Connell (Carolina Reapers 3)

Echo blinked a few times and opened her mouth to speak.

“You didn’t tell me you were having a party,” Logan chided as he walked into my kitchen with Cannon. “Hey, Echo.”

“Boys,” she said with a grin. “Did you come to harass our resident heartbreak?”

“Something like that,” Logan answered, setting a bottle of water in front of me, then handing another to Cannon.

“Some friends,” Echo scoffed. “At least I brought alcohol.”

“He has practice in three hours. We brought hydration.” Logan smirked.

“We figured you might already be piss drunk or hungover, so we gave ourselves some wiggle time.” Cannon crossed his arms over his navy blue Reaper t-shirt and leaned back against the granite. “Now drink. Ward has three more bottles in that cute little backpack of his.”

Logan lifted his pack with a smile.

As much as they annoyed me, they were good friends, that was for sure.

“Okay, she’s working her magic,” Langley said as she reappeared. “So what, did you two draw the short straws?”

Logan shrugged. “We were the only ones who weren’t ready to shove the love-conquers-all pep talk down his throat.”

“Even Axel?” Her eyes widened.

“Especially your husband,” Cannon remarked. “The guy should work at Disney at the rate he’s in the text thread talking about fate and shit.”

A smile touched Langley’s mouth.

“Richard, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” Persephone’s sweet drawl filled the room, and Cannon tensed as she walked in with her phone to her ear. “Of course, I know you don’t want to have to print a retraction. That’s why I stepped in. I know you’d be absolutely mortified to find out that one of your employees was knowingly lying. I know how hard you worked to get that magazine to where it is.”

She looked up at the men leaning against the end of my counter, and her grip slipped on her cell phone. It tumbled from her hand, but before it could hit my hardwood, Cannon caught it mid-air and gave it back to her.

“Thank you,” she mouthed quietly as a male voice muttered words we couldn’t hear on our end.

“I know. I really do. I’m telling you that Connell MacDhuibh is telling the truth. John Perry purposely twisted what he said. How do I know? Because I’m standing in the man’s kitchen, Richard. He’s a dear friend. Connell, of course, not Mr. Perry. We’re friends. Have I ever, in the ten years we’ve known each other, lied to you?” She tilted her head to the side and nibbled her lower lip as the man gave his verdict.

She sighed and shot Langley a frustrated look with a shake of her head.

“Of course, I would never demand you cancel the print run. I know you have twenty-five million readers.”

Holy shit. Twenty-five million people were going to read that I cheated on the woman I loved? Just the thought had me nauseated.

“I’m just saying that once you hear the tape for yourself, you’ll probably want to. I mean, you own a very well respected magazine, Richard. It would just be a shame to see it turn into a tabloid. Goodness, I think it took Matt Sharpe—what was it—three years to build himself back up after that unfortunate article about the governor’s wife, and I’d just die if that happened to you, Richard. We’re such good friends, and I couldn’t not warn you. You understand, don’t you?”

A slow smile spread across her face.

Cannon’s waterbottle crinkled in his hand.

My breath stilled.

“Oh, I’m sure that would work. I’ve never known a freelance writer to not want their paycheck. Oh, and could I ask a personal favor?” Her cheeks pinked as the voice continued at the other end. “Well, no. I’m not. He’s just a family friend. No, Richard. I was actually going to ask if you wouldn’t mind forwarding me a copy of that tape once you have it? It would mean so much to me.”

I swallowed. God, my throat felt so tight.

“What’s in it for you?” she laughed, but the sparkle wasn’t there. “If you’re willing to fly down, how about if we play a round at the club next weekend? Mmm hmm. Sounds delightful. I’ll even bring Daddy. So nice talking to you, Richard. Give your mama my love. Bye now.”

She hung up and smiled so big that the lump in my throat started to dissipate. That had to mean she got him to agree, right?

“Okay, he—”

The doorbell rang.

“Bloody hell!” I roared toward the door.

“I’ll get that one.” Echo pushed away from the counter and headed toward the front door.

“He said he’d hold John Perry’s check until he appeared with the tape. And I know Richard, he’ll cancel the print, or at least hold it up to replace the article before he opens himself up to a lawsuit.”

“You didn’t threaten a lawsuit,” Logan noted.

“No, but I did mention our friend Matt who was sued for millions when he printed a fake story. He got the point, trust me.” She nodded.