Avery's Game Of Revenge
Chapter 194: The Outsider

Chapter 194: The Outsider

Avery melted against him, her head falling back on his shoulder. He moved a hand from her hip and slipped it between her legs, fingers finding her clit with practiced precision. He rubbed small, firm circles right where she needed it, giving her everything she craved, his body, his voice, his full attention.

And in return, she gave him every part of herself.

"Give me it, Angel," he demanded, his voice rough with need as he rubbed tight circles over her clit, while she trembled beneath him, her breath hitching with each motion, every nerve ending on fire.

"I know it’s there, and I want it. Come all over my cock. Show me how good you are."

Just a few more seconds of pressure and the way his grip tightened around her throat pushed her over the edge. The second he felt her insides clench around him, he let go of her neck and bent her forward, slamming into her with everything he had as he spilled into the condom, groaning deep in his chest.

She pushed back against him, moaning at the fullness, and Archie chuckled low.

Second time having sex, and she was already a rock star; just like she was at everything else in life.

With one last slap to her behind he pulled out and collapsed beside her. Avery rolled over to face him, both of them breathing heavily, lost in the haze of post orgasm bliss.

"You are every human male’s wildest dream, you know that?" he murmured.

Avery blinked, her head resting on her forearm. "Even yours?"

He knew she already knew the answer, but the truth slipped out anyway as he leaned in and kissed her gently. "Especially mine."

The smug little grin that curled on her lips was one he should’ve regretted, but he didn’t. Not when she looked this happy. Not when she looked like his.

"So," he drawled, eyes locked on hers, "any other... interests you want to share with me?"

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she looked away. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Mhm," he smirked. "So if I were to wrap my hand around your throat and call you my good g—"

Her hand covered his mouth before he could finish. She let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling, clearly flustered.

"I don’t know what it is," she admitted. "There’s just something encouraging about it. And I like it."

Archie rolled onto his side and gently cupped her face, turning her toward him. "Why would anyone be embarrassed about that? Especially when they have someone like me as husband."

Avery smiled and leaned in to kiss him again; slow, sweet, lingering. When she pulled away, she pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Archie’s eyes followed her, landing instantly on the twin hickeys just above the small of her back. Right in those perfect little dips above her ass. They were dark, red, and bold; impossible to miss.

And they looked damn good on her.

He bit his lip, then stepped out of bed, the cool air brushing over his bare skin as he moved toward her. Before Avery could get far, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest.

"Where do you think you’re going, Angel?" he murmured into her hair.

She tilted her head to look at him. "Bathroom."

Archie’s eyes glinted as he smirked. "Then I’m coming with you."

Avery’s eyes widened. "Archie..."

He cut her off before she could protest. "I’ve waited for years, Ava. Don’t tell me you’re about to deprive me again?"

Her lips parted in mock offense, and she tilted her head, crossing her arms. "You’re not going to catch me with that guilt tripping."

Archie’s gaze darkened, mischief flickering there as he leaned in and nipped at the nape of her neck. "Well, you lied to me earlier," he said, voice dropping. "And that toy? It was just a part of your punishment." He paused, lips grazing her skin. "The real punishment, Angel, is me getting to do whatever I want to you... for the rest of the night."

Avery opened her mouth to argue, but his finger pressed softly against her lips.

"Shh," he whispered, eyes gleaming. "You don’t get to argue."

Before she could form a single word of protest, Archie swept her up into his arms effortlessly. Avery let out a breathy laugh, arms looping around his neck as he carried her straight into the adjoining bathroom.

~

More than half an hour later, they were tangled up in each other again, limbs sprawled across the sheets. Avery lay with her head on Archie’s chest, their bodies completely bare beneath the covers, their breathing steady and slow. His hand traced lazy circles on her back, fingers sliding down to the curve of her waist and back up again, absentminded and intimate.

They were breathing each other.

It was calm. Still. A kind of quiet he hadn’t known he needed.

Then Avery’s head popped up suddenly, her expression thoughtful, eyes sharp with something deeper than curiosity.

"I even forgot to ask earlier," she said, staring straight at him. "If I was the one married to you for three years, then why was it that when I came back to the country after one month since the incident and signed that contract with you, you told me I should be thankful you hadn’t divorced your wife yet, since that was the identity I was borrowing?"

Archie didn’t move, but his eyes met hers, unreadable.

"And if you had your men watching me and my siblings like you said," she continued, "then how come Uncle Jon, the rest, and whoever’s behind them, whoever’s funding him, how did they still get to us? How were they able to act without your men noticing?"

Archie’s smirk vanished, and his arms tightened slightly around her, grounding them both. His expression turned serious, eyes darker with the weight of what he was about to say.

"The answer to both of those questions," he said quietly, "is the same."

Avery leaned closer, her voice firm but low. "Tell me."

She stared at him, earnest, unwavering.

Archie held her gaze for a few seconds longer, prepared to refuse to, but then, suddenly, he looked away. His jaw tightened, his breath shallow.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

That was it.

This... this was the power she had over him. The unrelenting, consuming grip that she probably still hadn’t fully grasped. But she was starting to. And worse? She was learning how to use it.

All she had to do was ask him something like that... look at him like that... and he’d unravel, completely. And find himself unable to refuse her.

He inhaled sharply, steadying himself. "Arthur found out about our wedding," he said at last, voice low. "The night before everything went south."

Avery’s eyes widened. "What?!"

Archie gave a single nod. "I sent one of my men to the civil bureau that day. To handle a few things in advance... to make sure your wedding to Brian wouldn’t take place. I don’t know how or who told him, but Arthur found out through that."

His jaw ticked as the memory flickered in his mind.

"He showed up at the penthouse," he continued. "We argued. Threw a punch or two at each other."

A corner of his mouth lifted in a humorless smirk. "Arthur said he regretted ever befriending me. That I was, what again?" He turned his head and met Avery’s stunned expression. "’An ungrateful motherfucker he mercifully brought into the family who turned around to prey on his sister.’"

Avery gasped. "What?!"

His brow lifted. "What? Why are you so shocked?"

She blinked in disbelief.

"I expected it," he said simply. "In fact, if he hadn’t reacted like that, I’d have questioned whether he really loved you at all." His voice softened for a moment, almost too quiet to hear. "Though some of his words got to me."

He paused.

"I used to think we were brothers," he admitted. "But that night... I realized I’d always been the outsider."

His gaze turned distant for a second before refocusing on her.

"I let those words get to me... just long enough. I called Neil that night and told him to pull our men off you and your siblings. I didn’t want Arthur thinking I was still watching you, using you."

"And?" Avery questioned.

Archie looked down, exhaling. "I almost filed the divorce papers too."

Avery’s lips parted, but no words came out.

Archie turned to her again, his eyes raw. "But I couldn’t. I was so deep into it, Angel. I knew pulling myself out of this... out of you... would kill me."

He let that confession linger between them, heavy and quiet.