fool in the rain
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Ooh now my body is starting to quiver
And the palms of my hands getting wet, oh
I got no reason to doubt you baby
It's all a terrible mess
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POV: Audrey Carter.

I wasn't sure how I had ended up in that situation. Tina had offered to buy me drinks that evening since it was her last night in Londod, so I took a taxi to our favorite pub, only to find out quickly that she had invited everyone over. The not-so-fun part was that I couldn't reach her no matter how many times I called, and now I was stuck with the entire Brown team and Mr. White, who had returned from his trip that morning and decided to surprise me at the worst possible moment.

No one could have prepared me for what unfolded. While I was talking to Carla, I turned around to see Archer tackling a complete stranger to the ground, punching him with a level of violence and anger I could hardly imagine from his normally calm and cheery personality.

"Archer!" I rushed towards him, and Mr. White was unable to stop me in time. With all the adrenaline in my body, I tried to pull him away from the arm he was using to throw fists at the man. He tried jerking me away, but again, I held my ground. "Stop!"

Help arrived as the rest of the group removed Archer from the scene. It took three men to get him to calm down, but as soon as the stranger got up, he threatened to go back and fight him again. I had to put myself between them as Mr. White approached his son and started talking to him in a low voice.

I couldn't hear them, but when I saw the look on the older White's face, I instantly realized who that person was.

"That fucking bastard is showing his face around like he isn't complete garbage," Archer spat out loud for his uncle—or biological father—to hear. The man kept his composure and adjusted his leather jacket with the help of what I assumed was his wife. She had a ring on her finger to match his, after all.

"Kids these days, they have no respect for their fathers," the man replied in a condescending manner, enough for Mr. White to lose his temper completely. I didn't see it coming because Tina had just entered the pub hand in hand with Paul.

The writer didn't need to tackle his brother; he just charged a punch to his face. If Archer's rage had surprised me, his was equally disturbing. Mr. White didn't limit himself to punches; he grabbed his sibling by his collar and squeezed to the point that his brother couldn't breathe. "You don't get to use that word with my son," he hissed, bringing him closer just so he could be heard loud and clear. "Get the hell out of here, Daniel."

Daniel wasn't able to respond. The punch Hector had landed on his nose had also broken his bone, and the man was now hurting so bad that I thought he was about to cry. Mr. White released him by pushing him to the ground, and I finally felt like coming in to distract him from exploding again.

"You're hurt." I was shaking, unsure if I wanted to launch at Daniel myself or if I was scared. My first thought was Mr. White's hand, which was bleeding from the violent shot. I grabbed it in my own hands and was immediately alarmed by the bruises. Paul and Tina approached, and we finally got the staff from the pub to call the police and to give us their first aid kit.

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Archer was being looked after by the team's new lawyer, whom I had last seen the day I first met Hector. He was calmer now, but even Mr. White was worried about how his son had reacted. I watched them from afar as they talked it over, trying to understand how to behave in this situation. The police had just left after clarifying the situation and giving every single White a warning.

"Archer?"

God, no. Not her. Not right now.

Unfortunately, it was her. I would never mistake that voice for someone else's. Tina touched my arm, and I almost jumped in place, turning to face her with a blank expression. Mr. White was definitely looking at me, but he couldn't help but deal with the situation first. His wife had just shown up, wearing one of her usual tight dresses, with her hair down in a waterfall of red locks.

"What are you doing here? Is this some kind of joke? Did that man call you?" He couldn't be kind to his mother, and I did understand him now. It was hard to forgive what she had done to him. Yet, somehow, maybe I wanted him to forgive and give himself some peace.

"Archer, calm down. You're making a scene." Her voice, which was actually very pleasant, now irked me in every way. Maybe it was jealousy, maybe it was the fact that she had hurt my friend. And my man.

"Or what? You can't use me against Dad anymore." Archer didn't raise his voice this time. He was trying to look cool, but I could see that he was actually hurting a lot, and not just from his injuries. "He doesn't care about what you're going to do to him, now."

Archer shot me a look with his piercing eyes, and I immediately looked away. At the time, I didn't want to get involved. I wasn't ready to be so publicly claimed. Mr. White didn't interrupt his son, and Tina held my wrist to keep me focused, but the redhead seemed to understand what was going on as soon as she saw me. 

"I never did that!" Mrs. White was furious, almost offended at her son's words. "Please, Archer, just come with me, and let's talk it over. We can't keep up living this lie. Your father just—"

Archer cut her off by closing the distance between their faces. "He. Is. Not. My. Father."

Only then did Mr. White step in, placing his palm against his son's chest. I couldn't watch, but I sensed his turmoil. He really needed me, I just knew he did. "Hector," I called out. "Let's go. Archer, you too. Let's just go." My voice was shy, but they seemed to hear me, since I met the familiar gray eyes of both of them.

"Listen to Audrey; I'll talk to your mother and settle things down." Hector insisted, but I didn't want him to stay alone with that woman. I knew I had no choice but to leave him there, still it wasn't ideal for me. At all.

"Listen closely, Mrs. White." I demanded her attention, and she reciprocated, visibly irritated. "Do not mess with him." I gestured towards her husband. "I've held back until now, but I won't for much longer." She didn't take my threats seriously, but it didn't matter. I gestured for Archer to come with me, and we left the pub together. 

I glanced over my shoulder one last time to check on my writer, and there he stood, facing his wife as he finally, for the first time, removed his wedding ring.

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