Page 17 of Duality (The Archers #1)

“I get it, you’re pissed,” Danny started, his voice low but firm.

“You feel like she kept you in the dark, and yeah, she did. But she also did everything she could to protect you and your company. We fought endlessly about it, but she saw something in you, in your company, that she wanted to protect. If we had been given full access to SDS, we could have gotten a lot more done, but she made us walk the line. Yes, it was still a betrayal, but she tried to protect you just as much as she tried to protect every person who comes to the Archers for justice.”

He paused, letting his words sink in before he continued.

“And one more thing. Don’t think for a second that all this doesn’t weigh on her.

” He hesitated, like he wasn’t sure he wanted to say the next part.

“I’ll deny saying this till the day I die, but she cares about you guys, more than just as her bosses.

There’s no one else you want in your corner more than Evelyn Harper. ”

His warning was sweet but unneeded. I already knew that Evie cared about us. Her mask had cracked enough times over the years that I knew. And I would die before I hurt her. But when his gaze landed on Marcus, I sighed. I really needed my brothers to get on board with the plan, and quickly.

Danny’s gaze was unwavering, making sure we understood the gravity of what he was saying. “So yeah, be pissed. But don’t hurt her. Because trust me, she’s already been through enough.”

With those cryptic words, he left, setting the alarm system on the way out.

“Is he done threatening you all?” I wasn’t the only one who jumped when Evelyn appeared on silent feet at our backs. Her lips quirked before she hid her reaction. “Come on. I have pizza in the oven.”

Evelyn showed us where everything was in the kitchen, but she didn’t linger long. She took two slices of pizza and then retreated to her bedroom. I wanted to follow her, but I needed to knock some heads together first.

Before I could start, though, Adrian spoke. “I’m sorry I never told you,” he said to Marcus, his eyes serious as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “My mom, though…”

Marcus clasped a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “I wish you’d told me about your dad.”

Adrian rubbed his face. “I know. I should have. I guess I was…ashamed. I couldn’t protect her. And the Archers protected her in ways I would have never been able to. I kept an eye on her, though.” He nodded towards the doorway Evelyn had disappeared through.

“I’m sure that wasn’t a hardship.” I grinned, waggling my eyebrows.

It was like a shutter fell over Adrian’s face. “I don’t know what you mean.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, you do. Cards on the table, gentlemen,” I said airily. “We all like our darling Evie and want to have permanent positions in her life.”

“You’re not still on that stupid idea you had in college, are you?” Marcus asked disdainfully, but he couldn’t hide the spark of interest in his eyes.

Growing up, we were a tight-knit family. I loved my brothers, and they kept me sane. I didn’t want a woman coming between us, so I had done a ton of research on polyamory.

“I don’t recall you calling it stupid then.”

“I’m pretty sure I called it impossible,” Marcus shot back.

“Maybe before. But that was before Evie. It’s perfect. She’s perfect. You can’t tell me you aren’t interested.” I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms.

“She lied,” Marcus snarled. Clearly, he wasn’t as over it as he portrayed to her. “How could you trust her?”

“Brother…” I shook my head at him. “You need to get over your black-and-white thinking. Yes, she lied, but she had a good reason to.”

I waved an arm at Adrian in case he forgot how many people the Archers helped. Marcus crossed his arms, looking away. I recognized the stubborn tilt of his jaw.

“What’s really bothering you?” Alexander asked. “That she lied, or that she didn’t come to us for help?”

The way Marcus and Adrian stiffened told me that my big brother just hit the nail on the head.

He shook his head. “I don’t appreciate the dishonesty, either. But I can see why she did it. The fact that she felt she couldn’t come to us…” He pointedly looked at each of us. “That she felt like she would be judged… That worries me more.”

Marcus and Adrian shared a look, and Marcus seemed to deflate slightly. Good. He needed to get over this so Evie would trust us.

“Besides,” Alexander continued. “The way I see it, is we can decline to help, fire Evelyn, and expose her as a leak, which damages our reputation and compromises our clients by admitting she snuck in under our noses, then Evelyn will still go after Citadel without us. Or we can help her and take care of one of our biggest rivals in the process. A rival that has been allowing corruption to flourish in the city.”

Damn. Big brother wasn’t playing. I liked this new attitude.

“And what about his plan?” Marcus nodded towards me. “You can’t seriously be considering going along with it.”

Alexander leaned forward on his elbows and pinned Marcus with a familiar big-brother look. “Look at me and tell me you don’t find her attractive.”

Marcus’s lips thinned into a tight line.

Alexander huffed. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t find her attractive.

” He made a subtle dig at Marcus’s rigidity.

“She’s smart and fiery and everything I ever dreamed of.

And she’s been firmly off limits because she’s been our employee.

But what Sebastian forgets”—it was my turn to receive the big brother look—”is that it’s Evelyn’s choice.

She might not want anything to do with us when this is over. ”

I frowned. That wasn’t an option. Besides, Danny all but told us she had feelings for us earlier.

Adrian curses and rubs his forehead. “I can’t believe you’re considering this.”

“ We’re considering this,” I corrected. “Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you look at her.”

Adrian glared at me. “I’m too old for her.”

Marcus scoffed. “You’re ten years older, so what?”

Adrian glared at Marcus, and Marcus just flipped him the finger. We weren’t going to decide anything tonight. But the seeds had been planted, and I would continue to water them.

“Okay.” I clapped my hands together. “We just have to woo our woman into a five-way relationship and take down a company that has a black market hit out on our heads.”

Piece of cake.