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Chapter One

Archer

THERE ARE FEW things I can resist in life This is probably why I got into so —and that is the one thing I’ve learned fro yourself go, by revealing your e vulnerable

If you’re unable to resist the things that draw you in, it’s a surefire way to ask for unwanted chaos I’ve had enough of that inup Hell, in h I’ve finally turned that corner these last few years

But the few things I can’t resist? A challenge A bet

“He’s an absolute sucker to gete Emerson is my best friend Matt DeLuca is too I’ve known theether at our college buddy Jeff Lewiston’s wedding reception, lurking in a dark corner of the crowded ballrooe

Marriage represents a noose around htens with everyexaes They hate each other They cheat on each other They fight Yet they’re still together

Makes no damn sense

“He seems happy,” Matt, the e and I shoot him a look that shuts him up

“His wife is attractive, I’ll give her that,” Gage concedes, sipping frone “But the moment they coest bitch on the planet, I guarantee it”

“You don’t even know her,” Matthis head

“Don’t have to They all do it Sexy and beautiful and shen you firstand you’re having it constantly They’ll drop to their knees whenever you ask and give you a grade-A blowjob Next thing you know, you’re buying thene, draining the glass

We’ve talked about this before We’ve watched our friends go down one by one like fallen soldiers to e, especially this last year

“You get that ring on their finger, go through this wholebut a nagging wife and a li you shit because you’re never horihtmare

“They sure as hell never coestures with his elass

“Hear, lass before I finish it off

“You guys are such cynics Both of you act like you’ve done this sort of thing before” Matt crosses his arms in front of his chest “When was the last tiirlfriend” He doesn’t phrase it as a question because he already knows the answer

“Never,” I sneer Serious girlfriends aren’t a consideration None of theh to want to keep them around

With the exception of one wo, too sweet, too good, too everything I’ and so co with her

But I want to Desperately

“All this talk about hoo but shackles and chains like some sort of lifetime prison sentence I can’t wait to see you both fall and fall fking hard” Matt laughed

Gage and I both glare “I have no plans of falling any tie mutters

“More like never in this lifetime,” I add

“Please” Matt snorts “You’ll both eventually realize you don’t want to do this thing called ‘life’ without a woe, like forty-five, the eternal bachelors looking for so babes in their twenties will look at you unless you flash some cash their way”

“Noho’s the cynic,” I retort, earning a glare from Matt

“I speak the truth,” he says with a shrug “And you know it”

“You bag on us for being single, yet you’re single too,” Gage points out “Why haven’t you settled down yet?”

Gage’s question earns another shrug froht woman yet”

His answer is so siical I want to smack him

“There is no right wo to burst Matt’s happily-ever-after bubble “You’ll eventually settle Trust me”

“And you won’t,” Gage says, though I know he’s not disagreeing withmyself dohatsoever”

“Neither do I,” I agree “Settling is for pussies”

“Absolutely,” Gage says grimly

Matt focuses his attention solely on o down”