbye to a few people, butArcherdid not let me dilly-dally.Aftera moment,Irealized he was heading toward the kitchen entrance, not the front door.
“Really?Outthe kitchen exit instead of the front door?We’rereally going all spy team, aren’t we?”Iasked him.
Instead of responding to me, he spoke into some kind of microphone he had on—one that even my trained eye could not find. “Vince, on our way through the kitchen.Beto you in less than thirty seconds.”
We reached the back door, andArcherpulled out a gunIhadn’t noticed under his jacket.Dammit.Iwas losing my touch.
Right outside the door, a blackSUVpulled around the corner, and for a momentIflinched.Thiswas how women got kidnapped and people got killed.WasIreally jumping into a vehicle with a manIhadn’t seen in forever?Aman whomIwas only married to for less than a week?That’swhen it hit me.
