Save Me (The Archer Brothers 3)

“I do, that’s why I used it.”

“Clever girl.”

She laughs again, but this time adds a yawn.

“I’m going to let you go, but I’m calling again, unless you don’t want to talk to me.”

“No, I do. It feels good.”

“Yes it does,” I agree with her easily. “I love you, Penelope.”

I don’t give her a chance to reply before hanging up. It’s for my own sake and not hers. I don’t want her to say it because she feels that I need to hear it, and I don’t want to hear the pause because she doesn’t mean it. All in due time.

As soon as I set my phone down, my name is being called from upstairs. It’s like living with parents here. I’m reminded to eat, make sure my laundry is in the laundry room, take off my shoes, and hang up my towel. I feel sorry for Ryley, having to put up with Evan and EJ, plus myself on top of them. The woman needs a damn medal of honor.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs I hear an unfamiliar voice having a conversation with Evan, which sends chills down my spine. I rush back to my room and grab my gun, sliding it into the waistband of my pants. I walk up the stairs slowly, hoping to surprise whoever is in the house. They already know I’m here, but don’t know where.

I follow the voices down the hall and into Ryley and Evan’s formal living room. This room is a shrine to Evan, Nate, and Archie with all their medals and a large USN anchor hang right above their fireplace. The same windows that face the ocean from the family room extend into here, giving this room another magnificent view.

“McCoy, just in time,” Archer says as he stands from the chair he’s sitting in. “I’m sure you remember our ever faithful Brigadier General.”

I walk around the backside of the black leather couch to see Chesley sitting there, eyeing Archer and then me. I feel my mouth drop open before shutting it, and turn my gaze into a glare.

“You’ll excuse me if I don’t salute you.”

“Understandable,” he says, nodding at me.

“Chesley here would like to tell us a story.”

“Is that so?” I sit down in the other chair, facing the couch. Archer follows suit, but doesn’t give Chesley a chance to speak. “Where’s Rask?”

“Went back to Cali with Nate this morning.”

Fucker didn’t even say good-bye.

“What the fuck are you doing across the Sound?” Evan asks, leaning forward.

“Watching you,” Chesley replies immediately. “And it’s not what you think. I’ve had troops in and around the area since you moved in, protecting you and your family. The day Tucker arrived, it made my job easier, and when Rask showed up things couldn’t have gotten better for me.”

“Except?” I ask.

“Except you all left and I couldn’t do my job.”

“Which is what, exactly? I’m having a little trouble understanding the word ‘protect’,” Evan remarks.

“I understand and maybe I should start from the beginning. When I found out my daughter-in-law was having an affair with Senator Lawson

, as you can imagine I was livid, especially for my son. But when he called to tell me that Abigail had been kidnapped I did what any grandfather would do, I called in favors.”

“You danced with the devil,” I add.

Chesley nods. “I did, but didn’t know it at the time. I had no idea Ingram was Lawson’s father. None of us knew he had any children.”

“Why our unit?” Evans asks the question that has been plaguing us for so long.

“Because I needed the best. I wanted Abigail in the best possible hands and returned quickly. I didn’t know what Lawson had done to her until she came home and she told my son everything. As soon as we had her back, I went to thank you, only to hear that you had died.”

“You waited four months to thank us?” I know I sound incredulous, but who the fuck waits for four months?