Archer held the phone in front of his stone-cold face, waiting for the facial recognition software to unlock the screen. When it did, he began scrolling through what appeared to be his recent calls before tapping on one and putting the phone to his ear.
“W-who are you calling?”
“The police.” A stretch of silence filled the space between them before she heard, “I need to speak to Detective Knox.” He waited. “Tell him it’s Archer Nash with Eagle’s Nest Securities, and I have pertinent information regarding Russell Montgomery’s murder.” Those eyes of his slid to hers. At the same time, he told the person on the other end of the line, “Have him meet me at Cassandra Montgomery’s house. And tell him to hurry.”
Not waiting for a response, Archer ended the call and slid the phone into the cupholder beside him. Rather than meet his steely gaze, Cassie’s eyes were fixed on nothing as she looked past him through the shaded window on his left.
The porch wasn’t visible from where she sat, but Cassie could still see that frightening message as clearly as if she could.
“They won’t do anything.” Even to her, her voice sounded wooden. “A petty crime like this…vandalizing the home of The Black Widow Lawyer…” She shook her head and brought her emotionless gaze back to his. “The cops think I’m a killer, Archer. Just like everyone else in this damn city.”
“Not everyone.”
She did look at him then. The truth she found staring back at her was the soothing balm her soul desperately needed.
“You really don’t think I killed him, do you?”
He’d said as much back at the cemetery, but she had to be sure. Because if he thought her capable of such a heinous act, then?—
“No.” The former SEAL’s jaw clenched tight. “I don’t.”
Archer’s handsome face blurred behind a wall of tears. The rush of emotion was so unexpected, Cassie didn’t have time to catch the tear that had already started to fall.
But Archer…
His hand was there, his thumb caressing the moisture from her cheek in a move so soft, so gentle it felt like a whisper.
“Thank you.” Her voice cracked with the heartfelt sentiment. Clearing the thick emotion from her throat, she told him, “I think you and Lori are the only people on the planet who do.”
Before today, she would’ve been certain Eddie believed her. But one look in his cold, emotionless eyes, and she knew he thought she’d done everything the news stories claimed.
During their first meeting as lawyer and client, Cassie had asked Ellie point blank whether she believed her claims of innocence. She’d given her a toothy smile and said she absolutely did.
But the woman was a stealthy lawyer, and Cassie knew first-hand that Ellie could play the game with the best of them.
“Something I learned during my first deployment as a SEAL…” Archer held her gaze with his. “As long as you have at least one person in your corner, you’re never alone.”
“Are you in my corner, Archer?” She felt her upper body leaning toward him. “Because right now, it feels as if no one else is.”
Those dark eyes of his dropped to her mouth, the browns there turning almost black with desire as he rumbled low, “I’m here, sweetheart.” He brought himself closer. “I’m right…here.”
Before she could determine who had moved first, Cassie found herself sitting behind the safety of impenetrable tintedglass and making out with her bodyguard like a couple of horny teenagers.
And this time when her subconscious tried to be the voice of reason, Cassie ignored the nosey bitch and became lost in Archer’s kiss.
8
Archer stoodon Cassie’s front lawn with his arms crossed tightly at his chest. As he spoke to Detective Travis Knox—while doing his best to ignore the line of reporters standing three houses down behind a line of yellow tape—he couldn’t seem to keep his focus from being pulled back to the woman standing several feet away.
I can still taste her.
His tongue swiped across his lips. An unconscious move that brought with it a hint of strawberries and cream.
My new favorite flavor.
He shouldn’t have kissed her. She was his client, for fuck’s sake. And yet, as he stared at her from across the manicured lawn, there wasn’t a single cell in his body that felt remorseful for what he’d done.
Regret should have been at the forefront of his emotions. Instead, Archer found himself replaying the hot, passionate exchange through his mind.