Page 15 of Archer (Dirty Misfits MC 3)
While stuffing our faces with a three-meat, veggie-filled pizza.
“Ugh, this is so good,” I groaned.
Astrid pointed. “Don’t forget about the breadsticks. You know they’re always better when they’re hot.”
I picked up the box from the floor. “Want some sauce on yours?”
She nodded. “Yes, please. Both ends.”
The idea of further pushing Archer’s buttons made me grin as we cruised down the road. With our windows rolled down and our stomachs full of good food, we eased up on the gas pedal as we got toward the clubhouse. We tried to silence our tires, but we could only do so much as they rolled over gravel. And by the time we got up to the front door, yelling drifted out from behind it.
“Oh, boy,” Astrid murmured.
I put my finger to my lips. “Shh! I’m trying to listen.”
“Enough!” Porter roared.
Astrid’s eyes widened as I stilled myself as much as possible to hear what was going on.
“You two good?” Porter asked.
“What are they talking about?” I whispered.
“Shh,” Astrid said curtly.
Brooks chuckled before he spoke. “I didn’t say we’d throw her in there tomorrow. We have to wait until the heat dies down a bit. At least, until she’s healed enough to cover up healing bruises with makeup.”
Wait, are they talking about me?
Then, Archer spoke in a voice that almost didn’t sound like his at all. “Fuck you all for even insinuating this shit.”
“It’s not like any of us can go undercover and strip. And even if Astrid was available—”
“Which she’s not,” Porter and Brooks said in unison.
I looked over at Astrid and watched her face pale. And I knew then and there that this conversation wasn’t a good one. But I focused because someone spoke again and I didn’t want to miss anything.
“As much as it sucks to admit, Josie’s our best shot at this. And we all know she wants to get back to work sooner rather than later. It was practically written all over her face.”
Archer’s voice became gruff. “Not gonna happen.”
Then, Brooks fired off again. “Well, it isn’t your decision to make.”
Nope. It’s mine.
Archer’s voice sounded heated. “What ever happened to protecting women and respecting them? Huh?”
Brooks’ voice grew low in its tone, and I had to strain in order to hear him. “We aren’t forcing her to do shit. We’re going to present it to her in an orderly fashion, and if she wants to take the risk, she can agree.”
Then, Porter spoke. “And she can turn it down just as easily and we won’t get her any grief about it.”
Then, Archer spoke again. “If we’re going to do that, then we find another woman to ask as well. We let Josie know that she isn’t the only one we’re asking, because I know that if we make her feel like she’s our only resort, she’ll do it whether she wants to or not.”
Brooks sighed. “She kind of is our last resort.”
Last resort? Are the guys in trouble?
Archer growled, and the sound filled my chest with, well, something. “Well, make it look like she’s not, big shot.”
My heart fluttered with the idea that Archer was defending me from… whatever the hell this was. The idea that someone in my life other than Astrid actually stuck up for me made me smile. But I still didn’t know what they were fighting about.
However, from the sounds of it, it seemed like they wanted me to do something for the crew.
What the hell could I possibly do for them?
I felt a responsibility to them, though. I mean, Porter had taken care of me and protected me at the hospital by keeping an eye out. Then, Cole patched me the rest of the way up and Archer had been so selfless with his home that he demanded I come stay with him until I could run my own life again. I owed these men a great deal, and if there was something I could do to help them, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
“Someone’s coming,” Astrid hissed.
And just as I stood up straight and rolled my shoulders back, the door ripped open. Leaving me standing toe-to-toe with an angry, red-faced Archer who looked more perturbed than anything that we were both standing there.
“Hey, Porter?” he asked.
I heard Porter stand to his feet. “Yeah?”
He eyed Astrid and me hotly. “I think we got company. You’re gonna wanna see who’s here.”
Nah. I’ll show them who I am myself.
And I slipped right past him as if he didn’t mean anything.
If I was going to be part of this meeting’s conversation, then the least they could do was fill me in while I sat among them.
Instead of being talked about like I was some pawn in a game they were playing without me.
Seven
Archer
Looking back, I should have known that leaving such a strong-willed woman alone in my house with nothing to do was probably not the brightest plan. But then again, things were so topsy-turvy with the club that I simply assumed Josie would understand that.
