It was the first word that came to mind as Archer’s wild gaze met hers. The skin on his knuckles had busted open, his blood seeping from the wounds he’d suffered while literally saving her life.
And as he stood there—holding her attacker’s limp body with a fisted hand at the front of the bastard’s shirt while preparing to land another knuckle-busting blow—Cassie warred to reconcilethis man with the same one who’d made sweet, tender love to her a few hours before.
“You…g-got…him.” She winced with a painful swallow. “It’s…over.”
That fist he had raised lowered slowly to his side. Looking away, he glanced at the man he was still holding, waiting a heartbeat before releasing his shirt, and letting him fall to the floor.
Cassie studied the man’s swollen lids and bloodied brows. She reached down, ready to finally see who hated her so much they were willing to risk their own lives to see her dead. But Archer stopped her.
“Don’t.”
She paused, looking up at him from over her shoulder. Normally she would follow his command without question. Not this time.
“I want to…see his…face.” God, it hurt to talk.
Archer’s cold, deadly gaze searched hers a moment longer before he gave a single, curt nod of his head. Ignoring the fear and pain that threatened to take over, Cassie rushed to yank the ski mask up over the unmoving man’s face.
Her jaw fell with shock. Her legs started to give way. A low curse reached her ears as a set of strong, comforting arms prevented her from falling back to the floor.
“No.” She shook her head with disbelief. “It can’t be.”
But it is.
Cassie wanted to look away. More than anything, in that one unbelievably gut-wrenching moment, she wanted lookaway.
Blood poured from a nose that was obviously broken. Smears of the stuff covered most of the man’s swollen face.
She wanted to forget what she was seeing. To pretend she wasn’t looking down at someone she actually knew.
As she stood there, staring down at a man who, unbeknownst to her, had been planning her death, Cassie wished like hell she would’ve listened to Archer when he’d first tried to stop her.
Because now…now it was too late. Now she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she’d never, ever forget.
“Jesus, baby!” She felt herself being pulled into Archer’s arms. “Are you okay? How bad are you hurt?”
Before she could answer, Cassie was gently pushed away to assess her injuries. The browns of his eyes turned black with fury when he spotted the swelling in her left cheek and what she could only assume were obvious bruises on her neck.
“I’ll fucking kill him.” Archer started for the man on the floor, but once again, Cassie intervened.
“No!” She threw herself back into his arms. With hers wrapped tightly around his chiseled waist, she begged him, “Please, don’t. He’s not worth it.”
His entire body remained locked in place, muscles stiff as steel from the rage she knew was brewing within him. Seconds later, she felt Archer’s lips press against the top of her head. His tortured apology tearing at her heart.
“I’m so sorry, baby.” His voice was thick with emotion. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
“This wasn’t your fault, Archer.”
“Yes.” He put some distance between them. “It fucking was.”
“No, it?—”
“I never should’ve left you.”
Cassie begged him with her eyes to believe her when she said, “There was no way on God’s green earth you could’ve known he was planning something like this. Hell, you didn’t even know until yesterday that I was going to come here today.”
A muscle in Archer’s strong jaw bulged as he stared down at her attacker and shook his head. “He was waiting for me.”
“What?”