33. Daemon

F or the last three years, I have attended the mayor’s annual New Year's Eve Gala, which he throws for the whole town. Or I should say, for the elite members of the town. The Flyers are only extended an invite thanks to Josh being a well-valued team member, and his father looking for any excuse to make him look good. I fucking hate going, but I do so for my best friend, supporting him in the way he always supports me.

Exhaustion clings to me after last night, Josh has been shooting me questioning looks all day, and it isn’t because of the nightmare he saved me from. No, he wants to talk about the 6 foot hockey player he found in my bed, but how do I explain it to him, when I don’t fully understand it myself?

When I woke up this morning, I was still in Archer’s arms. It was a new and unusual feeling, but I can’t say I hated it. What I did hate however, were the shadows beneath his eyes, that told me he didn’t sleep once I woke him with my nightmare. I knew scarring him with my demons would be inevitable at some point, but I thought we’d at least get a little bit more time of me pretending I’m not completely fucked up, and him realizing he’s too good for me. Yet still, he kissed me before he slipped out, no wavering doubt in his stare, and somehow taking half of my dead black heart with him when he left.

I’ve spent the day distracting myself with cooking, and using Hallie as a buffer from Josh, so I don’t have to talk about why he found Archer in my bed. I'm not sure why he cares about that, when his fake wife has taken up residence in his own, but who am I to judge? If they’re too stupid to realize they both have feelings for each other, it’s not on me to tell them.

I’ve texted Archer a couple of times since he left this morning, but all of his responses seem off, lacking his usual playfulness, and I can’t help feeling that this is all too much for him. That I’m too much for him. A thought that isn’t tamed when I arrive at the party and find him already half-drunk.

Lounging at one of the long tables reserved especially for the team, I find him looking even more handsome than usual in a black tuxedo, similar to the one I saw him in on Thanksgiving. He is laughing and drinking with Nova and some of the other guys, but his eyes don’t look as carefree as usual, and when he spies us crossing the room towards him, the light in them dims completely.

“Mr. and Mrs. Peters,” Archer greets Josh and Hallie loudly, seeming to go out of his way to ignore me, and I’m not ashamed to admit it stings a little. “Great party, thanks for inviting me,” he adds, his intoxicated and knowing stare finally meeting mine, and I see nothing but pity and pain.

Josh lets his stare flick over him only once, before he replies dryly, “I didn’t.” It’s no secret that he has never liked Archer, which has only intensified since he found out Archer kissed Hallie during truth or dare, but maybe my best friend should ask himself why it bothers him so much?

I take a seat and am forced to watch, as Archer grabs a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, and to my surprise, my best friend does the same. Both of them draining them completely and signaling for another, reminding me that this is their world, and I’m merely a guest.

What must it have been like to grow up in such luxury?

It isn’t long before dinner begins, and I watch as the two of them knock back drink after drink, both exchanging glances with me, and one another, until they are completely drunk. All I want to do is drag Archer out of here and demand he stop, I don’t want or need his pity, and getting it only makes me feel worse. The mayor begins a clearly rehearsed speech, about what an amazing year it has been, and talks about how much he loves his wife and children, and Josh looks ready to explode. So I force myself to leave Archer behind and drag my best friend outside, grabbing bottles of champagne and whiskey as we go.

We walk the length of the perimeter three times, each drinking from one of the bottles, before he leads us to the spot where he and Hallie had their wedding ceremony. He surveys the space with a blank mask, but even I can see the fond memories of this place lurking beneath the surface. I’ve spent more time with them than anyone in the last few weeks, and despite hiding behind their denial of long term friendship and fake marriage deals, it’s clear they are both far deeper in this thing than either of them are willing to admit.

As if the memory conjures the reason he’s even married in the first place, his face turns to anger. “I fucking hate him, Daemon,” he spits, kicking at some of the rocks in his wake, as he moves around the space, and I don’t have to ask who he is referring to.

“I know you do,” I tell him truthfully, knowing that despite our vastly different childhoods, we share plenty of demons, thanks to our fathers. “But it will all be over soon, right?” I add, knowing that he has been meeting with someone to help him take his father down, and he nods mindlessly, before turning his focus on me.

“What about you? Have you heard from Jasper?”

His questions shouldn’t surprise me, considering that ever since Jasper showed up at the ice rink he has been on me about my father’s parole hearing, and I wish I had better news for him. Or any news at all for that matter, but I know my father better than anyone, which is why I know that if he wants out, he will get out. A fact I am resigned to living with, and though I’m not sure what will happen when he is inevitably granted parole, I know he will come after the person who put him there.

“Jasper has called me almost every day since I saw him, but I haven’t answered,” I reply truthfully, knowing that I’ve been ignoring his calls daily, yet for some reason, I can’t bring myself to block his number.

I’m sure my brother has a lot of things to say, since the enlightening conversation we shared that day, but anything I might have cared about hearing from him died right alongside Ryan. I know he has his own trauma, his own demons to deal with, but I will never forgive him for leaving us in that house. I understand he needed to escape the suffering and be free, but I will never understand how he allowed that suffering to become ours. And why he never came back for us, not even once. It’s why I let the phone ring instead of answering, because I want him to remember all the times he did the same.

“Too busy with Archer Gray?” Josh asks, cutting into my thoughts, and my gaze snaps to his, finding him already watching me in that way he always does. Yet for once, I’m not sure what answer would satisfy my best friend more.

“Something like that,” I mutter, not really wanting to get into the parameters of my relationship with Archer, not when I haven’t even done it with him yet.

I mean, yes, we have agreed we belong to one another, but what does that even mean? Is he my boyfriend? Am I his?

“So, that’s really happening, you and him?” He demands, finally coming to a stop beside me, and I sigh as I turn fully towards him.

“Yes, it’s really happening,” I reply with more ease than I thought possible, since I never imagined us being anything but enemies, but here we are.

Josh watches me for a long time, no doubt waiting for me to say something else, but when I don’t he shakes his head. “I think it’s a mistake.”

His words are like a punch to the gut, not because I agree with him in any way, but because he’s my best friend, he always has my back. So why hasn’t he got my back in this?

It’s why I can’t help but let the rage inside of me rush to the surface, as I snap, “And I think that like you, I have spent years looking for something to numb the pain my father left in his wake, and Archer Gray manages it by just fucking existing.” I almost surprise myself with how fast the admission falls from my lips, but with the way his eyes widen, I’d say my best friend is more surprised than I am. “You don’t have to understand it, Josh, but you do have to respect it, and him,” I tell him sternly, and after watching me for a few more seconds, he nods.

“We should get back, it’s almost midnight,” he finally sighs, finishing off the bottle of champagne in his hand, before reaching for the whiskey in mine. “Wouldn’t want to keep my father waiting,” he spits drunkenly, downing more than a quarter of the liquid, before brushing past me and heading back up to the house.

By the time we slip back into the party, the dance floor is flooded with people, and my eyes scan the room in search of Archer, but come up empty. Josh however, spies Hallie almost instantly, leading us towards where she waits at the bar, but my stare settles on our roommate, who seems far too cosy beside her.

Hallie is giving Levi her polite stare, but I can tell she is uncomfortable, which given the way Levi is staring at her, I can’t say I blame her. What the fuck is going on there? Josh storms towards them, as I remain hot on his heels, and I don’t miss the relieved look in his wife’s eye as we reach them.

“Tink, there you are, I was starting to worry I wouldn’t find you before midnight,” Josh grins, sliding between them to kiss her cheek, but my eyes stay on Levi, who scowls at my friend’s arrival.

Josh seems oblivious to the whole thing, and when Hallie meets my questioning stare, she subtly shakes her head, before focusing on Josh with a smile. “My lost boy always finds his way back to me.” The smile he gives her in return mirrors her own, but then I watch in horror as he reaches out and boops her nose.

“And I always will, Hallie Bear,” he drawls, and I see her flinch slightly, no doubt smelling the stench of intoxication on his breath, before she looks at me.

“Is he drunk?” she asks, and I nod only once.

“I’m not drunk,” Josh snaps, and I roll my eyes, as Levi continues to stare at him like he wants to kill him, and an uneasy feeling stirs in the pit of my stomach.

Hallie smirks, shaking her head at him slightly, before she slides her hand into his. “Come on, Husband, I think it’s time you took me for a spin round the dance floor,” she tells him, and Levi continues to watch them, as Hallie drags Josh away, but my focus is on only him.

When he moves to follow, I grip his arm tightly until his stare finds mine. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t, she’s his fucking wife.”

Levi only sneers, ripping his arm from mine, and making the wise choice to slip off in the opposite direction, as he mutters, “Not for long.”

I watch him leave in total confusion, before making the decision to follow him. He slips round the corner, and just when I am about to go after him, I am gripped and slammed back against a wall. Before I can even register who it is, soft yet firm lips find mine, and I groan into Archer’s mouth as he presses himself against me. He tastes like champagne, sweet with a hint of him, and fuck, I want to drown in it.

Archer kisses me until I can’t fucking breathe, grinding his hard cock into my own, and all I can do is take it, wondering why I was so easily able to tell it was him.

When he pulls back, his eyes are glossy and lust-filled, and he peppers kisses along my jaw, as I grunt, “I thought you were avoiding me.”

His teeth sink into my neck and I gasp, desperate for more, hating how good his brand of pain feels, as his lips brush along my skin. “I’ve been doing the opposite of avoiding you for three fucking years, baby, you need to keep up.”

I’m mildly aware of people counting down around us, from where we are half-hidden by the door, but when Archer’s lips move back to mine, nothing else matters. Not the countdown, not the people, not even the fucking fireworks when the clock strikes midnight. Not when there are even bigger fireworks happening right inside of me.

“Am I coming over again later?” he asks against my mouth, rubbing his very interested dick against mine.

“Why? Do you need something, Gray?” I dare to ask, and the way his lips feel against mine when they curl into a smirk, has my heart thundering in my chest.

“Yes, your cock in my ass again,” he admits without shame, and fuck if I didn’t already want him before, I would now.

“Your fucking mouth is wicked,” I groan, kissing him even harder, before forcing myself to step back, because if I don’t, I will bend him over and fuck him right here for everyone to see. “Your house, later,” I promise him, straightening my jacket, and he’s already nodding, closing the distance between us and giving me one more kiss.

“I’ll show you how wicked my mouth can be later,” he replies, as he pulls back and tosses me a wink before strolling back into the party without looking back.

All I can do is watch him leave and try to will my cock to fucking relax, which is how Josh finds me.

“Ready to go?” he asks, and I nod, more ready to go than he could even realize, as I follow him through the party towards the door.

As we get closer, I find Hallie already there waiting for us, but it’s Josh’s father standing close to her side, looking more smug than usual, that has my hackles raising. From the way Josh’s entire body tenses, I know he feels the same, and we both quicken our stride to reach her, his focus only on his father, but mine is on Hallie.

“Everything okay?” he asks her, his father smirking at his only son, as they stare at one another.

“Yes, everything is fine,” Hallie replies, and it almost sounds like the truth, but I hear the slight shake in her voice. One my best friend might notice, if he weren’t so focused on the mayor, and as my questioning stare meets Hallie’s, her eyes instantly drop to the floor.

“Then let’s go,” Josh snaps, slipping his hand into hers and pulling her away from his father, and finally, I let my gaze meet Hugo’s.

He looks at me knowingly, smiling as if the world is his fucking chessboard, and he just called fucking checkmate, and as I turn to leave, he purrs, “Give your father my regards.”

My mind is racing as I catch up to Josh and Hallie, the latter taking his keys and driving us back to the house, and not a single word is spoken. Josh because he is too pissed at whatever his father has just done, and Hallie because whatever it is, it has ruined their perfect little bubble. Not that my best friend seems to notice. Which I can’t begrudge him for, I know what it’s like to crumble under the weight of a powerful father, but when Hallie storms inside, I know all hell is going to break loose.

And once again, it isn’t the powerful men who perish, but the people who are forced to wither in their shadow.