Trials and Tiaras (Untouchable #7) - Heather Long Page 0,74

he still moved to block Edward from getting anywhere near me. “We should talk.”

“We had eighteen years to do that. My calendar is pretty booked with my family.” He squeezed my hand, and then we were out the door.

“Don’t you dare, Maddy. Sit your ass down. I want an explanation, and I want it now.”

We didn’t even make it a full step beyond the door before Edward’s voice reached us, and it was so icy, I flinched. As much as she deserved the man’s ire, there was a small part of me that felt for her. I had no idea why. In the elevator, Archie pulled me right against him and wrapped his arms around me.

“It’s okay, babe,” he whispered against my hair as I gripped him. “They’re supposed to be the fucking adults. Let them deal with the fallout. It’s not our mess to clean up.”

Edward’s voice rose over Maddy’s more strident tones, and both cut off as the elevator doors snapped shut.

“Your father is an asshole.”

“Your mother is a bitch.”

I don’t know which of us started laughing first, but he pulled back and cupped my face.

“You okay?”

“I’m emancipated. And I just told Maddy to basically go fuck herself.”

“You did great,” he said, grinning wider. But still, there was a shadow in his eyes.

“Your father really is an asshole…and I’m pretty sure he’s beginning to regret a lot of things.” Maybe they could patch it up. I had no idea how, but Archie deserved a win.

“I don’t care, babe. I don’t care what he regrets. I don’t need him. I have no regrets. I have you, Jeremy, the guys, and Grandpa. I’m set.”

I laughed. Maybe there were some tears too, but the internal shaking was gone and I almost felt giddy. “I care about you. I love you,” I said. “But we did it.”

“Yes, we did.” Then he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and turned as the elevator opened. Out in the lobby, sitting next to the fountain, were three beloved faces, all belonging to men I adore, and who all rose as we headed straight for them.

They’d been waiting for us, and I squeezed Archie’s hand before he let me go and half-skipped over to them. Coop caught me first, and I got a big hug.

“You good?” he whispered against my hair, and I nodded. “Arch?”

I hesitated a second and glanced over to where Archie shook hands with Jake. There was a lightness there, despite the shadows. No matter what happened next, we were really done with them. Let our parents kill each other.

“I think so,” I murmured. Coop squeezed me and then gave me a gentle nudge toward Ian, who enfolded me into a tight hug, and I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath. A real one. The tightness in my chest was gone. While I wanted to change, the clammy feeling of cold sweat was gone too. Ian didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. When he let me go, I turned straight into Jake, who picked me up with his hug, and I laughed because my stomach gurgled.

“The monster is hungry, guys,” Jake said. “We need to feed Baby Girl before she gets hangry.”

“Hey,” I protested and swatted him as he set me on my feet. “I do not get hangry.”

“Oh yes you do,” all four of them said together, and I glared, then sniffed before flipping them off and heading for the exit. I didn’t make it three steps before I was tucked right up against Archie, with Jake on my other side.

Right where I wanted to be.

Chapter Sixteen

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

“The red or the green?” Archie asked as I tilted my hair back in the shower. His excitement was infectious. After hitting a Japanese steak house for an amazing lunch, we’d adjourned back to the apartment where I’d been all but chased into the shower. Though no one joined me. Brats. Well, Archie was standing in the open doorway, and I shifted to look out to see him holding up two dresses.

The green was a cocktail dress, and it had these sweet little lace inlets. The red was a lot dressier and even had a sparkle encrusted waistline. I knew which one was Archie’s favorite. “I want to wear the red to prom,” I told him, and his eyes lit up. I swore they practically gleamed.

“Done and done. I think they included shoes for this.”

“No heels,” I called.

“Heels are fine, we’re all going to be there.” His