Chapter Twenty-Five #3
“Don’t call her baby,” I growl.
There’s silence for a beat before Liam speaks again. “Um, okay. Who the fuck is this?”
I snarl, and even though he can’t see me, it still feels good. “Who I am really doesn’t matter, but what I have to say to you absolutely does. So, clean out your arrogant British ears and listen very fucking carefully.”
“Excuse me?” he replies, sounding offended.
I chuckle, loving every second of this as I lean against the streetlight next to me, switching Darcy’s phone to my other ear.
“At what point in your miserable fucking life did you conclude that you had the right to say the kind of shit you did to Darcy over text?”
He huffs out a laugh, a condescending tone dripping from his voice. “Ah, so you must be her new fella.”
“Damn right I’m her new fella ,” I mock in a broad London accent. “I’m also your new worst nightmare.”
All he does is laugh, and I picture my fist as it extends across the Atlantic Ocean, landing straight between his eyes.
“Listen, whatever your name is. I appreciate the call and everything, but I don’t respond well to threats, and neither does my solicitor.”
I double over, my stomach muscles genuinely hurting as I explode with laughter.
“Solicitor?! No one is breaking the law. I’m referring to breaking bones—specifically the ones in your face—should you even consider messaging my girl again. She was done with you the first time, and she’s definitely done with you now.”
“Dude, you’re a sandwich short of a picnic.” He snorts, but I can hear the slight tremor as it enters his voice. “Does Jack know his sister is dating a fucking lunatic?”
My knuckles form an even tighter fist around Darcy’s phone as I check over my shoulder to make sure the coast is still clear and no one is eavesdropping.
“What anyone else knows is inconsequential,” I tell him.
“The only person who matters is Darcy and her happiness. You don’t make my girl happy, which means you need to be eliminated from the equation.
So, why don’t you go ahead and see this as your warning?
Stay away from her; don’t even contact her.
Whatever you both had, you fucked it up, and now I get to enjoy the consequence of your actions.
You picked the wrong girl, but for me, there’s only ever been one.
Don’t get on a plane. In fact, don’t bother to keep her name saved in your Contacts because you won’t be needing it. ”
I might as well be standing right next to him as I bite out my words with increasing menace.
“And if you even think about telling Darcy or anyone else I called, the next time we interact, it won’t be over the phone.
You were right with what you said to Darcy—she is way above you.
You’re like a blip on her radar, but don’t think I won’t come for you if you even think about overstepping her boundaries again. ”
“Dude, you’re fucking insane.”
I cock my head, smiling. He’s not wrong.
“Are we clear?” I press.
He says nothing, but I’m not worried. This dude is a fucking wimp. He doesn’t love Darcy enough to take a beating from me. He cares only about himself.
“Crystal,” he eventually says.
“Good. Have a nice life.”
I hang up and quickly delete the call from her log, heading back into Lloyd’s before she returns from the restroom, adrenaline rolling through my system as I scan the bar for signs of my girl.
The second I round the corner for the private area, I come face-to-face with Sawyer.
Hands in his pockets, he lifts a brow, staring down at the phone in my hand. “Jesus fucking Christ. Do not tell me you just did what I think you did.”
Sliding her phone back into her bag, I zip it shut and scratch at my chin, a sense of pride I probably shouldn’t feel falling over me. “I’ve got zero idea what you’re talking about.”
He looks unconvinced. “So, if I search Darcy’s phone log, I won’t find a recent call made to Liam?”
“Nope.” It’s the partial truth, one up from the full-blown lies I’ve been spouting.
“I’m going to take Darcy home.” Jenna approaches us from nowhere, thumbing over her shoulder toward the restrooms.
She looks worried, and instantly, my adrenaline is pumping for a whole different reason.
“What the hell is wrong?” I ask her, already heading for my girl.
Jenna catches my arm. She’s got a strong grip, good enough to hold me back. I guess soccer and hockey goalies have more in common than simply being unhinged.
“No, you can’t go in there. Other women are using the toilets.”
“Then what the fuck is wrong?!” I snap, eyes flicking to Sawyer and then back at Jenna.
She looks taken aback at my reaction. I’ll apologize later.
“I don’t know exactly,” Jenna explains. “One second, we were talking, and the next, she got ahold of my arm, trying to keep herself upright. She got dizzy and asked to go home.”
I’m pulling out my phone, immediately bringing up Google to search her symptoms, but then stop when I remember I’m not alone.
Sawyer speaks first, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “Jenna, head back into the restroom and make sure she’s okay. Let us know how she is.”
Jenna nods once, eyes dropping to Darcy’s bag in my hand. I can see she’s wondering why I have it, but doesn’t question it. I pass it to her, and she takes it, scurrying back to the restroom.
Now alone and with the sound of panic ringing in my ears, I set eyes on my captain. He doesn’t say anything, but the cogs are turning in his head. He’s a dad himself, and I wonder if Sophie experienced similar symptoms. I fucking hope so since her pregnancy turned out to be fine.
“We need to talk,” he says calmly. “But not now and definitely not here.”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” I reply. Knowing Darcy wants to keep the pregnancy private for as long as possible.
He looks off to the side and down the hallway leading to the restrooms before scratching at the back of his neck. “I’ve known you for a long fucking time, Archer, and I can tell the difference between your truthful and bullshitting faces, and right now, you’re wearing the latter.”
“I’ve got everything handled.”
He shakes his head. “See, there’s that bullshitting face again.”
“What’s going on with Darcy?” Jack joins us, breaking the staredown between me and my captain.
He looks between us. “Jenna just messaged Kendra to say she’s taking her home.”
I pocket my phone, and Sawyer looks at Jack, jutting his chin at the restrooms.
“We were just speculating on that ourselves.” He looks back at me, more concern than anger in his gaze. “Although whatever it is, I haven’t had a drink tonight, so I can give her a ride home.”