Bodies pressed against him from all sides, laughing, sweating, grinding, but Archie barely registered them. His focus was locked on the far corner of the bar, the spot he’d seen on the CCTV feed.
How the hell had she even gotten mbership here? A place he had to bribe his way into.
The thought burned in his mind, but he shoved it aside. That was a question for later.
Shoving past a group of drunk patrons, his pulse spiked when he finally caught sight of the corner, and the empty stool where Avery had been when he first spotted her in the footage.
His gaze swept around the room, snapping to the side door just in ti to see one of the n from the footage hauling her through it, her body limp in his grip.
He acted imdiately, crossing the distance in seconds, shoving the door open to reveal a dimly lit hallway. Three n stood there, Avery slumped between two of them, her head lolling. The third man turned at the sound of the door, his smirk fading when he saw the expression of the new entrant.
"Well, well... seems like we might have to share with more—"
"Let the lady go," Archie interjected, his voice low and lethal.
The n exchanged glances, then laughed. The one holding Avery’s arm tightened his grip. "Or what, expensive suit? You gonna cry about it?"
The second man sneered. "She ca with us willingly. Didn’t you, sweetheart?" He shook Avery slightly, but she didn’t respond, her eyes half-lidded.
Archie didn’t waste another second before his legs crossed the space, closing the distance between them.
His fist connected with the first man’s jaw with a sickening crack, sending him crashing into the wall.
The second lunged, but Archie caught him by the throat, slamming him to the ground before driving his knee into his ribs. The third man swung, but he dodged, grabbing his wrist and twisting until a scream tore from his lips. A sharp elbow to his temple dropped him like a stone.
Adjusting his cracked glasses, he finally turned to the woman for whom he ca here, who had slumped against the wall, her wide, dazed eyes fixed on him.
His own gaze raked over her... God, that dress.
It was short, tight, and left almost nothing to the imagination, the deep neckline dipping dangerously low to showcase an enticing portion of her breasts. His throat went dry, a rush of heat flooding his veins before he forcibly yanked his thoughts back.
Not the ti.
He shoved his bloodstained knuckles into his pocket, willing his breathing to steady. "Ava—"
The words caught in his throat as she pushed off the wall and stumbled toward him, her arms wrapping around his neck in a tight, desperate embrace. Her body pressed flush against his, warm and trembling, her breath hot against his collarbone.
Archie froze.
Then, slowly, his hands ca up to steady her, one tangling in her hair, the other gripping her waist. Too tight, too possessive... but he couldn’t bring himself to loosen his hold.
Not when she was finally in his arms.
Not when she was willingly in his arms.
All of a sudden, his brows pulled into a frown as he realized that she wasn’t just hugging him. She was shalessly feeling him up, her hands slipping beneath his shirt, fingers tracing the hard planes of his chest. His breath hitched, and for a brief, dangerous mont, he closed his eyes and allowed himself sink into the bliss of her touch, his body responding instantly.
Then reality crashed back in.
This couldn’t be happening.
With a sharp exhale, he pushed her back, gripping her shoulders to steady her. "Ava, love..."
She snapped her head up, and his breath caught.
The anger in her eyes was unmistakable.
Well, well, well... His angry little bird was back. He only hoped she wouldn’t push him away. If she did, he could—
"Mister... are you gay?" Her words ca out in a slur.
Archie blinked. "What?"
She pouted, swaying slightly as she gestured vaguely at herself. "A beautiful woman like is feeling you up, and you’re rejecting ?"
Archie tilted his head, studying her. She was drunk—obviously—but this drunk? Enough to not recognize him? Enough to openly grope him, who was a stranger to her for now? This wasn’t the Ava he knew.
He sighed, tightening his grip on her shoulders. "One, I’m not gay. Two, even if you are the most beautiful woman in the world, it doesn’t give you permission to go around groping n and expecting them to just accept it."
He expected his words to sink in, maybe even trigger so semblance of sha.
Instead, she smirked evilly and placed a palm flat against his chest, sliding it up slowly. "Then co over," she purred.
Archie’s pulse spiked. "What was that?"
She crooked a finger, beckoning him closer. Against his better judgnt, he leaned in.
Her lips brushed his ear, her whisper hot and intoxicating. "Who told you I want to grope all the n in the world? Or even in this bar?" A pause, then, "You, four eyes, are the only one I want to grope!"
Archie froze.
Four eyes?
A disbelieving laugh burst out of him before he could stop it.
Of all the damn things she could have called him. Four eyes?
His laughter only seed to encourage her. She grinned, triumphant, as if she’d just won so unspoken battle.
Archie shook his head, still chuckling despite himself. "You’re impossible."
Avery’s grin widened. "And you’re hot."
His amusent faded, replaced by sothing far more dangerous. His grip on her shoulders tightened. "Sweetheart," he said, his voice dropping to a warning growl. "Do you even know who you are talking to right now?"
She blinked, her expression flickering with confusion for a split second before she waved a dismissive hand. "Does it matter? You’re the hottest available man in the bar right now."
Archie’s jaw clenched.
He might not understand what she ant by ’available’ but... oh, this was bad.
Very bad.
Because if she didn’t recognize him; if she was this far gone, then she wasn’t in control. And that ant he had to be.
Even if every instinct in him was screaming to take what she was offering.
He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to step back. "We’re leaving."
Avery pouted. "Why? But I like it here."
"Yeah, well, I don’t," Archie muttered, already pulling her to himself.
She huffed, crossing her arms, which only made the already scandalous neckline of her dress dip even lower. Archie’s gaze unfortunately followed.
God help him.
This was going to be a long night.
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