Chapter 54

While Mary Ellen composed herself in the bathroom, guilt hit me. Seeing her so vulnerable and hurt tore at me. Her heartbreak had been so palpable in every trembling breath she took. Anger rose within me. This wasn't right. She deserved so much better than what she had been dealt. Her boss was a fool not to see the value she brought to the table, not to recognize her dedication and passion for her work. She had gone to such lengths to save his building and he showed her zero respect or gratitude.

Mary Ellen returned to the room with turmoil still in her eyes. She was putting on a brave face, but the pain still lingered beneath the surface. I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before speaking.

"Mary Ellen, I am truly sorry for everything that happened today. You didn't deserve any of this."

She nodded, a sad smile playing on her lips. "Thank you for coming over. I appreciate it."

I held her hand, offering whatever comfort I could. "I care about you, Mary Ellen. This isn't fair to you."

She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thanks."

"I'm sticking by you," I told her.

"The library is over," she said. "It was silly to think we could actually stop the equivalent of a speeding train. I appreciate all you did, but?—"

I shook my head, determination coursing through my veins. "But nothing," I interrupted firmly. "I'm not going to stop. The fundraiser is going forward."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "But why?" she asked, confused.

I smiled reassuringly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Just because you don't work there anymore doesn't mean that place matters to you any less, right?" I reasoned.

She nodded slowly, understanding dawning in her eyes. "True," she admitted quietly.

"So we keep going," I declared, my tone leaving no room for argument. "You've been fighting for all those people who rely on that library. They are still there even if you are not. Or were you fighting to save the library for your job alone?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "You know it wasn't only about my job."

"Exactly." I nodded. "The fundraiser wasn't about any single person. It's about the library, right?"

"Yes and getting fired just gives me more time to pour myself into the fundraiser," she mused, her voice growing stronger with each word. "To do it right. You've been doing all the work. I am at your disposal. Give me something to do. I want to help."

I grinned. "Absolutely."

Suddenly, her expression hardened. She looked a little mean and a lot angry. "And I don't have to be nice to her anymore, now that I don't work there," she declared, her voice laced with a steely resolve.

"To who?" I asked, although I thought I might already know the answer.

"Samantha," she spat. "She's nasty. And mean. And she enjoyed making me feel small every time she came in. I'm not giving her that power anymore. She's going down. I cannot wait to see the look on her face when her fancy penthouse with the big stupid bathtub gets jerked away from her. She's going to have to find city views from some other tower."

I couldn't help but grin at her fiery determination, feeling proud. "That's my girl," I said softly, my heart swelling with admiration.

She flopped down on the bed, her shoulders sagging forward. "She's not a nice person."

I sat down beside her, wrapping my arm around her and hugging her close to me. "No, she isn't."

"I'm sorry I stormed away like that," she said. "I'm sure she loved that."

"I'm sorry too," I said, meeting her gaze. "I should have been more upfront with you about Samantha. I didn't know she was involved with this project."

She waved off my apology with a smile. "It's okay, Archer. Finding out about you and Samantha was just one thing too many today. I needed to escape and regroup. I hated thinking about you with her."

"It was a long time ago," I said. "Trust me when I say I have zero feelings for that woman. The only feelings I have are very, very negative."

"I don't know if I was jealous or mad." She sighed. "Rylee made me see that I was being silly. I have no reason to be jealous."

I nodded in understanding, grateful Rylee had talked her down. "I'm glad she did," I said softly. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry I never told you about her."

"It doesn't matter." She shrugged. "I trust you completely. She was your girlfriend. I know you had a life before you met me. It was just a knee-jerk reaction."

A weight seemed to lift off my shoulders at her words, but I wanted to tell her the whole story because it was more than just an ex-girlfriend. "Can I tell you about her?" I asked softly. "Not the dirty details, but she played a big part in my life back then."

"Please. I don't think we've talked enough. I don't really know that much about you."

"I should start by telling you my name isn't Archer."

She pulled away and looked at me. "What?"

"My real name is Eugene Archer," I said, grimacing.

"Eugene?"

I smiled. "As you can imagine, it's not exactly the kind of name that screams cool. Everyone calls me Archer. My family calls me Gene because it would be just a little weird to call me Archer."

"Well, good to know." She laughed.

I took a deep breath, knowing it was time to tell her the rest of the story. "Samantha was my girlfriend when I was a senior in college," I began, my voice tinged with bitterness. I would always regret the moment I laid eyes on her. "I was getting my business degree. She was as well. She knew my family, and looking back, I think she targeted me."

"For your money?"

I nodded. "Yes. And the name. I'm not going to lie. I was young and stupid. She showered me with attention and I ate it up. I thought she was the one I was going to marry. Things were great at first. But then she started pushing me to buy her more lavish gifts. I should have seen the signs, but I was blinded by what I thought was love."

"I think that's how all relationships start out, until it goes bad."

"I told you I got busted for running a gambling operation. It wasn't exactly a well-kept secret. Everyone knew but everyone was in on it. Everyone was making money. I happened to be making a lot of money. She knew all about my underground gambling operation. She also knew how much money I was raking in. I used to buy her all kinds of stuff. She was very high maintenance. She leveraged her knowledge to try to get me to buy her a car before our graduation. A hundred-thousand-dollar car."

Mary Ellen's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "And did you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "No. I said no because it would look suspicious. The stuff I bought her before, purses, shoes and jewelry, I could get away with. It wouldn't raise any red flags, but buying a Porsche with cash might earn some unwanted attention. She tried to tell me I was being mean or selfish. She pouted and pitched a fit. We got into a fight over it. When she didn't get her way, she tipped off the cops. I got busted, and it all went downhill from there."

Her anger was obvious. She clenched her jaw with her dainty hands curling into fists. Fiery rage burned in her eyes. "Even more reason to do this fundraiser right and ruin her deal," she declared. "What a bitch."

I laughed at her sudden outburst. Mary Ellen had always been so composed, so dignified. Seeing her curse like this was both surprising and oddly endearing.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, her expression fierce as she met my gaze.

I chuckled, unable to contain my amusement. "I've never heard you curse before. It's just unexpected."

"I've cursed."

"Not like that," I said with a smile.

Mary Ellen's lips twitched, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes. "Well, there's a first time for everything," she quipped, and before I knew it, we were both laughing.

"Samantha is very used to getting her way," I said. "This property she wants? She'll burn the city down to get her hands on it. She's not going to go away easily."

Mary Ellen's laughter faded. "We'll just have to outsmart her then," she said with determination. "She may be used to getting what she wants, but we can't let her win this time." She was quiet for a second. "Did you know she was behind this project? Is this a way for you to get back at her?"

"No," I answered immediately. "I didn't know. I've been focused on the fundraiser. I didn't think to investigate who was trying to buy the property."

"Hunt Properties," she answered.

"Son of a bitch," he said. "That's her father's company. I wonder if she's running it."

"I think she said it was her dad's company," Mary Ellen answered. "I'm not sure. She's been meeting with several architects."

"I had no idea she was behind it," I said again.

"Do you think she knew about me and you?" she asked quietly.

"I think seeing us today was the first she knew of it," I said. "I think she would have said something before. She isn't exactly one to keep her mouth shut."

"What did she say after I left?"

"Just running her mouth," I muttered. "Told me I wasn't good enough for you. She always thought she was better than everyone else."

"Not good enough for me?" she repeated. "She made me feel like I wasn't good enough for you. She's a beautiful, elegant woman. Classy and refined and then there's me."

"Mary Ellen, Samantha might be beautiful on the outside, but when I look at her, I see ugly. I see a vindictive, angry woman that hates everyone that won't give her what she wants. And that's what makes you different. You're kind, compassionate, and genuine. Your beauty shines from within, and that's what truly matters. Samantha can try to tear others down to feel superior, but she'll never understand the strength that comes from being a good person like you. And you're pretty fucking hot."

She grinned. "Thanks."

"I'm not just saying that. You're hot. Sexy as hell. Speaking of, how alone are we?"

She smiled. "Karen will probably be home soon."

"But she's not here right now," I said with my gaze dropping to her mouth.

Mary Ellen's smile widened. She leaned in closer in open invitation. Without a word, I closed the distance between us, our lips meeting in a fiery kiss. Mary Ellen's soft lips moved against mine with a hunger that matched my own. It was so easy to get lost in her.