Liar (Madison Kate #2)(41)

"Burger," Steele declared as a smiling waitress came over to take our orders. "I need a burger."

I hadn't even looked at the menu, but was still full from breakfast anyway, so I just ordered a Coke. No way in hell was I trusting the coffee in a middle-of-nowhere diner with all of four customers.

"So, I guess you two made up then," Archer commented with a sneer in his voice. His glare at Steele was disapproving and angry, but Steele's arm around me just tightened and he dropped a kiss to my shoulder.

"Don't know what you're talking about, Arch," he replied, sounding like he was trying hard not to laugh. It took me a minute, but I soon clicked that Archer had no idea Steele and I had worked through our issues already.

Archer's brow dropped further, and the look he gave me was pure venom. "I had you pegged for a girl who didn't take kindly to being messed around on. Didn't you hear Steele getting his rocks off on Thanksgiving morning with some chick? She sounded like she was having fun too." A cruel smile touched his lips like he was enjoying hurting me. Or... trying to hurt me. Sucker. "I guess your standards are lower than I realized."

I gave him a fake apologetic shrug. "You're right. I mean, I let you kiss me, after all. My standards are practically nonexistent." His smile slipped, and Kody started snickering behind his hands, which were covering his face. "Oh, and for the record? That girl with Steele was having a lot of fun." I leaned into Steele more, placing a kiss on his neck tattoo before meeting Archer’s eyes again. "Double orgasm fun, some might say."

Archer's face drained of color as he processed what I was telling him, and his gaze shot to Steele accusingly.

"Fuck you, dude," Steele snapped at him instead. "I put up with your shit because I know everything. But don't try and cockblock me just because you've got the bluest balls in history."

Kody was quietly dying of laughter in the corner, but sobered up enough to wipe his eyes and shoot me a dark look at that comment. "Nah, that's probably me. Right, babe?"

I rolled my eyes, fighting the triumphant grin that wanted to peel over my face. "I'm going to the restroom," I told them. "I need a moment of fresh air away from all this big dick energy."

Steele reluctantly released my waist, and I slid out of the booth again, heading in the direction of the restroom sign. Sure, my hips might have swayed a little more than usual as I walked away, but I didn't force Archer to watch. He did, though. I could feel those ice-blue eyes glued to my ass the whole way through the diner, and I didn't release my breath until I closed the restroom door behind me.

I ducked into one of the small cubicles and did my thing, hearing the door open and close while I was pulling my jeans back up. I paid it little mind, though, figuring it was another customer or maybe the waitress coming in to use the facilities.

I unlocked the cubicle door and stepped out, heading for the sinks to watch my hands. A flicker of movement in the mirror was the only warning I got before a black-masked man looped his forearm around my neck and squeezed.

My feet left the floor as I kicked out, my hands clawing at his black-clad arm, and pathetic little squeaks escaped my throat. I needed to think smarter and do it fast, or I'd soon find myself unconscious and being cut up for a skin-suit.

Fuck. Fuck.

I bucked against my captor’s grip, my toes catching the sink and giving me enough leverage to shove him back into the cubicle door, but it wasn't enough. He just carried me with him like a sack of groceries or some shit, patiently waiting me out until lack of oxygen rendered me useless.

Archer's words seemed to echo inside my head, taunting me that I was a victim and couldn't take care of myself. As mad as it'd made me at the time... it might just save my life. Because it reminded me that I wasn't totally without defenses.

Giving up on trying to peel his arm from my neck, I simply held my breath as best I could and fumbled in the pocket of my jeans for the beautiful, purple butterfly knife Archer had given me.

Kody and Steele had given me some basic instructions while we were staying at the D'Ath estate, but basic was all I needed. It was enough that I could flip the blade open one-handed and stab blindly behind me.

My vision had started to darken around the edges, but as my deadly sharp blade sunk into flesh, my captor let out a howl of pain and his arm across my throat loosened.

I dragged in a greedy lungful of air, then released an ear piercing scream on my exhale. Fuck this shit. I was woefully underprepared to fight off a full-grown man trying to kidnap or kill me, and not even my feminist pride was strong enough to die over asking for help.

"Bitch," the masked guy snarled, but apparently he wasn't stupid—much to my disappointment. The second my scream rang out through the bathroom, he threw me across the room and jumped out of the window.

A split-second later the door crashed open, and my three shitty bodyguards came barreling in. I was in a tangle of limbs against the wall. My back ached where I'd hit the tiles and my hands rubbed at my throat while I tried to get my breathing under control between coughing fits.

"What happened?" Archer roared, his gaze sweeping the vacant restroom. "You're bleeding!" He took two steps towards me, and I waved him off.

"It's not mine," I croaked, pointing to the window. "I stabbed the fucker."

A feral grin split Archer's face, and something flashed in his eyes like pride.