Flight Ch. 06

Ade came up short when she saw Natya and Tiller thought he was going to have an aneurysm. Ade and Natya were like two alpha females fighting for supremacy and it was always dangerous for them to meet. Mostly, because Natya was jealous that Ade lived and worked with him.

And just like that, a dark shadow moved closer to Ade. Kaz was taking up the defensive in case he had to haul Ade out of there.

"Tiller, I know we agreed on a sleepover but you can't invite the monster under your bed."

Natya opened her mouth to retaliate but Archer quickly gained control of the situation. "Natya, what can I do for you?"

Natya gave Ade one last venomous look and focused on Archer. Professionalism came over her features and her mouth became pinched. "We need to talk about the East men."

Who the fuck were the East men? Tiller looked at Ranger but he looked passive. What was Archer keeping from them?

Archer straightened then inclined his head toward her, "Let me escort you to my office."

With that, Kaz pulled Ade from the room so the women didn't come within striking distance. Ranger followed quickly when he heard Ade threaten to 'throw holy water on her'.

When Natya passed him, he felt a burning sensation on his chest, "There," she purred, "now we both match."

His pec held three red slashes from her nails.

Archer made no comment about Natya. He did turn to glare at him, though, "If Ade really demands a sleepover, I'm going to fuck you up."

*******

It Wasn't Fair

The light streamed into the room, which told me that I had slept through Archer's visit. I knew he had been there though because the shirt of Ben and I had disappeared. I was now wearing one of his T-shirts that had a stitched moose and squared letters saying 'Yellowstone'.

It chilled me that I had not woken up due to his touch or presence. My mind tried to analyze that and how it factored into his anger. Was he so angry, he had decided not to deal with me? Not that that had ever been an issue before. It must be something that distracted him.

I shivered again. Archer never forgot. Never.

Maybe it was because I had fallen asleep in his bed? Regardless, I got out of the comfortable nest I had wallowed in and looked around his bedroom. So neat, so put together. I fucking couldn't stand it.

I wanted to mess with his structured life as much as he did my chaotic one. I never saw his personal artifacts outside of a personal watch or cologne preference. He would never allow me to be clued into his past outside what he wanted me to know. There were certain nights in our past, together under the stars, that he had spilled, like he couldn't stand one more second of not saying them aloud. As if he would stop existing if he didn't speak the words that would create a picture for me to put together.

I was always missing pieces.

His room was brushed steel and navy, which I had always thought unimpressive as much as it looked chic. There were no pictures even in his living room but I noticed a mid-century record player that was shiny and dust-free. He had collected quite a collection of vinyls and had them placed on a built-in bookshelf. That was definitely new.

Moving to look at the titles I noticed that they were all alphabetical order. It was a small pleasure that I took taking the plastic-covered titles and switched them like the Grinch in the mailroom. I don't know why I was pushing it but I wanted this small victory. Almost as if I knew I wouldn't be getting any more. It was some urge that made my hands twitch and cause him to suffer passive-aggressively.

After I finished with that I made my way into his large closet that would put mine to shame. The suits and button-ups were different from what I was used too and I felt an inkling of sadness. They sat perfectly next to one another like perfect little starched soldiers waiting for their commander to come back and give them orders. The new Archer. Archer 2.0.

I walked further into the closet and a bottom built-in closet held what I was looking for. His old Adidas joggers and black Etsy anime T-shirts I had bought him. Nike hoodies and slides, all sitting like relics of the past.

I ran my hands over the cool, thick fabrics, feeling the man that used to bury himself so far into me, I didn't know who was who. Had I ever really known him? Looking at this closet I saw two men. One I thought I knew and the other I didn't know at all. So where did that leave me?

I looked at his watches, all laid carefully on a curled stand and switched them around knowing I was messing up some type of organizational system he had. I popped off some caps of his favored colognes and tossed them behind his old clothes. I hated myself for it but I knew his current favorite just from the time I spent with him. I sprayed it on myself then went to go use his bathroom.

After I finished, I washed my hands and as petty as it made me, used his toothbrush to brush my teeth. I gave it one last lick then plopped it back into the holder.

I looked at myself in the mirror and winced. I had seen better days. My hair was growing toward my shoulders but was frizzy at the bottom because of split ends. I wondered if Archer would let me cut it despite his short-lived sexual attraction to it in the shower. My skin was greasy from not cleaning up last night's make-up and I could clearly see the dark shadows under my eyes. I could also see my collar bone and it freaked me out. I needed to gain weight.

Is this what he wanted? This fucked up looking crack-addict? To prove that without him I couldn't make it?

I thought about the suits waiting on standby for his gorgeous body to fill them out. I didn't know much about him and it scared me. Which Archer was real? The Adidas Archer or the GQ Archer? Tiller had told me not to push him as if I had never...maybe Archer was done playing twenty-something.

What if he was just giving me what I needed to make me his? Looking at his suite, I was coming with the freezing terms that I didn't know Archer at all. But that was the scary part because I had been in his bed. He had touched me in places that made me cry and places that made me feel like I'd die if he didn't touch me again.

But what could this man, in the starched suits, do to me? What had he done to other people? I had known in the back of my mind what Archer did. He killed and did it well, along with the other LADs ...but it had never been quite so in my face. Or maybe I just didn't want to look.

Archer was a killer. He was good at it.

What did he feel when he was watching the life leave his victims eyes? What about when he took Sebastian out of this world? How easy he could do the same thing to me.

My heart dropped into my belly as I thought about what it meant to be the woman in Archer's bed. Well...the woman he forced into his bed.

Nausea filled my stomach as I looked in the mirror and thought about the years I spent as Archer's and not Archer's.

And I couldn't handle it.

Ade Amelie

"God everyone is being so boring." Ade admonished as she smooth Calvin Klein's Obsession on her skin. It was a gift from the last man she had used physically and decimated emotionally.

Kazuya had finally made it into her rooms and as punishment for not being his first stop, she had shot him with an Air-soft gun. Ade loved her friends, she did, but all she asked for in return is that they obsess about her constantly and take care of her every need.

It was selfish that he was two minutes late.

"The only thing that is interesting is Natya the Notorious skank made an appearance. Did you see Tiller? He was so going to fuck her. Idiot. I warned him and he doesn't listen."

Kazuya said nothing just flopped his head into his hands in exasperation. Or it was from the six caramel macchiatos that he drank? Ade preferred to let him suffer but she really needed someone to listen to her or she'd die.

Everyone was so fucking depressed and she couldn't stand it. Ranger was acting like a Victorian lesbian about to throw themselves into a lake. Tiller was being chased by Coraline's Other Mother, and Archer was heartbroken and needed an AA meeting.

When was it her turn to shine?

"Kazuya, you're boring me to fucking death. Get the fuck out and don't come back until you've impressed me with something. Like yodeling."

Her best friend exited the room after shooting her an irritated look. But who cares? If he was going to be a Debbie Downer she didn't need him. They were having dinner again with the team that just came in from the North and Ade couldn't decide if she wanted to wear an illusion dress or her Swarovski crystal dress. She wanted to channel her inner Robyn Fenty and wow everyone with her presence.

Archer would be annoyed if she wore the Swarovski dress because it was so flashy. So that's exactly what she went with. Her closet had to be the biggest in the wing and was decorated in whites, crystals, and marble. She's not saying she had slept with Sebastian to get the closet she wanted but was not not saying that either.

Oh well, she had her dream closet and that's all that mattered. Ade slipped into the dress and wished that she hadn't exiled Kazuya so quickly because she needed someone to zip her up. Ade thought about calling him back when she noticed something very annoying in her mirror.

She knew that frizzy hair anywhere.

"You have three point five seconds to explain why you're hiding in my closet before I shoot."

Ade turned on Mina who was now climbing out behind her gowns and dresses.

Mina held up her hands, "I can explain--"

Ade snapped her fingers in the air, "Duh, you better."

Mina took a deep breath, her pathetic bony little shoulders shaking, "I just...Archer is mad at me. Like... really mad. I wanted to give him some time to cool off."

Ade rolled her eyes, "Listen, you tamale hobo, I don't care about the dull ass going on between you and Archer. Get out."

Mina's eyes widened slightly, "Wait! Think about it! I snuck out of Archer's room without his permission. He's gonna be more annoyed...wouldn't that be fun?"

Ade pursed her lip...just how well did this Mina know her? "I have to give you some credit, Chupacabra. You've been paying attention."

Mina went really still as if she was afraid Ade was going to throw her head-first through the door. If she hid Mina it really would liven up the place. Ade had heard about her little dinner spectacle from Tiller who had been worried.

It made Ade respect Mina just a smidgen more. If she hid Mina, not only would Archer be beside himself but she could use the leverage to get her slumber party. She felt they all needed a bonding experience after the Sebastian scare.

And it was, indeed, scary.

They had found the funeral workers. Kazuya had been able to find the original blueprints they thought they had. It turned out that there had been renovations made that closed off the lower part of the house. It was hidden under a false bottom that led to a hold cellar.

There...with a drain in the middle of the room...were hooks hanging from the ceiling. That's where they found the workers from the receptionist to the funeral director. All hanging upside-down, blood staining around their mouths.

They had been killed, Ade and Ranger could discern...for no reason. Well, for them. Someone was trying to make a point that the LADs were not in control, Ade suspected.

That had been a hard meeting to debrief. Especially, considering how quiet Archer had been.

Yeah, Ade thought, they needed some employee bonding.

"I've come to a decision. You can stay but only if you follow my rules. No sitting on the furniture, you're shedding. Hang on to every word I say and only speak if it's going to be entertaining. Understood?"

Mina looked like she wanted to protest but kept her mouth shut. Good, she really was as smart as everyone thought.

"Great, now my first decree is that you help me get into this piece of art for dinner."

"Ade, you're wearing this to dinner?" Mina questioned incredulously stepping up behind her to fit the dress and zip it.

"What did I say about asking questions? You're failing already. But to answer your question, yes, I am. I assume you met Marric and his team of ingrates. Well, I'm wearing this just in case we have to fight."

Mina, bless her heart, didn't say anything.

Miss Me?

"Can you believe she name-checked me in the letter, it was so sweet?" Ade beamed at me.

If Ade hadn't run off Archer, twice now, I would have already tried to hide somewhere else. She had me painting her fingernails a dark, blackish-red and was recounting the stories of her childhood.

Which, surprise surprise, was just as colorful as she was. And slightly demented.

"Ade, you put her in a psychiatric ward. I don't think the letter was meant for good intent."

Ade gave me one of her 'you're an idiot' faces and preened, "She said to do the assignment on something that seems possible. Her ovaries were as hostile as a Taliban standoff. It was always going to be impossible."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes because Ade didn't take kindly to me not paying attention to her. I had to give her credit though because she stood her ground and kept her promises well.

Archer had finally managed to track me down but couldn't get past Ade. I didn't know what her motivation was but I was for once grateful for her eccentric behavior.

I couldn't stand the thought of being around Archer and what I didn't know about him. I was scared. I was actually scared of him and what he could do to me and what he could do to other people. I needed a break to figure what I was going to do. I had used the old door code Archer had given me years ago and felt like crying when the door clicked open. Thing One and Two had disappeared I guess confident that I wouldn't dare leave Archer's room.

Archer probably forgot that I even knew the password, though, now it wouldn't surprise me if he changed the code to avoid this problem.

Ade was a welcomed distraction.

"Okay, but still you didn't have to tell her that." I swiped her nail a few more times.

"Don't be such bleeding heart, Mina. She made us all miserable and she enjoyed it. Hmmm, sometimes she inspires me."

Great.

Ade had gone to dinner and I thought then that Archer would come to get me but he didn't. I didn't know what that meant but I hoped that he would take this time to relax.

Kazuya did stop by but he said nothing just gave me a look and set down a plate of peanut butter and potato chip sandwiches --my favorite. On it, I found a note from Sati that read:

"You just can't help yourself can you?" XXXX- Sati.

This had to all be allowed by Archer... but why? What was he planning? Was he going to throw me into the Closet? Whip me? What more could he take?

"There," I said finishing up Ade's fingernail. She slipped her hand from mine and inspected the work.

"Nice, little chalupa. Maybe I should steal you from Archer?" She flashed her eyes and I felt a whole other panic.

"I'm not into wax." I joked half-heartedly and Ade gave me menacing look.

Gliding to her feet she said, "They're all eventually into wax, babe."

I Can't Do This Anymore

Ranger had taken Ivy out on a romantic dinner and Sati's anger about it made her feel like a child. The whole thing made her feel like she was in high school and that this was a slice of bitter pie she couldn't swallow.

Ivy hadn't been able to contain her vindictive glee about it and even ordered Sati to help pack her bags. Normally, Sati would never have to listen to Ivy or anyone else but Ranger. Her demotion had been maliciously planned by Ranger. He couldn't stand her presence but heaven forbid she be far from him.

They had left an hour ago, with Tiller and Kazuya taking on Ranger's duties. She suspected that even though her friends were in charge of her, Mina was still off-limits. Which was sucky because she needed Mina...she needed a non-judgemental voice reacting to her secrets. And not the kind Ranger accused her of having. She only felt guilt in the beginning but as Ranger's actions got more bitter, so did hers.

She mightn't be able to retaliate to his face but she would punish him for Ivy. Whether he was aware of it or not.

Wrapping her cardigan closer to her body, Sati walked into the balmy desert air. She nodded kindly to the others in the community and felt a deep relief her reputation was still intact that she could move around without question. And for sure around the herb garden and sheds.

She opened the door, quietly, and slipped inside. Sati broke out into a soft smile when arms wrapped around her waist and a soft kiss landed on her temple. A feeling of acceptance washed over her body.

"I'm glad you came." Fingertips skimmed the underside of her breast.

"I didn't want to miss before you left again." She whispered leaning her head back over his powerful shoulder and met soft lips.

"I would not see you first, you know that. All I could think about when I was with her, was you. How much I wasn't to kiss you, touch you, be inside of you. Will you let me this time, Sati?:

She laughed lightly, "I'm sure you had other things to think about. Like your job. Are you still looking for her?"

The body under her hardened and she guess she hit a sore spot, "I know where she is, we just can't get to her."

Sati laughed again, thrilled about the idea of him being tormented when all he was used to was order and obedience.

Sati reached around her and cupped his cock through his pants, "I've been waiting for him to leave for you. Of course, I want you inside of me but you have to do your job.:

"My job is to entertain the king and I'm doing great, babe." He turned her around and lifted her up by her ass so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

"Well then," she slid her fingers through his inky hair, "it's time to entertain me."

What Matter's to You

I woke up to the sound of Ade's snoring. She had decided against her 'no furniture rule' and was currently using me as a body pillow. For someone who is so elegant and fiery, she sure is a heavy sleeper.

She had ended the night by floating out of the room hours ago, leaving me to color-code all of her high heels. She said she wanted to celebrate Pride month.

After that, she forced me to watch the Rom-Com 'Something Borrowed' and drink half a bottle of Pinot Noir. I should have declined the fourth glass because my head was killing me. I slowly disentangled her away from me and slipped out of the bedroom. I went through her living room and into her guest bathroom and found what I was looking for.

Aleve Extra Strength.

Popping a few pills and I drank from the water spout.

"Did you have a long night?" The hair on the back of my neck stood up. How had he entered the suite so quietly?

I turned and sure enough, there Archer was leaning against the door frame. He was wearing a black button-down and black slacks. His hands were casually in his pockets, which was something he did when he was annoyed. His hair was already perfectly messy and his eyes dark sparkled with some emotion.

"Heyyyyy, funny meeting you here." I joked nervously because between the sink and Archer in the doorway, I felt more than trapped.

Archer gave me a smile that was more bearing his teeth than anything, "I came for you twice last night and you disobeyed my orders."

I flinched and wrapped my arms around my waist, "Ade just said you stopped by she didn't say that you wanted me. Besides, I was helping her organize."

"Ade is not your Master, I am. And I don't remember saying you could leave my room." He said smoothly and I bit my lip.