Rae Rivers - The Keepers - Archer

“Sienna, you were kidnapped, drugged, and bludgeoned,” he said, tipping her head back so she was looking at him. “It’s okay to be upset by what they did to you. You don’t have to hide it from me.”

Of course not. Besides, he’d know if she was hurting. Their bond went far deeper than the magical connection they shared.

“I’m okay. I’m still trying to shake off the Rose Thorn and I’m a little pissed at myself. I should’ve known they’d be back.”

“You made it easy for them. They’re after the book and the four stones. Everyone knows that a Beckham witch is the only one who’s able to use the stones to open the book. Imagine their delight when they discovered you’ve been separated with your Keepers.”

When he said it like that, she felt crazy for ever having contemplated walking alone. “Thank you for helping me.”

“I will always be here for you, Sienna.”

And he would. They all would. Individually, they were powerful in their own unique way. Together, they were ruthless.

Their magical connection was something she’d always treasured until the day she’d used it to almost kill them.

“Sienna,” Archer said softly, his thumb stroking her chin in a gentle movement. His dark eyes were full of an intensity that kept her captive, unable to look away.

Wow, the man was mesmerizing.

Sienna felt something vaguely familiar roll through her, quiet and unsettling, and realized with a harsh intake of breath that it had nothing to do with the Rose Thorn. No, this had everything to do with Archer.

His finger trailed along her jaw, his heated gaze never faltering from hers.

“You’re safe here, Sienna, and you’ll be fine now that you’re back in my bed.”

“You mean my bed.”

His lips twitched with a hint of a smile. “It’s my house so technically, my bed.”

“I was never in your bed, Archer.”

“It was close.”

“But it doesn’t count.”

He edged nearer, his body almost touching hers, heat radiating off him in a way that sent her heart racing. He dipped his head beside hers as his fingers toyed with hers. “Oh,” he breathed against her cheek, “it counts, Sienna. Everything that happened between us counts.”

“No.”

Her whispered denial came out in a breathless whoosh of air. Everything inside her tingled at the intimate act and her racing heart was a dead giveaway to the effect he had on her.

“Your heart is pounding.”

“You can tell that by simply touching my hand?”

“I can hear it.”

Of course. “Archer, stop it.”

His hand slid to her hip, pulling her firmly against him. “Still want to tell me it doesn’t count?” he whispered against her ear.

The closeness of him, his scent, and his touch sent a familiar thrill straight through her. She closed her eyes and quietly exhaled.

He was right. Everything counted. Everything.

Including the fact that he’d never tried to stop her from leaving. Memories of their fight two years ago tumbled back and she shut her eyes to ward them off.

“Sienna?”

Not trusting herself to speak, she merely shook her head and stepped back.

He didn’t push, thank God, and released her. “I have some work to attend to. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll find some painkillers on the nightstand beside your bed. That’ll numb any pain for a few hours. I also bought you a new phone. They trashed your old one.”

“Thanks.” She glanced down at the male shirt she wore and slowly closed her eyes. Lovely. “Where are my clothes, Archer?”

“Binned. They were all kidnappy and gross.”

“Do I dare ask who undressed me?”

He didn’t reply but a small smile toyed at the corner of his mouth. God, the man was breathtaking when he smiled.

“You undressed me.”

“It was either me or Ethan,” he replied, catching the pillow she tossed at him. "You’ll find fresh shirts in the drawer.” He nodded at the wooden chest of drawers against the far wall.

“I can’t walk around all day wearing nothing but your damn shirt, Archer.”

He grinned. “This way, you can’t leave the house. For now, you need to lay low.”

She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her breasts, issuing a sly challenge.

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t even think about it, Sienna.

“I need to see my grandmother. She won’t be very impressed if I arrive on her doorstep wearing nothing but your shirt.”

“You’re not leaving the house. At least not until you’re stronger. Rose will come here.”

So he wasn’t going to make this easy for her. She dragged her fingers through her red mass of untamed hair and sighed. “Fine. I’ll wear your shirts. For now.”

“Good. Ethan will be home later, and we’ll all have dinner.”

She tossed another pillow at him as he walked out the door. “With a bare ass wearing nothing but a damn shirt. How Sharon Stone of me.”

The silence of the forest was comforting, a brief respite from the crazy turn her life had taken since her attack in the park a few days ago. Sienna knew the path between her grandmother’s cottage and the Bennett estate by heart, a path she’d walked for years. Her feet crunched along the forest debris along the ground, the sound noisy in the silence around her. The smell of pine needles filled the air, triggering old memories of when she’d played in the forest with her Keepers at a time when they’d been nothing more than friends.

And now she was at odds with them all.

Sienna felt the weariness wash over her at the thought and settled her gaze on the stone walled cottage ahead. The sound of water gently trickling nearby hinted that she was close. When she’d been a child, the rocky stream that surrounded Rose’s cottage had often given Sienna the impression that they were on their own island. An island in the middle of a magical forest.

Her heart thudded noisily in her chest when the cottage came into view. A double story cottage with a thatch roof. Rose’s white rose bushes, her pride and joy, edged along the neat wooden picket fence that ran along the front of the house. The chimney that peeped out through the thatch hinted of years of use, black with age. The front door was open, a sign that her grandmother was home. Conflicted with excitement and sadness, Sienna stopped in front of the cottage and simply stared. Sweet Rose with the strawberry blonde hair, kind eyes, and fierce spirit. Sienna knew she shouldn’t blame her for losing control of her powers the night they’d spelled Mason into a tomb. The fault was all hers for channelling them in the first place, but seeing Sarah die in front of her had evoked such devastation that something inside her had snapped. She opened the small wooden gate, the soft creaking of the aching hinges a dead giveaway of her arrival. Rose appeared in the doorway dressed in a long flowing blue skirt and a white blouse. Rose’s hair, several shades lighter than her own, hung loose around her tiny shoulders in a flutter of soft waves.

“Gran?”

Rose’s face brightened at the sight of Sienna, and the older woman rushed down the porch steps to embrace her granddaughter. “I’m so glad you came!”

Sienna didn’t reply but held onto her grandmother for the several moments it took to regain her composure. Holding her again was like gold.

Rose pulled away and gave Sienna’s outfit a quick once over. “Sienna, dear, you starting a new fashion or something?”

“Archer’s afraid I’ll run so he won’t give me any new clothes.”

“So you traipsed through the forests in his shirt and gumboots?”

“It’s not far and no one saw me.” With a wide smile, she pulled her grandmother into her arms again. “I missed you so much.”