His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 461

Right at that moment, the cell phone Virginia Caldwell had casually tossed onto the entryway console suddenly rang.

The ringtone pierced the quiet intimacy of the foyer.

She sobered instantly, pushing against his chest and turning her head to dodge his kiss. "The phone," she gasped.

Archer Vanderbilt knitted his brows, completely uninterested in answering it as he lowered his head to capture her lips again.

The phone rang relentlessly. Finding it impossible to continue under the circumstances, Virginia shoved him with all her might.

A flash of unsated frustration darkened his eyes. He reached out and snatched the phone. The name "Clementine" flashed across the screen.

His gaze turned somber. He swiped to answer and put it straight on speaker.

"Ginny! You left in such a hurry, you forgot your clutch here," Clementine Sherwood's crisp voice chimed from the speaker.

If it were any other bag, she wouldn't have bothered, but it was a priceless custom crocodile leather clutch. Worried Virginia might be looking for it, she had called immediately.

Virginia opened her mouth to reply, but Archer's large hand suddenly clamped down on her slender waist, intentionally pressing hard in a wicked move.

"Ugh," she couldn't hold back a soft, breathy gasp.

The other end of the line went dead silent.

Archer looked down at the woman in his arms, her eyes flushed red at the corners. His voice was husky, dripping with raw desire. "Keep the bag for now. I'll pick it up next time. And one more thing."

"If you don't want the Vanderbilt Group to terminate our partnership with the Sherwood Group, stop calling at crucial moments."

Beep.

Almost the second the words left his mouth, Clementine flushed bright red and swiftly hung up.

Virginia's cheeks burned with an astonishing heat. She glared at Archer, a flare of anger in her eyes. "What you just did... what is Clem going to think?"

Archer tossed the phone carelessly back onto the console and dipped his head to claim her lips once more. "We're doing it legally."

He stated it as if it were an undeniable truth.

"We're already divorced."

...

The Docks District, basement level.

The cramped space reeked of mildew and stale sweat.

The dim bulb overhead flickered sporadically, emitting a harsh electrical buzz.

Chloe Caldwell hadn't had a hot shower or a decent night's sleep in days.

Right now, the cheap t-shirt she wore was soaked with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to her back.

Her once beautifully manicured hands, meant for playing the piano, were now lined with black grime under the fingernails.

She forcefully hurled a stale piece of bread onto the sticky floor.

"When does this end!" Her voice was shrill, teetering on the edge of a hysterical breakdown. "I can't stay here another day!"

Liam Kendrick crouched on the floor. With a dark expression, he picked up the piece of bread, blew off the dirt, and placed it back into its plastic bag.