Liar (Madison Kate #2)(48)
Archer curled his lip in a sneer. "Fuck knows she needs it."
I glowered. "She is right fucking here, dickwad."
He swung those cool eyes my way, condescension dripping from his pores. "What a shame your pants aren't, though. Or were you about to learn some of Kody's special grappling moves that don't require clothes?"
My temper flared. "You'd know all about those, wouldn't you, big man?"
“Sounds like something you’ve been fantasizing about, Princess. You worried I’ll upstage you?” Archer sneered, calling me on my bullshit insult.
I snorted a laugh, not willing to back down. “Hate to tell you, Sunshine, but this is a pants-less party you definitely won’t be invited to. Ever. Not unless Hell suddenly freezes over.”
"Alright, that's enough," Kody announced as Archer's glare narrowed and his lips parted for what was sure to be a cutting comeback. "Arch, just go and warm up. MK, fucking ignore him. I swear the two of you feed off each other's anger sometimes."
Archer and I shot each other dark glares before Kody tugged on my hand and pulled my attention back to what we'd been doing. Self-defense training. Well, if Kody wanted me to get angry and think violent thoughts, now was the fucking time.
"Let's do this again," Kody said to me, totally ignoring his friend across the gym. There was a faint beeping as Archer changed the settings on the treadmill I'd just been using, but I determinedly ignored him. I just wanted to get this fucking move right once so Kody would let me leave. Hopefully with him.
Gritting my teeth, I went through the same motions that we'd been repeating for over an hour, taking several long strides away from him, then turning my back and bracing myself for his attack. The whole idea he was trying to prepare me for was being taken by surprise, so he never attacked quickly. There was always a pause of a random amount of time—just long enough that I was permanently off-guard.
This time, though, when his arm banded around my neck, I was ready for him. Anger burned through my veins—thanks to Archer's early morning bad mood—and I moved with swift strength. My hands came up to his forearm, giving my neck that extra half-inch of space while I ducked and twisted. His choke hold unraveled as I backed into the gap on his left, then I shoved him away from me hard enough that he landed on his ass.
"Yes!" Kody cried out, clapping his hands together sharply. "Yes! That was it! See, all you needed was to get a bit pissed off."
Archer's sarcastic laugh from across the gym was unmistakable.
"You got something to say, smartass?" I hissed over at him. The elation at finally nailing that move soured, and I was back to irritated and grouchy.
Archer shrugged, not even pausing in his light jog as he warmed up on the treadmill. He just met my gaze in the mirror and smirked. That was my only warning of the hand grenade he was about to pull the pin out of.
"If you needed to make her angry, bro, why didn't you just tell her how it was really you who took away all her freedoms? Not her shitty excuse of an absent father. Although, in fairness, it barely took any effort at all to make him dance to our tune." Archer hit the cool down button on the machine and slowed his pace before turning and jumping off the end. He gave me a smug, patronizing smile as I just stood there in shock with my mouth ajar. "The whole forced committal thing, though? That was all Samuel. He sure does have a hard-on for having your legal rights stripped, Princess. Not that it'd benefit him even if they were." That last comment was thrown in as an offhand remark, like he'd already moved on from tormenting me and was now pondering my father's motives.
"What the fuck is he talking about, Kody?" I demanded in a deathly quiet voice. My gaze left Archer—he was nothing but a shit-stirring fuckboy—and landed on Kody, heavy with accusation. "Is that true?"
Kody's lips parted, but the panicked look in his eyes said it all. I shook my head in disbelief, turning my back on him and starting out of the gym.
"Wait, MK," he grabbed at my arm, and I snatched it out of his grip when I whipped around to face him.
"Don't fucking touch me, Kody," I hissed, all venom and wrath. I wasn't going to break down and scream and rage... that was exactly what Archer wanted. But I was beyond furious, and I needed to haul ass out of the gym before my resolve crumbled and Archer got himself a front row seat to the Madison Kate inferno.
Kody withdrew his hand, but took a step closer anyway, his brow creased imploringly. "MK, please, just let me explain—"
"Nope," I cut him off, slicing my hand through the air to end whatever bullshit he was about to spew. "No, I think I'm about fucking done with explanations. You two can go fuck yourselves. Oh, maybe that's what you were angling for all along, Arch? We all know how much you love being Kody's bottom."
The big guy just smirked back at me, totally unfazed, while Kody looked like he couldn't decide if he'd rather grab me or punch Archer. I made the choice easier for him and left the fucking room.
19
"What the fuck is your problem, Archer?" Kody's enraged roar echoed through the house as I stomped down the corridor in bare feet. His words were closely followed by the distinctive sound of a fist hitting flesh, and I paused a moment.
A hiss of pain came from Archer, and then... "I deserved that."