body quaked with a silent orgasm. Even then, he just trailed gentle kisses across my jaw and down my throat as I sagged against him.
"You're my whole world, Kate," he whispered in my ear as he fastened my jeans again. "You're my reason for breathing, and I'll personally slit the throats of anyone who tries to take you away from me."
With that insanely heartwarming promise echoing in my head, we made our way back into the hospital. I had to hand it to him, though. The distraction had worked. When we stepped back through those doors, I felt stronger and more focused. Tears could wait until the threat was eliminated.
I could do this. We could do this. I wasn't in it alone. With Archer, Kody, and Steele beside me, I doubted I'd ever need to face a challenge totally alone again.
We only waited a couple more hours before Dallas was given the okay to visit Bree. The nurse gently told us that only one visitor was permitted for the night, though, so Dallas sent us all home. He intended to stay there with her as long as they'd let him, even though she was still unconscious from the heavy sedatives they'd put her on.
Kody's car had been shot to hell back at the accident site, so the four of us all rode together in Archer's Range Rover. We were just a few minutes away from home when Archer's phone, hooked up to the car's Bluetooth, rang. The display said Steinwick.
"Steinwick," Archer answered, putting the call on speaker for us all to hear. "What's happened?"
"Sir," the elderly butler replied. "There has been an incident here at the house. What time will you be returning home?"
I exchanged a worried look with Steele, who shared the backseat with me. An incident? I wasn't so sure I could handle another incident just yet.
"We're three minutes out," Archer replied. "Does this incident require additional firepower?"
"Not at all, sir," the butler responded, sounding almost amused. "We have the situation well under control here. No need to rush, we just wanted you aware."
"I appreciate it," Archer said, then ended the call without another word.
Kody was the first to comment. "What the hell could that be about?" he wondered aloud. "Old Stein-y didn't sound too annoyed, so it can't involve property damage."
Steele snickered a laugh. "Remember when we decided to practice throwing knives in the formal dining room? I thought the old goat was going to have a heart attack."
I eyed the three of them in fascination, and Archer met my eyes in his mirror, a sly smile curling his lips. "Nah, he's as tough as the hills. It'd take a hell of a lot more than that to make him croak." He shot me a wink, and I shook my head in disbelief. Apparently, Steinwick had worked for Archer and his boys longer than I'd thought.
When we pulled into the driveway, Archer paused a moment to speak with the gate guard. He was a uniformed man with a bushy moustache who I vaguely remembered was called Wayne.
"I heard there's been an incident?" Archer asked, and Wayne jerked a nod.
"Yes, sir. Dave and Sampson have been up at the house to keep an eye on things until you got home." Wayne looked uncomfortable as shit, and he quickly waved us through, closing the gates after us.
Steele blew out a long breath. "Anyone else dying of anticipation here? Or just me?"
Kody raised his hand, and I smiled. Whatever the "incident" was, I didn't think it was anything terrifying. Not by the calm way everyone was handling it.
Archer parked in front of the main steps, not bothering to take the car into the garage, and we all piled out.
Steele linked his hand with mine as we made our way into the house, Archer taking point and Kody the rear. It was subtle, how they did that, but I noticed it, nonetheless. They'd put me in the most protected position of their formation... just in case.
"In here, sir," Steinwick called from the dining room.
We followed the sound of his voice and found him sitting on one of the heavy dining chairs at the long table, opposite Jase. Jase... who had his hands bound in front of him on the tabletop and seemed to be totally naked.
"I take it this is the incident you spoke of?" Archer asked his butler in a dry voice. Two security guys in black uniforms stood against the wall behind Jase's chair, and a more casually dressed