Page 4 of Grave Sins (Graveyard of Hearts Collection #2)

Archer

I gently lay a blanket over Maisy before stepping back to sit in the armchair.

When we got here, Kendra immediately took her upstairs and helped her shower and get changed into the clothes she brought.

Maisy then came down and seemed almost panicked, but I got her to lie down and relax.

Within minutes, she fell asleep. Now, everyone is staring at me.

“Please don’t just stare at me,” I say quietly.

“You did the right thing by helping her,” Kendra says. “She said you made her feel safe, and she’s not used to feeling safe.”

“She’s in shock,” I say.

“No,” Julie says. “Look, you know I will be honest.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, cracking a smile.

“You have done nothing but make her feel safe and comfortable, no matter the risk to you,” Julie tells me. “That’s awesome, Archer. Why are you twisted about this?”

“He’s triggered,” Marcus says. “What was it?”

“Her screams,” I say quietly. “But then they were different.”

“How?” Kendra asks.

“I think it was an orgasm,” I say, swiping angry tears away.

“What do you need from us?” Kendra asks. “How can we help?”

“I just want to keep her safe,” I say.

“Did she tell you a name?” Andre asks.

“Her name is Maisy Jacobs. She said the mafia guy she was being sold to was Harrison.”

“Ah, I hope it’s not Harrison DeMarco,” Chrissy says.

“It is,” Maisy says quietly. I look past Kendra and see that she is barely peeking out from under the blanket I laid on her. After a second, she sits up and looks at her hands in her lap. “Is that bad?”

“Yes,” Andre says bluntly. “But even Harrison can be persuaded.”

“How?” she asks.

“Marry Archer,” he says. “Archer would then have to set up a meeting with him. He’d watch him to prove you two are married, and probably make him pay out the ass, but he’d leave it alone after a while.”

“Prove?” I ask. “How?”

“By publicly fucking her,” he tells me. “A real marriage to you connects her to me. He won’t fuck with me.”

“Fuck,” I say with a sigh.