UNFAITHFUL

CHAPTER TWENTY

Sara

I woke up at 11 a.m. with a pounding headache and aching feet. I hadn't even drunk that much last night, but I had definitely danced until my legs nearly gave out.

From downstairs, the sound of clanging and clattering drifted up from the kitchen. They must already be awake.

Sleep had evaded me last night—my mind was too restless, too full—and by the time it finally claimed me, daylight had already crept in.

I padded to the bathroom for a long, hot shower, letting the water wash over me as my thoughts swirled. Archie's words kept turning in my mind.

And then there was Cole, sitting outside in the cold, looking wrecked. Looking like he had nothing left. Why?

I exhausted myself by overthinking everything.

After pulling on an oversized shirt and yoga leggings, I headed downstairs and found Archie alone in the kitchen, casually eating cereal in a white shirt and track pants, probably ones he'd left here before.

He looked up and smiled. "Good morning."

"Morning," I muttered, heat creeping up my neck as the embarrassment from last night hit me full force now that I was completely sober. I'd practically thrown myself at him, only for him to say no.

Avoiding his gaze, I slid onto the stool beside him.

Archie chuckled softly, clearly noticing.

He pushed the cereal box and an empty bowl toward me. "Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Not really," I admitted.

"Been thinking all night?"

"Yeah..." I mumbled, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. "Did you?"

Archie, who had crashed on the sofa last night, stretched his arms with a groan. "Yeah, well, I didn't sleep well either. There were a lot of noises keeping me awake."

"Noises?" I frowned.

Archie nodded, a mysterious grin spreading across his face.

I figured it must've been the traffic from the street out front.

Shrugging, I took a long gulp of water before asking, "Where are Julian and Emma?"

Archie didn't answer right away. Instead, he chuckled and shook his head, amused by something I didn't quite understand.

"What?" I asked.

And as if right on cue, Emma and Julian appeared, strolling through the hallway together.

My jaw dropped.

Did they?

Emma, her hair a tangled rat's nest and mascara smudged beneath her eyes, strolled in an oversized shirt she always wore to bed. Whereas Julian wore nothing but his jeans, his tattoo-covered skin on full display.

She scowled the entire time while Julian grinned smugly behind her.

Archie chuckled at the sight of them, shaking his head.

My mouth was still slightly open as my eyes trailed after Emma, who plopped down into the seat beside me. Meanwhile, Julian strolled around the counter, positioning himself in front of us, casually pouring the black coffee Archie had prepared beforehand.

"Did you two just have sex?" I blurted out.

"Yes," Julian said at the same time Emma muttered, "Not really."

Julian's eyes widened. "Not really?" he bellowed. "What the fuck do you mean, not really ?"

Emma simply shrugged, grabbing my water and taking a sip. "Don't quite remember it."

Julian scoffed. "You came. Twice!"

She tilted her head, pretending to think. "Did I?"

Julian wasn't letting it go. "You're messing with me, aren't you, Tink?"

Emma let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Do you want me to recount it scene by scene in front of Archie and Sara?" Julian threatened.

Emma shot him a withering glare.

Julian grinned mischievously. "How about I tell them that when you ride me, you like to yell yee-haw?"

I giggled while Archie outright howled with laughter.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I did not!"

Julian smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Or should I mention how you called me Captain Studmuffin after you came? Ooohhh Captain Studmuffin, that was freaking awesome!"

"Julian!" Emma shrieked, lobbing a napkin at his face.

I wheezed, clutching my stomach. "Oh, my God. How drunk were you both?"

Julian grinned, amusement dancing in his eyes. "And after we finished the second time, you climbed me like a damn koala, snuggled into my neck, and whispered, 'Wrap your arms around me, Captain. Hold me.'" Then I noticed something in his eyes softened. "And I gotta say... that was the best fucking part."

Emma's face couldn't possibly be redder. She crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at him.

Julian rounded the table, laughter still shining in his eyes, and wrapped an arm around Emma, pulling her close. Pressing a kiss to her cheek with a loud smack, he murmured, "Aw, don't be mad, Tink. I think it's adorable."

Emma kept her scowl firmly in place, though the slight twitch of her lips threatened to betray her.

Then, a thought hit me. "Emma, aren't you with—"

"Ben?" she finished for me with a shrug. "Nah, we decided not to become exclusive. So, I'm just using him for sex."

Julian, in the middle of sipping his coffee, choked and coughed violently. "Fuck—that just went through my nose." He wiped his mouth before snapping his gaze at Emma. "What the fuck, Tink? Who the hell is Ben?"

"Like I said, he's a guy I've been using for sex," Emma explained nonchalantly.

Julian looked utterly flabbergasted. "And what am I?"

Emma shrugged, completely unfazed. "Pretty much the same."

Julian placed a hand over his chest like she'd just stabbed him. "Tink, you wound me."

Emma leaned over the counter, extending her arm to pat his cheek. "Aww... don't be so dramatic, Captain Studmuffin. You'll live."

I burst out laughing.

We then continued eating our sad excuse for breakfast—cereal and coffee. Nobody had the energy to cook. Julian sulked, Archie typed on his phone, and Emma watched Julian sulk with amusement.

"I am not Ben," Julian said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Emma looked up at him, her spoon halfway to her mouth. "You're Julian."

"No," Julian shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. "I mean, I'm not just some guy you're using for sex."

Emma chewed thoughtfully, then shrugged.

Julian looked utterly betrayed. "And that should be my line," he said. "I cannot fucking believe you're throwing it back at me."

Emma blinked, confused. "And your point is...?"

We all exchanged glances, just as confused as she was.

Julian ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "My point is—you stole my damn line! You're too damn cute to be saying shit like that!"

At that moment, Archie's phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen, saving Julian from having to explain more. I peeked over and saw Nicole flash across it.

He picked up, his voice noticeably softer. "Hi," he said before standing and heading toward the back of the house.

As he walked away, I barely caught his faint words. "I'm fine. Oh, you're coming back?"

I stiffened. Across from me, Julian did the same.

We exchanged a glance.

Then I asked, "Who's Nicole?"

Julian hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "His ex-girlfriend."

I blinked. "Ex?"

I was surprised. As long as I'd known Archie, I'd never seen him with a girlfriend.

Julian nodded. "Yes. She called probably because of work."

"They work together?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. "Still?"

Julian took a moment to think before answering. "If Archie decides to return, then yeah. She's on his team, so they'd be working together again."

"Oh," I mumbled, unsure what else to say.

Emma, ever curious, tilted her head. "Were they serious?"

Julian nodded. "She's the only girl he ever dated. Before her, he was just whoring himself across continents."

Emma let out a low whistle. "Damn. She must've been special."

Julian chose not to answer, but his eyes stayed on me.

"How long were they together?" Emma asked again.

Julian leaned back, thinking. "Around two years."

"When did they break up?" Emma asked.

"It's been a long time. I can't quite remember," Julian answered promptly. "I think it was more than a year ago or almost two years."

They broke up almost two years ago, yet they still work together. And now she's coming back?

"When did Bobby come into the picture?" I asked.

"That was after he broke up with Nicole. And Archie never dated Bobby. They just fucked, that's all."

This was probably the worst time to be thinking about it, but I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to fuck someone like Archie. Would he be gentle or rough? Would he take his time or completely wreck me? Would he fuck like a beast or like a gentleman?

Dozens of explicit images crashed into my mind, so vivid I had to blink several times to shake them away—Archie, wild and relentless, taking me from behind like a man possessed. God. Last night with Archie had seriously messed with my head. Why the hell was I thinking about this?

"And then you came into the picture," Emma pointed out, pulling me back to reality.

Julian smirked at her. "Why do you ask, Tink? Jealous?"

Emma rolled her eyes but didn't let up. "Why did they break up?"

Julian narrowed his eyes at her. "You're asking too many personal questions, Tink."

Emma shrugged. "I'm a curious person."

Julian thought about it. "I'm not too sure why. He never told me."

"But you have a guess, don't you?"

Julian was hesitant for a moment before he said, "Well... I think it's because he couldn't commit the way she wanted him to."

But then his next words made my heart clench. "But Nicole was special to him. That, I'm sure of."

Emma picked up her phone from the table. "What's her last name? I want to Google her."

"Emma..." I warned, shooting her a look.

But she was already scrolling, and not a minute later, she said, "Found her on your company's website. Nicoletta De Luca." She turned her phone to Julian. "Is that her?"

Julian squinted at the screen before nodding. "Yeah. That's her."

Emma then turned the phone toward me. I leaned over the counter, curiosity getting the best of me.

And I had to swallow a gasp.

The woman on the screen was simply breathtaking. Nicoletta De Luca had the beauty that turned heads. Exotic and effortlessly elegant.

Her jet-black hair fell in soft waves past her shoulders, framing high cheekbones, full lips, and sun-kissed skin. But it was her eyes that stood out the most, almond-shaped and striking golden-brown, sharp and knowing like she had seen the world and owned a piece of it.

No wonder she was special to Archie.

I knew Archie was a catch—it was impossible to think he'd never had someone in his life. But the way he gave his all to me made it hard to imagine that there had ever been someone else he considered special.

"Archie's back," Julian hissed in a whisper. "Put away your phone."

Emma scrambled to close the browser, flipping her phone face down on the counter just as Archie sat on the stool.

She and Julian really were the perfect team of scoundrels.

The way they grinned at each other mischievously was proof of that.

"What are we talking about?" Archie asked as he refilled his coffee.

"You," Emma replied.

Julian and I immediately tensed. We hadn't expected her to be that blunt.

"Me?" Archie was unfazed as he took a sip. "Why?"

"We were talking about your job," Emma said smoothly. "How dangerous it is and what kind of crew you need to cover stories like that."

"Oh," Archie said, smiling into his coffee. Then he turned to me. "Ask me anything you want to know."

I blinked. The question was directed at me, not Emma.

His gaze lingered on me, and in that moment, the air in the room seemed to thicken, growing warmer, heavier. Everything seemed to pause, just for a beat. I shifted uncomfortably, aware of the change in the atmosphere, though I couldn't quite pinpoint why it felt so different. His eyes held a quiet intensity that made the space between us feel charged, making it hard to think clearly.

Julian must have noticed the shift in the air because he abruptly pushed back from the counter. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"I'll come with you," Emma said automatically, hopping off her stool.

Julian froze mid-step. His grin stretched so wide it could split his face. "You will?"

Emma's eyes widened in horror as she realized what she'd just said. "No! I mean—I'll take a shower after you."

She bolted past him.

Julian scrambled after her. "Or we could just shower together?"

"Absolutely not!" Emma's voice faded down the hall.

"Why the fuck not?!" Julian called after her.

"Sara?" Archie's voice pulled me back to him.

I exhaled, deciding it was best to hear it straight from him. "Nicole," I began.

"Yes."

"She's your ex?"

"Yes," he answered without hesitation.

I bit my lip. "Julian said she's special to you."

Archie's gaze flickered, but he didn't deny it. "She was."

My chest tightened. "And by 'special,' you mean...?"

"That I dated her. That we were in a relationship."

I absorbed that for a moment. He wasn't the type to commit easily. So for him to be in a relationship, she must have really meant something to him.

And I didn't know what to feel about that.

I shouldn't be this confused, right? Nicole was his past. But that past had called him, and he left the table to talk to her in private.

Was I overreacting? Was it because Cole had betrayed me so badly that I was now perpetually suspicious?

"It seems like you still have more questions to ask me," Archie said.

"Yeah... Why did you break up?"

"Irreconcilable differences."

I frowned. "That's pretty vague, Archie."

He chuckled.

I gave him a flat look. "Tell me."

Archie sighed, swirling his coffee. "She wanted something I couldn't give."

I tilted my head. "Commitment?"

He hesitated, then shook his head before he said, "Love. Not the way she wanted me to."

His words caught me off guard, not expecting him to be so honest. I studied him, searching past the guarded expression, trying to read his mind, to glimpse the depths of his heart. Archie was always hard to read—his thoughts carefully tucked away, his feelings even more so. But now, for the first time, it felt like he was letting me in, just a little.

"I could never say it to her," he murmured, his green eyes softening as they met mine. "So, we broke up."

"But you still work with her?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"And that's not complicated for you?"

"For me? Not really." He shrugged. "As for her, I wouldn't know. We never talked about it."

"I heard you say she's coming back?"

"Yes. From her family home in Italy."

"Right..."

Archie watched me closely. "What are you thinking about, Peaches?" he asked softly.

"I..." I let out a slow sigh. "I don't know, Archie..." My eyes met his, trying to find the right way to express myself. "I have a very confusing feeling about you."

He leaned back slightly, surprise flickering across his face. "How so?"

I hesitated, unsure if I could even put it into words. "I don't know how I feel about you." I rested my elbows on the counter, pressing my head against my hand. "One minute, I see you as a friend, and the next, I'm throwing myself at you like a cat in heat. Then you rejected me, and I realized you were right. I'm still broken... not even healing yet." I let out a slow breath. "And now there's Nicole, and my feelings are all over the place."

When he didn't respond right away, worry instantly crept in. I straightened up. "Was that too blunt? Should I not have said that?"

He shook his head, though the surprise was still clear in his eyes. "No, it's okay. I like that you're being honest."

"Archie..." Without realizing it, I reached for his hand, which was resting on the counter. "You said you'd wait... You said I'm your one."

"You are..." He flipped his hand, gently enclosing mine in his grip.

"It will not be fair to you. Cole was... is..." I stumbled over my words, unsure how to explain.

"You still love him."

"God, Archie... if only I could just switch it. But that asshole was my one. He was my love."

"Sara."

"Not that I'll be going back to him, though," I quickly added, squeezing my eyes shut, shaking my head. "He hurt me too much, and I'll never be able to move past that."

His grip on my hand tightened. "Sara."

I opened my eyes and met his gaze, the softness in his green eyes making my heart ache.

"What do you want from me?"

His question startled me, and he smiled gently, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "Whatever you want, Sara. I will do it."

My breath caught in my throat, and I felt the weight of his words settle over me like a soft, warm blanket. His gaze held mine, warm and comforting, silently urging me to say with all honesty what I truly wanted from him.

And then I realized. Maybe it wasn't about knowing everything right now. Maybe it was enough to just feel, to trust, to let him in, and see where this—where we—could go.

"You said you'll wait for me," I said softly, my voice trembling with uncertainty, worried that I was too selfish. Too greedy. "Until I'm sure. I really want that. For you to wait for me." I studied his face, anxiety knotting in my chest. "Am I asking too much? I know it's not fair, but—"

"Says who?" he interrupted gently, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Sara... you must know by now that I—"

And then the doorbell rang.

Archie's expression immediately sobered, his smile fading as reality settled back in. He pulled away from me, his gaze lingering for a bit longer. Slowly, he slid off his stool and leaned down, brushing a soft kiss on my cheek that stayed for a heartbeat.

"That must be Cole," he murmured, his voice almost tinged with sadness. "Coming here to beg you to forgive him."