Page 124 of A Million To Fall

“No, I—” I try again, but the words lodge in my throat as he wraps his hand around it.

Tight.

“Are you fucking Boston?” he snarls, squeezing.

My hands fly to his wrists, pushing, clawing. I can’t breathe. I can’t move. His body is too heavy, too solid.

I’m trapped.

“Are you fucking Boston, Skye?” he bellows again, his grip tightening.

It’s all I can do to shake my head. No. No. No.

Just like that, he lets go.

I gasp—coughing—shoving out from under him and stumbling off the bed. Air floods back into my lungs in greedy gulps. My throat burns.

Archer watches me from the bed, eyes dark and unreadable.

Then, like a switch flipping, he softens. “You okay?” he asks like he didn’t just try to crush my windpipe.

I stare at him, wide-eyed, backing away as he stands and starts toward me.

“You choked me,” I croak.

“I love you, Skye,” he says, like those four words erase everything.

“You choked me,” I repeat, louder this time.

“Because I fucking love you,” he snaps, voice rising.

I shake my head, stunned, but he doesn’t back off.

He lunges forward and crashes his mouth to mine. I hit the wall with a thud, his hands gripping my face, my arms, my waist—possessive and desperate.

I turn my head, try to push him back, but he’s all over me. His breath is hot, his touch frantic.

“I fucking love you, Skye. I can’t fucking lose you.”

“Get away,” I say, voice sharp.

“No, Skye, please.”

“Get the fuck away from me!” I scream, shoving with everything I have.

That does it.

Archer steps back, startled, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

“Skye,” he says, like he’s a broken record. “I love you.”

Tears sting the back of my eyes.

“I can’t bear the thought of losing you,” he pleads.

A heavy knock lands on the door.

“Archer!” Mr. Longfellow barks. “Open the door. Now!”