Chapter 6 Lottie
Lottie
Idress in silence, tugging on a hoodie that doesn’t feel like armor, but it’s warm and soft and smells like Archer—like safety. I pull my damp hair out of my face into a braid with trembling fingers, then step back into the hall.
Oscar is curled into the armchair like a watchful statue, eyes meeting mine the second I appear. He stands immediately. “You okay?” he signs.
I nod.
Then shake my head.
Then shrug.
None of those are the correct answers, and all I want to do is fall into his arms and fall apart.
Archer stands by the doorframe, appearing with two mugs of hot tea, the kind Claire always makes for me when I’m upset.
When he sees me staring, he moves forward, placing the cups on the table with a soft clink, and turns to me.
“Hey baby,” he says softly. “You need anything?”
“A new life?” I joke, my mouth twisting into a sad smile. “He knows I’m alive.” Oscar’s jaw tightens. Archer doesn’t flinch. “I want to be prepared. I don’t want to hide or run again. I need to be ready if he comes for me.”
There’s a pause, the only sound in the room is their breathing, which seems to pick up. Archer steps closer, pulling me into his arms like I’m something precious. “We’ll be ready. We’ll protect you…”
“Whatever it takes.” Oscar’s hands move purposefully, never breaking eye contact.
And just like that, a decision settles in my bones.
This time, I don’t disappear. I don’t run or hide, or try to take my own life by jumping into the waves where the silence seemed to wrap around me like a comforting blanket.
This time, I’ll make sure he does. I’ll scream, claw, and fight my way out of this… for the life I now have.
I’m tugged down in between them. Archer’s arm draping over my shoulder, Oscar’s thigh pressing against mine. I feel like I should cry, but there’s nothing left in me—only exhaustion and quietness.
The kind of quiet that settles into your bones when you know, for once, you’re not alone.
I don’t know what’s going to happen next or what Lorenzo will do, or if Roman will survive long enough to fulfill the promises he made in blood and secrets.
But I know I survived Lorenzo once before, and I’m never going back.
Archer squeezes my shoulder gently, and Oscar’s fingers brush lightly against my knee, grounding me in the now. I sink into the couch cushion, sandwiched between them, letting their warmth seep into the cold parts of me that never seem to have thawed.
No one speaks. There’s no need. The silence is no longer heavy, it’s steady, like a pulse.
After a while, Archer leans in, brushing his lips against my temple. “You should rest, baby,” he murmurs.
“I’m fine,” I lie, even as my body screams otherwise.
The tremor in my hands hasn’t stopped, and the heaviness behind my eyes makes it hard to keep them open.
Still, some instinct keeps me upright and alert, as if falling asleep might mean letting my guard down.
If I close my eyes, the past might catch up and drag me back.
Oscar notices and his eyes meet mine again. “Come lie down with us, Lottie.”
He doesn’t wait for me to respond. He stands and reaches out a hand. I hesitate, only for a second, but I take it.
Archer’s ahead of us, already moving toward the bedroom, and I follow, letting their presence calm me. The hallway feels longer than it is, like some part of me is walking toward something that can’t be undone… but maybe that’s okay.
Maybe I’m allowed to change and want things.
I’m allowed to want to be safe.
The bedroom is dim and quiet, and Archer draws my curtains closed.
Oscar sinks onto the bed, dragging me with him, and Archer joins.
I let Archer tug me closer, his arm curling protectively around my waist. Oscar stays in front of me, sitting cross-legged, regarding me so closely I can feel my skin itch like he’s seeing too much.
I can feel my hands trembling as everything that’s happened in the last few weeks comes crashing down. It’s been a blur of chaos, secrets, and fear, and now it all feels too heavy to carry alone.
Oscar sees everything play out on my face, and his hands move gracefully. “You’re safe. We’re here, and I promise you we aren’t going anywhere. No matter what happens, Lottie, you’re stuck with us.”
I nod, but the words don’t quite reach the knot in my stomach. Archer tightens his hold on me, as if he can hold me together with his hands alone. “You, me, and him, forever, baby. We’re here. Whatever you need.”
I look between them, my heart aching with gratitude. They are so different. Oscar, quiet and observant. Archer, protective, and the man who saved me when I was drowning.
They’re my anchor, and right now, I need them more than ever.
Oscar reaches for my hand, fingers lacing through mine. His touch is firm but gentle. He squeezes three times. Archer mirrors him, taking my other hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles, but somehow with that small gesture, pulls me back from the edge of my thoughts.
“Tell us what you need,” Archer murmurs, his thumb tracing the seam of my top.
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. “I just need to forget… for a little while.”
Oscar’s eyes soften, and he wastes no time.
He leans in slowly, his lips brushing against my forehead in a kiss so tender it makes my chest ache.
Archer follows, pressing his lips to my temple, his breath warm against my skin.
The combination of their affection is overwhelming in the best way, like a balm soothing the raw, frayed edges of my mind.
“We’re going to take care of you, baby. Do you trust us to know what you need?” Archer asks, his voice steady but laced with something deeper that makes my pulse quicken.
Oscar’s hand tightens around mine as he leans in again, this time capturing my lips in a kiss that’s soft but dominating.
It’s not rushed or demanding—it’s a slow exploration.
A way of saying “I’m here” without words.
Archer watches for a moment before joining, his lips finding the curve of my jaw, trailing down to my neck. My eyes close as I sink into the sensation. Their touches are deliberate, as if each one was designed specifically to pull me out of my head and back into this moment.
Oscar’s lips travel to my cheek, then to the corner of my mouth, while Archer’s hands slide up my arms. The contrast between both men is intoxicating—Oscar’s quiet intensity and Archer’s possessiveness blending together in a way that makes my head dizzy.
“You’re not alone. We’re right here, always.” Archer whispers against my skin, his breath sending a shiver down my spine.
Oscar pulls back slightly, his eyes locking onto mine as he signs. “We’ve got you. Now let your other boyfriend kiss you while I finally get a taste.”
I feel tears prick at the corner of my eyes, but I blink them away, focusing on the way their hands hold onto me, the way the feeling of their kisses linger on my skin.
Archer’s lips find mine again, this time with more purpose. His kiss is deeper, more insistent, but still tender. I can feel the tension in him, the way he’s holding back, giving Oscar the time he’s never had with me. It only makes me want this… them more.
I can feel Oscar’s hands move to my waist as he kisses along my jawline, his lips soft and warm, and I can’t help but lean into him.
The room feels smaller somehow with them both in here with me. Their touches are everywhere—Archer’s hand is in my hair, moving my head to the side to give Oscar better access to my neck as he kisses and sucks, his tongue tracing a path that makes me feel like a live wire.
I melt into them both, needing this connection. It’s not just physical… It’s emotional. Every touch from them pulls me back to myself, piece by piece.
Archer breaks the kiss first, his forehead resting against mine. “Do you feel better?” he asks me, his voice rough with desire.
I nod, though I’m not sure if I’m being entirely honest. The weight of everything that happened is still there, but it feels lighter now. Oscar’s hand cups my cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear I don’t realize has fallen.
“We can stop,” His hands move. “There’s no pressure.”
I take a shaky breath. “I don’t want to stop.”
Archer smiles, that familiar smirk that always makes my stomach flip. “Good, because we’re just getting started,” he teases.
Oscar’s lips curve into a small smile as he leans in again, his lips brushing over mine.
Archer’s hands move to the hem of my shirt, his fingers brushing against my skin as he slowly pulls it over my head.
His eyes never leave mine, dark and intense, like he’s trying to memorize every detail of this moment.
I feel exposed, but not in a way that makes me want to hide. There’s something about the way he’s looking at me… the way they both are—like I’m the only thing that matters.
Oscar moves, his hands warm as they settle against my skin.
He doesn’t need words to communicate. His touch says everything I need to know.
His fingers move to the clasp of my bra, deft and unhurried, and as it falls away, I feel a rush of vulnerability.
Archer’s lips find my neck almost immediately, trailing down my collarbone.
His hands cup my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my nipples in a way that makes me gasp.
Oscar’s hand traces the curve of my spine as Archer murmurs against my skin.
“So beautiful. So lucky that you are ours.” His hands move to my waist, pulling me closer until there’s no space between us anymore.
I can feel the heat of their bodies against mine, the way their heartbeats race in time with mine.
Oscar’s hands slide around my stomach, his fingers splaying across my skin as he presses himself against me.
I shiver, a wave of need running through me.
He signs something against my skin, his fingers moving in a way that made me feel seen…
understood in a way only he ever can. I don’t need to see his hands to know what he’s saying—his touch speaks louder than words ever could.
Their hands seem to move in unison. Archer’s hands move to my pants, his eyes never leaving mine as he slides them down my legs. I feel more exposed than ever, but also more alive.
I need this… I need them.
Oscar’s hands move to my thighs, his touch warm and reassuring.
He removed my underwear, and I feel a rush of heat as his hands slide up my legs, his touch sending sparks through me.
Oscar’s hands are on me again, pulling me close as he kisses me deeply.
His body presses against mine, and I can feel the hardness of him through the fabric of his pants.
Archer shuffles down the bed, positioning himself in front of me between my parted legs.
His eyes dark with desire as he stares up at me.
“You’re perfect, Lottie. Perfect for us. A perfect fit…” he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion. His lips brush against the inside of my thigh, and I feel a jolt of pleasure before he’s even truly touched me.
Oscar’s hands never leave me, his touch grounding me as Archer’s lips move higher. I close my eyes, letting myself feel everything they are giving me. The warmth of their hands, the heat of their bodies, the way they make me feel so completely theirs… It’s dizzying.