Page 30 of Duality (The Archers #1)

That probably wasn’t the question she meant to ask, but I took advantage of it. “Because you’re a beautiful, intriguing woman, and we want you to be ours.”

“Ours?” Technically, it was my question, but I wasn’t going to stop now that I had started.

“You know us well. You’ve seen how our lives are. Individually, we would probably be shitty boyfriends, but together, it would work. It’s why SDS works. We each bring different strengths that help make up for our shortcomings.”

“But… but… I lied to you?”

I shrugged. “Out of necessity. We understand why.” At her pointed look, I amended my statement. “We do understand why, even Marcus. He just needs a bit of time to wrap his head around it. There was an… incident in the military that makes him gun-shy about lies.”

There was way more to it, but it was Marcus’s story to tell. Not that I wouldn’t force him to get his head out of his ass soon if he wouldn’t do it himself.

“But I run—” She gestured to the outside, not wanting to say the Archers in the rapidly filling dining room.

I shrugged again. “Not a deal-breaker for us. The work we do at SDS is dangerous. It’s one of the reasons we haven’t dated anyone. We do our best, but we do have enemies. You can take care of yourself, though.” I winked. “Although you don’t have to do it alone anymore.”

“One of the reasons you haven’t dated?” she questioned, ignoring my other words. “What were the others?”

“They weren’t you,” I said, my tone serious as I leaned forward.

I needed her to understand. “You’re everything we could have ever asked for.

” She hesitated, and I pushed forward. “But we know you’ve been used to doing everything by yourself.

We’re patient men, but now that you know we want you, we’re going to court you. ”

“Court me?” Her eyebrows shot up. “Isn’t that a bit old fashioned.”

I shook my head. “Not to us. This is important. This isn’t some fling,” I said, seriously. I needed her to understand that.

She bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth as she stared down at her coffee mug. “I’ve never…dated. Or been…courted.” She stumbled over the last word, and her eyes flew up to meet mine.

I nodded. I figured. From the little bit I had pieced together about her history and past, she would have started the Archers in college and had thrown herself into the organization and working for us since.

“I believe it’s my turn for a question,” I teased softly. “So here it is. Will you let us court you? Let us prove to you that this is real and can work?”

She fiddled with her coffee mug, rolling it between her hands as she thought. I didn’t rush her. This was probably terrifying for her, but I was done pretending I didn’t want her. Though I’m not sure the other guys would say I was ever good at it.

“After…everything,” she said, looking out the window. “I threw myself into building the Archers. I saw the worst of the worst of men and women.” She breathed out heavily. “I didn’t have any interest in dating until…”

“Until?” I leaned forward.

Her hazel eyes met mine. There was worry and fear there but also hope and excitement. “Until you four,” she whispered, as if her words couldn’t be any louder in case someone might hear them. I was thrilled to hear that she included all of us. I could work with this.

“Thank you, darling.” I reached out my hand and waited for her to place hers in mine.

Her hand was warm, and I could feel the little calluses on her palms. I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand.

“I know you’ve seen the worst of people, and there’s nothing I wish more than to be able to go back in time and shield you from that.

” Her eyes were glassy. I squeezed her hand.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to prove your trust in us isn’t misplaced,” I finished softly. “Come here,”

I tugged her out of her side of the booth and around to mine, tucking her under my arm.

She pressed her cheek to my chest, her breath stuttering.

I waited for her to get herself under control again.

If I brought attention to it, she would only shy away.

My darling never had someone she could let go with, and I was determined to be that person. That we could be that for her.

I pressed my cheek to her hair, catching Diane’s suspiciously wet eyes as she watched us with a fond smile.

I smiled at her and nodded once to show we were okay.

She nodded back and turned to serve some customers who sat at the bar.

Eventually Evie’s breathing steadied, and she lifted her head from my chest. I let her go, reaching over and placing her mug in front of her.

We sat in silence, my hands playing with the end of her braid as she finished composing herself.

The seat buzzed, and she jerked softly, shifting until she could dig her phone out of her back pocket.

“It’s Liam,” she said softly. “They found something.”

I nodded. Back to business. I threw down a hundred-dollar bill on the table before Diane could yell at me for it. “Let’s go,” I said, holding out my hand to her.

I breathed out a sigh of relief when she took it without hesitation. Hopefully, I got through to her. She never had to face anything on her own ever again.