Chapter 199

Archer comes to stand behind me so that he can read Carrie’s note over my shoulder. He doesn’t make a noise as he reads, and doesn’t say a word afterwards either.

It seems a bit unfair I think, reading this. Why is it addressed to me?

Carrie could have learned my name from overhearing one of the brothers – except Beau – use it, or if she had heard any of the gossip or scandal about me in relation to the Hayes, or about my challenge with Wyatt. Her knowing my name doesn’t alarm me.

What bothers me is that she is crediting me with taking good care of Mia, and not making any mention of the four guys who had taken Mia in at the start.

“She should be saying this to you and the others,” I say. My eyes are still on the letter. With Archer behind me, I can’t see him directly. “Not to me.”

“Have you forgotten how things were before you arrived?” Archer asked. “Remember why we contracted you in the first place.”

They needed a Nanny. Desperately. None of them had a clue what to do with a baby. They just knew that they adored her and wanted to protect her. They’d hoped they could figure out the rest on their own.

They’ve gotten better since then. I suppose I helped them, with my Nanny lessons, and my nagging and support.

Maybe when I first joined them, they were hopeless. But they are now more than capable. In fact, with my injury, they’ve been collectively caring for Mia more than I have!

It is a good sign for what is to come. I know I can leave, and Mia will be okay. Mostly. I still don’t know who is going to talk to her about periods and boys, but maybe the brothers will hire a different nanny by then.

I frown at the thought. A different nanny?

I shake away the thoughts, trying to focus. This note makes it difficult to walk away. If Carrie wants me to personally keep taking care of Mia, I would have to stay.

But I can’t stay. Neil wants me gone, and the others won’t ask me.

Carrie would have no way of knowing that my presence is temporary. I wish she could have said this to me in person. Then I could have explained how valuable her presence in her daughter’s life is.

“I taught you well since then,” I say to Archer, returning to the moment and the conversation we have started. “You’ll be okay without me now. Mia will, I mean.”

What a flip of the tongue that almost was. Though… yeah. I suppose, the brothers would be okay without me too. Sure, it might be more inconvenient to have to leave the Pyramid to find a quick hookup, but…

No, silly little heart. Please don’t feel so attached to the Hayes brothers. They have not grown the same attachment to you.

Archer doesn’t say anything. No hum or grunt. He doesn’t even move, not to fidget or shift. He’s still as a statue standing behind me. The only sign of life is the gentle breath ghosting across the back of my ear.

I fold the note again and return it to my pocket.

“We should head back now,” I say. I lie, “I’m tired.”

I want to get out of here. Now that Carrie has spotted me, I doubt we will have any more chance encounters, but I’d rather not take any chances.

My guilt is reaching new, unheard of levels. I feel it buzzing under my skin.

Archer simply moves around me and starts for home. He doesn’t look back to make sure I’m following him, but he does keep his pace slow for me. It’s so easy to slip into the open space at his side. Almost like I belong there.

We return to the Pyramid just as Angela is leaving. She seems to be in a huff, frowning and muttering to herself as she pushes open the door. When she sees us on the other side of it, she straightens at once.

She gives me a shaky sort of smile, but it doesn’t last before she glares at Archer. He doesn’t seem fazed by her glare. He simply holds it, and gives one back all his own.

Odd. I don’t remember them having a fight. They don’t seem to really interact all that much at all. What could they have to be mad at each other about? Or is she just still mad about her argument with Neil and is now taking it out on whatever Hayes brother is in closest proximity?

“Hi, Angela,” I say, forcing on some over-friendliness. If they are having some kind of disagreement, I will do my best to solve it with sugar and sweetness.

“All the Hayes brothers are despicable,” she grumbles, unprompted.

Archer has no outward reaction.

I blink a couple times, and then I say, “Is everything okay?”

“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” Angela demands of Archer.

Finally, he reacts, but only enough to scoff and then push past her. He enters the Pyramid alone and leaves Angela and me standing alone outside. The door slowly swing closed behind him.

Angela continues to glare at him long after he’s gone.

I wait about three full seconds, which feels like an infinite amount of restraint, before I ask, “Did Archer do something?”

Angela lets out a heavy, exaggerated sigh as she looks back at me. “What haven’t the Hayes brothers done?”

Okay. Fair. “I mean something specific. Recent.”

“Oh.” Her gaze slips away from me. She looks at the grass. At the trees. She won’t look me in the eye again. She’s not saying anything else.

“You seem to be mad at Archer?” I prompt.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” she replies.

I give her a flat look, then motion toward the door, but since she is still avoiding my gaze, I’m not totally sure if she sees any of it.

“Angela…”

“I have to go, Chloe. Sorry.” She turns from me, and starts down the stairs. Halfway down she stops. She doesn’t fully face me, but does turn her head a little in my direction. “Just… be careful. Okay?”

She doesn’t wait for a reply before she’s continuing down the stairs to a waiting car. She doesn’t turn back again, not even as she is driven away.

I don’t really understand what she meant by her words. Unless it was like her conversation with Neil, where she’s worried about all the people supposedly out to get me.

Is she so hostile to all the brothers because Neil told her he wouldn’t keep me here? Archer said the same thing. She likely knows, if Neil says I can’t stay, then all the other brothers would agree.

It’s so hard to fathom that I’m in as much danger as she suspects. But that Archer thinks so too does lead me to wonder.

And Archer made some good points. It’s not just Alpha King Hayes and Wyatt who might be out for me. People who were jealous months ago might have been waiting all this time for me to be out from under the Hayes’s protection, to finally be able to have their revenge.

But could someone really hate someone that much? To wait for months just to be able to attack them?

My stomach twisted a little.

Unknown enemies were the worst. They could be hiding anyway.

“I’ll be careful,” I say now, for Angela and for me.