Connell (Carolina Reapers 3)

The scotch burned down my throat but warmed my otherwise numb torso. Everything was numb. It was like my body had shut off all feeling out of a sense of protection.

“How is she?” I dared to ask.

Echo’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but she took a drink of water and then nodded. “Heartbroken. Mad as hell. Looks a lot like you right now, actually. Sweatpants and all. Just without the beard. Figured I’d come over and see what the chances were of fixing this because I’ve never seen Annabelle as happy as she was when she was with you. Then again, I’ve never seen her as low as she is now, either.”

“She doesn’t trust me.”

“You didn’t exactly give her a reason to.”

The click of the door sounded a second before someone said, “Connell?”

“I’m in here, Langley,” I answered. “She’s the only person who would just walk in,” I said to Echo in explanation.

“Oh, good. Wait, what are you doing?” Langley came to a halt when she saw Echo pouring me another drink.

“Getting him drunk so I can wheedle the truth out of him. What are you doing?”

Langley sighed and snatched both the bottle and the glass from Echo. “Trying to dig up the truth so we can save his relationship and his reputation, which means keeping him sober.”

Echo tilted her head at Langley.

Langley didn’t flinch. “I love you, Echo. You know, I do. But I’ve known Connell long enough to know that he’s not lying when he says his comment was taken out of context. And I have to have his best interest at heart, the same way I’m sure you have Annabelle’s. So you can join team figure-this-shit-out-for-the-good-of-all, or you can take your cute, pregnant butt home because this is work time.”

“Was it taken out of context?” Echo questioned me.

“What did she tell you?” I fired back.

“That you made a sarcastic comment that caused her abject, public humiliation on a nationwide scale.”

“Aye, that part is true. But the rest of that interview talks about how much I love her. He took that one line and twisted it. And maybe I never should have said it, but I was pissed that he implied the woman I loved wouldn’t be enough. That surely I had to indulge a little on the side. He implied that we all did, Echo, including your fiancée.”

Echo stared at me so long that I thought she might flip me the bird and walk off. Instead, she dragged the other stool next to mine and sat with a muttered, “fuck my life.”

The doorbell rang, and Langley left to answer it.

“I love her,” I said softly.

“I know you do,” Echo replied.

“Okay, here’s where we stand,” Langley remarked as she came back with Persephone in tow. God, they both looked so put together—Langley in a black suit and Persephone in an obviously designer sheath dress. I thought my shirt had been clean yesterday, but I wasn’t honestly sure. “We need the full interview. You said he had it on a tape recorder, right?’

“Aye.”

“Okay. I got in touch with Men’s Quarterly, and they said that John Perry is actually a freelance writer. He’s not on staff. They said they’d pull the print like you demanded if what you’re saying is correct, that he purposely skewed your words, but since all he was required to do was give them the actual piece, they don’t have the interview.”

“So what are we supposed to do with that?” I asked. “That tape is all I have to get back Annabelle. I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about my reputation, and I understand that’s your job, but I want Annabelle. I need that tape.”

“I know you do, that’s why I brought in Persephone.”

Sephie smiled. “Don’t worry, Connell. I know Richard McCarthy—he owns the magazine. I’m going to slip into a room with Langley and make this call really quick with her if that’s okay with you? I didn’t want to interfere if you weren’t comfortable.”

“Interfere!” I blurted. “Please, God, interfere.”

“Okay.” She put her small hand on my shoulder. “I’ll see if we can get this all fixed up for you.” She looked up over my shoulder. “Echo, you look wonderful, just in case no one has told you today. Pregnancy looks amazing on you. Now, I’m going to sneak off with Langley.”

The doorbell rang again.

“Jesus, what is this?” Echo muttered.

“Sephie, why don’t you head into the study, and I’ll be right in?” Langley offered as the two headed toward the front of the house.

“You were already working on getting the interview,” Echo said quietly.

“Aye. It’s the only way she’ll believe me, and even then, she still might not forgive me. Sure, I was wrong, but the lass cares so much about what people think. Even if I pull us through this one, what’s to say she won’t run the next time someone twists something I say? I can’t watch every single word that leaves my mouth, or I become someone I’m not. Is that really the only way she’ll love me?”