Page 110 of Playing Dirty

I’m surprised when he suddenly calms down and looks me dead in the eye. “That’s because you are a Vasquez and you are right. We don’t run in fear.” He nods. “I agree. You will see out the last semester here and graduate, but you will return home as soon as school is finished.”

Little does he know that this may be the last time I ever see him. I will not return to Mexico to be sold off like a prize mare. Somehow, I have to disappear just after graduation before they can haul me back home. The logistics of which I’m still trying to work out.

* * *

I walk upto the door of Archer’s apartment, my heart thumping at a hundred miles an hour.

Am I crazy for being here?

Perhaps. I knock on the door and wait a few moments and then I hear the thud of footsteps descending the stairs. Archer opens it and smiles at me with a smile that could stop most women’s hearts. “You are here.”

I smile back at him. “I didn’t get murdered.”

“I’m glad,” he says, stepping aside to allow me in.

I pause for a moment, knowing that now I’m coming to him of my free will rather than because he’s blackmailing me. I’m not sure how to feel about that. It changes everything.

His brow furrows. “Are you going to stay there or come in?”

I purse my lips. “Still trying to decide.”

He laughs and grabs my hand, yanking me into the apartment and against him. “Don’t be an idiot.”

“I’m normally the one saying that to you.”

He leads me up into his apartment, where he has a table set with candles alight. “I was prepared since I hadn’t heard of any murders on campus.” There is a bottle of champagne on ice and three pizza boxes on the table.

“Principal Byrne told you, didn’t he?”

He shrugs. “Perhaps.” Pulling out my seat, he gestures for me to sit down. “How did your meeting with your father go?”

“Well.” I shuffle a little in my seat. “It had nothing to do with my betrayal, although I am in the shit.”

“I heard about Hernandez.”

My brow furrows. “From who?”

“Luca Morrone.”

“Of course, it affects the Morrone family.” I nod. “Well, it means my deal with him is off.”

“Yeah, I figured that. Does it mean you can’t go through with your plan?”

I don’t really feel comfortable discussing it with him, but I realize that there’s no reason for me not to trust Archer. He wouldn’t gain anything by ratting me out. “No.”

“That’s good then.” He nods at the boxes next to us. “Help yourself to pizza.”

I open the nearest box and grab a slice, shoving it into my mouth. As always, I’m starving. It helped that I spent two hours in the pool this afternoon, trying to blow off steam after the encounter with my father.

“I really have missed this,” Archer says.

I swallow hard. “Me too.”

His smile is heartbreaking and I hate I can’t open up to him. Even though he was an asshole for blackmailing me, which he admits, there’s this part of me that wants to embrace the feelings I have for him.

“I love Fratelli’s,” I say, grabbing a second slice. My attempt to direct conversation elsewhere.

Archer nods. “It’s good, for sure. What’s your favorite food?”

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