Save Me (The Archer Brothers 3)

“So be it, please rise and enter your plea.”

The chair grinds against the linoleum floor as he moves it back to stand. I can barely see them through the gap of shoulders of Nate and Evan.

“What’s your plea for the charges against you?”

“I wish to enter a plea of guilty.”

The gasp is much louder this time and Tucker squeezes my hand. I lean into him and sigh. ‘Thank you,’ I mouth to him, but he points at River.

“Sentencing will be tomorrow at nine a.m. where you will hear from your victims.” The gavel slams down and when the bailiff says ‘all rise’ Tucker pulls me out of the courtroom and into this arms. He swings me around like we’re two young kids in love.

It’s only a matter of moments before the rest of the guys join us, and once my feet are firmly planted on the ground, I slip out of Tucker’s hold and into River’s arms.

“Thank you, for whatever you did.”

He doesn’t really hug me back, but I hear a sniffle and know he’s grateful that I’m thanking him. I don’t know if the guys are treating him the same, but after what he’s done for me, I’ll never be able to thank him enough. I know, deep in my heart, that if he knew what was going on, he would’ve never brought Frannie into our lives.

“We should go celebrate,” Cara exclaims as she comes out of the courtroom.

“Jensen will be more than happy to fire up the grill and we have to go there anyway,” Evan says as he volunteers his future father-in-law for cooking duty.

Tucker pulls me to him and whispers in my ear, “Is that what you want to do?”

I nod. “It’ll feel good to be with friends again. It’s been a long time.”

“The McCoys are in,” he says proudly, and I don’t dare correct him.

“I’m out,” River states. “I have some business to take care of.” He doesn’t say good-bye, but walks briskly down the corridor and out of sight.

“What’s that about?” Nate asks.

Rask shakes his head. “He still feels like he’s let us down.”

“He’ll come around,” Cara adds. “Come on, let’s go.”

The group of us walks out of the courthouse and down the steps. Tucker stops, pulling me to him.

He places his hands on my cheeks and my hands instantly hang on to his arms. I shouldn’t have the feelings that I do—the longing, the desire, and most importantly the butterflies when he touches me—but I do.

“You know the picture of us that’s in my room?”

I nod, biting my lip in anticipation.

“We took that here, in this spot.”

I look around and see that he’s right, or almost right.

“I know you’ve only been here for a day, Penelope, but having you here feels like home. I’m not going to pressure you, or ask you over and over again, but just know that I don’t want you and Claire to leave. This is your home. This is the life we had planned out for us. Give us a chance.”

Tucker doesn’t give me an opportunity to answer him. He places a kiss on the tip of my nose and takes my hand in his until we reach his car. I quickly glance back at the courthouse and remember the day I said ‘I do’.

IN THE END, I won. Shortly after Lawson’s trial, Penny informed me that her and Claire were moving back to California. All I heard was that they were moving home, where they belonged. It was the same day Claire made it known that once she moved here, we could call her Claire since no one would know her as Chloe. I wanted to hug her, but kept my distance and hands to myself.

Claire and I have come a long way in our rebuilding process. I know living together helps and she sees how much I love her mother. I will say, though, sleeping on the couch is getting old, but I refuse to pressure Penny. For right now I can live with stolen kisses and sweet moments with her.

It’s been six months since they moved in, leaving the day after Clai

re’s school let out for the summer. Nate and Cara went and helped them move. I wanted to as well, but we thought it would be best that I didn’t. Penny wanted to make sure Ray’s reputation stayed intact. I acted like I understood, but really I didn’t. Maybe she was afraid that I would kiss her in front of her friends or something. Knowing me, I probably would’ve slipped and done so and that wouldn’t have been good.