Page 101 of Beautiful Ruins
“They’re letting him in,” I murmured.
Tone crossed her arms.
“Who is him?”
The door opened.
Archie stepped inside with the same composed stillness he always carried, cane grounded lightly against the marble floor as his eyes adjusted to the interior lighting.He looked exactly as he always did—calm, observant, faintly tired in a way that suggested he rarely slept properly.
Tone’s posture sharpened instantly.
Suspicion, undisguised.
Archie inclined his head slightly.
“Ladies.”
Tone did not return the greeting.
Instead, she tilted her head and studied him like a specimen.
“You,” she gave him her doe eyes, “were not scheduled.Again.”
Archie’s mouth twitched faintly.
“Raze and I had a meeting,” he informed us politely.“He appears to have forgotten all about it.”
Tone glanced at me.Then back at him.Then she narrowed her eyes.
“How convenient,” she deadpanned.
I shot her a look.
“Tone,” I nudged her with my arm, “don’t be rude.”
She blinked.
“I’m not being rude,” she replied.“I’m being cautious.”
Archie let out a breath that almost resembled amusement.
“That’s understandable.Given the current circumstances.”
I stepped forward before the tension could escalate further.
“He’s on the guest list,” I told Tone gently.“The guards wouldn’t have let him in otherwise.”
That earned a small pause from her.Then a reluctant exhale.
“Fine.But if he starts acting suspicious, I reserve the right to be insufferable.”
“I would expect nothing less,” Archie stated.
Despite everything, a small laugh slipped out of me.
“Come in.”I gestured him to come inside.“You might as well wait until Raze gets back.”
Archie stepped fully into the foyer, his gaze briefly sweeping the staircase, the hallways, the subtle positioning of guards.He noticed everything.Efficiently.
