Archie’s POV
I didn't sleep a single minute.
By six in the morning, I had already showered, shaved, and pulled on a dark charcoal three-piece suit. I stood in front of the master bathroom mirror, staring at the harsh shadows beneath my eyes. My jaw was locked, tension coiling tightly in the base of my neck like a wound spring.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Lincoln’s voice cutting through the midnight gloom of the living room: Very much. He was great.
And that name. Marcus.
I marched down the grand staircase, every step deliberate and sharp. The house smelled faintly of brewing coffee, rich and dark, but the usual comfort it brought me was completely absent.
I stepped into the kitchen.
Lincoln was already there, leaning casually against the counter with a ceramic mug cradled i
