Logan (Carolina Reapers 4)

“Tell them the rest,” Cannon ordered, twisting his glass in his hands.

“What? That she doesn’t know I’m a Reaper? Or that I don’t want her to know?”

“Ooooh.”

“What the fuck?”

“Are you serious?”

“Good luck keeping that under wraps.”

“Does the lass live under a rock?”

I took a steadying breath as the comments flew.

“Okay, shut the fuck up, and I’ll explain!” I snapped loud enough for them to fall silent. “Look. What happened with Blaire...it fucked me up. You guys have no clue. You’re all dating, or engaged, or married to women who love you for you—except Cannon and Sterling. Cannon’s too mean to attract a reasonable woman and Sterling...eh, we haven’t quite discovered what’s wrong with you yet.”

He snorted and threw back the shot that had been in front of him.

“Point is, I was with someone who only wanted what I could give her because I wear our jersey, and I was so...blinded by her that I didn’t even catch on before she hurt one of you.” I glanced at Connell.

His jaw ticked. “That was not your fault.”

“Yeah, it was. Your women all love you in spite of the fact that you’re in the NHL, not because of it. None of them have ever used you to further themselves.”

“I would argue differently,” Axel said, scratching his beard. “I managed to get Langley into a fake marriage to save her job as the head of Reaper PR. She absolutely used my desire for her to further her career, and I can’t say I’m sorry. It’s worked out fucking perfectly.” A grin spread across his face as he glanced toward his wife.

“Not the same. You both knew it was fake, until it...you know…wasn’t.” I thumbed the beads of moisture that slipped down the side of my glass. “All Blaire wanted was my face on her fucking Instagram.”

Silence fell over the table for a long minute.

“Not all women are the same.” The gruff comment came from Cannon. “I can tell you Delaney isn’t someone you’d have to worry about that with.”

“No, but she flat-out told me she wouldn’t ever want anything to do with a wanna-be-celebrity athlete.”

“Och, well, you’re not exactly a wanna-be, if that changes anything,” Connell replied with a scrunched face. “Though what you are might be even worse.”

“Exactly. Look, I just want a friend who isn’t influenced by all the hype and the money and the influence. Is that so bad?”

“No,” Lukas answered. “If you’re not dating, and you’re just friends, then I get it.”

“Even if he was dating, I think it’s allowed,” Axel added. “We all learn things about our spouses the longer we’re together. That can just be something she learns as you trust her. Trust isn’t something that you just hand out. It’s earned. She has to earn it.”

“But have you lied to her?” Nathan asked. “Because that would be fucked up.”

“No!” I cleared my throat. “No. I haven’t lied to her. I’ve just omitted the facts.”

They all nodded.

“Then I—” Lukas started.

“There you are!” a bright, bubbly voice called from behind Sawyer, and my stomach twisted and sank. “Baby, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

I looked up and saw Blaire, made-up and glossed over like a damned magazine spread, smiling back at me with her white veneers.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Echo shouted from behind the bar.

Fuck me, at nine months pregnant, Echo couldn’t exactly afford to get worked up. I stood from my seat at the end of the booth and moved toward the plastic, fake, witch of a woman I’d dated for months.

The chimes sounded on the door, but I didn’t bother to look at who’d just walked in.

“I have nothing to say to you,” I told her. “You need to get out.”

“Before I fucking make you!” Echo seethed, but Sawyer had already moved to intercept his fiancée.

“Please.” Blaire put up both her hands like she was under surrender, her cell phone in one. “It’s been months, Logan. Can’t we talk? I miss you.”

“You miss his followers,” Langley scoffed as she came to stand beside Echo.

“Stay out of it,” Blaire snapped at Axel’s wife. “This has nothing to do with you.” She turned her eyes back on me and put on her best sad face. “Please, Logan. Just give me a minute.”

“No.” God, why hadn’t I seen her for what she was while I was with her? Was I so blinded by the pretty face that I’d ignored the decay in her soul?

“I swear to God, if you don’t get the fuck out of my bar—” Echo started shouting.

“Honey, it’s not good for the baby to get all worked up—” Sawyer beseeched.

“It’s not good for her health to stay there!” Echo jabbed her finger toward Blaire.

“I just miss you!” Blaire cried out, a tear rolling down her face. Just one, though. She wouldn’t want to overdo it. “Please, Logan. I love you!”