Dressed in all black.
Looking scary in the darkness.
Maybe it’s because the whole Halloween vibe is everywhere.
Or maybe it’s because Archer wants to kill me.
“What do you want, Amatti?” Cullen calls out. “I’m busy here.”
“She and I need to talk,” Archer says. “Alone.”
“Fuck yourself,” Cullen says.
Archer shows his hands. “No knife. No weapons. Nothing. Nothing to do with family either. This is personal.”
“Then come over here like a man and talk to both of us,” Cullen says.
“This doesn’t concern you, Doyle,” Archer says. “Jaci gave the orders, remember? I’m just doing my job.”
I gasp.
He’s here to talk about Birdie.
I look at Cullen.
He glances down at me.
“Jaci,” he whispers.
“It’s okay,” I say. “He wants to start a fight with you, Cullen.”
“He wants you alone,” Cullen says.
“Does that make you jealous?”
“I’m not answering that,” Cullen says. “I just haven’t gotten what I wanted from you yet, love.”
“This isn’t about that,” I say.
Cullen’s jaw tightens.
He looks at Archer again. “Anything happens to her, Amatti, and I will kill you. I will start a fucking war and do it with a smile on my face.”
“Nothing is going to happen to her,” Archer says. “Plus, she’ll have me next to her. Nothing to worry about.”
“Other than those threats of you killing her, right?” Cullen asks.
“That’s enough!” I yell.
I grab Cullen’s shirt and pull him down toward me.
I kiss him.
Hard.
A big, wet kiss.
Then I push away from him.