18. Anna
ANNA
I was pissed. I knew Sara could tell, and I was thankful for the reprieve when everyone left. At the same time, that just left me alone with Archer , who was the reason for my irritation.
Prior to a few days ago, Archer had made most of our safety plans.
I hadn’t fought him on most of them because this was his specialty, but also because he hadn’t known that I was working with the FBI .
But I had hoped that now that he was aware, he would include me on more of the planning and decision-making.
Instead , he just continued planning without allowing me any input into the matter, and that pissed me off.
I may not be a security expert, but I wasn’t some damsel in distress who needed to be sidelined.
I had skills I could offer and deserved a say.
As soon as the group left our room, I went into the bathroom to shower.
I needed time alone to think and calm down, and there wasn’t a lot of room to think in a shared hotel room.
We had an executive suite with a small living space and two queen beds, one for each of us, but it was still weird being this close to him.
My emotions were running high, but I needed to focus. This mission depended on me being madly in love with Archer , not pissed off and ready to murder him in his sleep.
When I came out, Archer was sitting on his bed. He immediately got up and started toward me. I’d done a lot of thinking in the shower, so I was prepared. As he neared, I cut him off before he was able to say anything.
“Archer, this is why we got divorced. You always feel the need to make decisions for both of us.”
“No. We got divorced because I was a young idiot who thought I was protecting you by letting you go,” he responded matter-of-factly.
“Story of my life,” I mumbled.
My birth parents did it, and so did Archer .
“Don't do that,” Archer chided me. “ Don't assume that's all anyone will ever do to you. I made my mistake, realized it, and tried to rectify it. I wrote your attorney three letters trying to explain that to you. You shut that down, Ace . Not me.”
He was right. My attorney had called to let me know he had tried to reach out. I asked her to throw the letters away. Unless I was legally obligated to read them—which I wasn’t— I didn’t want to hear whatever sorry excuse or sympathy he was going to give me.
“I've regretted that moment more times in my life than I care to think. I've never stopped loving you,” he continued.
He never stopped loving me?
“Yeah, you heard me. I’m still madly in love with you, and being around you these last two weeks has only solidified that even more.”
“Archer, how do you know we were even in love the first time, let alone now? We literally spent only a few days together before we got married. That’s it. Days . ”
“Because sometimes you just know,” he responded.
I started to interrupt him, but he cut me off and held up his hand.
“ Ace , I’ve seen good relationships like my uncle Frank and aunt Susan’s , along with my friends who are all now married.
I’ve also seen terrible marriages like my parents’.
I’d like to think I can tell the difference.
I also know it’s you instead of anyone else because I haven’t stopped thinking about you for five years. You want the truth?”
I wasn’t sure I did, but I nodded anyway.
“I’ve stalked you your whole career. I followed you everywhere you went—virtually, at least. I know every award you won at a TV station.
I know when you adopted your dog and what shelter you got him from.
I knew the exact moment you moved to Atlanta .
I’ve kept tabs on you from the moment we got divorced.
Sure , it started as a way to make sure you were protected, but then after we assumed the threat was all gone, I kept doing it just because I needed to know you were happy and healthy. ”
Holy crap. Wow . I should be freaked out by that, but I wasn’t.
“Normal people don’t do that with people they don’t care about,” he explained.
I took in everything he’d said and just stood there.
“You want more proof?” he asked but didn’t really give me a chance to answer before he ripped his shirt off.
At first, I noticed the impeccable set of abs he had, and then, glancing up, I saw a beautifully defined pair of pecs…which was when I saw it.
He pointed at his left pec at the same time I noticed it. A tattoo of a card—an ace of hearts, to be exact.
“I put you where you will always belong—right on my heart,” he said, as though it was as simple as that.
I stared at the tattoo for several moments, taking it in. My nickname on his chest, the meaning behind it.
“When did you get that?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know the answer.
“Two months after we divorced,” he said quietly but with a strong voice. “ After I realized you weren’t going to respond to the letters I sent to your attorney. I figured I’d lost all hope of getting you back, so I put you on my chest.”
My eyes closed at his honesty. I guess it was my time to be honest.
“You want some honesty back, Archer ?”
“Yes.”
Here went nothing. “ I wanted you back, too. God , I wanted you back so badly it hurt. But if I gave in and you had changed your mind again, I knew I wouldn't survive. I barely survived the first time.” My voice had started strong, but it was barely a whisper for the last few words.
There, I’d said it. No going back now.
Just as he was about to respond, there was a knock at the door. I looked down at my watch and realized it was likely Sara returning to go dress shopping. This was good. I needed a break. And maybe some alcohol for the first time in years.
* * *
We were now legally married. Again .
Mr. and Mrs . Archer Papadopoulos .
Sara had gone with me to pick out a dress.
It felt so weird picking out a wedding dress that was all for show.
I lied when I told Archer I had never really thought about my wedding day.
I may not have thought about it a lot, but I did know some details.
I wanted a big white dress with a veil that would hide my face, just in case I was crying tears of joy walking down the aisle.
Given there was a hit out on me, I decided to pick the dress I wanted—just in case I never got a real wedding.
“Your knight in shining armor has arrived,” Archer said as he walked toward me, a bouquet in his hands.
He looked great in his dark suit and tie. He was even more dressed up than he was at Jack and Ruthie’s wedding. He’d also never looked better. It sucked.
“I don’t need a knight in shining armor. I need a partner who knows how to fight dirty and love me unconditionally.”
Where Sara was dressed up in a cute pink maxi dress, Vince looked like the ideal tourist in his Hawaiian shirt and board shorts. I couldn’t believe that was really what he’d worn.
Though the biggest surprise out of Vince came when he handed Archer the wedding rings, and I realized he had my original ring Archer had given me—the simple silver band with alternating small diamonds and rubies.
The one I gave to my attorney when I signed the divorce papers, since I never wanted to see it again.
Obviously, my attorney gave it to Archer , and he held onto it, along with his own.
I started to ask myself why, but I found I had a pretty good idea.
He hadn’t given up on us. He had hoped for a second chance, like he’d said.
My emotions were running high, but I needed to focus. This mission depended on me being madly in love with Archer , not pissed off and ready to murder him in his sleep.
We walked out of the chapel, hand in hand, smiling as though we hadn’t a care in the world.
This was not the same chapel we had gotten married in the first time.
This one was specifically chosen because of its proximity to several members of the Pagano Family syndicate.
The family members themselves, as well as their lackeys, were known to frequent the restaurant and bar across the street.
The hope was that someone from their group would see us and call it in to those who mattered.
We stood on the sidewalk, pretending to be waiting for a taxi, when Archer pulled me in for a hug and whispered in my ear. “ Game time.”
What?
Just then, Vince’s voice chimed into my ear comms. “ Target has spotted you. He is along the far side of the restaurant wall, taking a smoke break. He’s pulling out his phone to take a pic of you two, so give him a show.”
He’d no sooner finished his words than Archer pulled me in closer and kissed me. Knowing this was our chance, I kissed him back. I gave in to it and let the kiss consume me. I moved my hands to his hair and ran my nails along his scalp, which garnered an appreciative moan.
“When I said give him a show, I didn’t mean an X -rated one,” Vince’s voice broke in, laced with humor. “ Unlatch your mouths for a minute so he can snap a photo of your faces.”
Once our faces had disconnected, we pulled back a bit from each other, and I found myself feeling sad at the new distance between us.
“You’re good at pretending when you put your mind to it,” Archer said quietly to me, smiling. “ You’re very convincing.”
Little did he know, I didn’t have to pretend.
“Okay, he’s taking the bait,” Vince said. “ Get in a cab, and hopefully he follows.”
Moments later, Archer hailed a taxi coming down the street—one that was waiting for us down the block and being driven by an FBI agent. We hopped in and began to make our way to the hotel.
We had barely started down the street when Axel’s voice startled me. “ Burn goes the dynamite! He’s following you!”
I chuckled a little at Axel’s misuse of the phrase as Archer kindly corrected him.
“FYI, it’s boom goes the dynamite.”
“Ah,” Axel replied. “ I will write that down.”
“Don’t forget to linger a little outside the hotel a bit to make sure he sees you walk in,” Sara spoke in my ear.
“Noted,” I told her.