Substitute Seduction (Sweet Tea And Scandal 2)

“Why not?”

“I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing.”

“Why? Because you’re dating Harrison? Suddenly it’s okay for you to back out on our agreement because you’re happy? Is that fair to Zoe? She’s living in the back room of the boutique she opened and can’t pay her rent because the divorce lawyer got all her savings.”

Because they weren’t supposed to be in contact with each other, London hadn’t had any idea Zoe’s situation was so dire. “I’ll give her some money to get by.”

Everly ejected an exasperated snort. “You can’t help her like that. The point of what we’re doing is to not have any contact with each other.”

“And yet you’re here talking to me,” London pointed out, glancing around and seeing that they were completely alone. “And apparently you’ve been keeping tabs on Zoe to know her current situation.”

“I’m doing my part,” Everly said, not responding to London’s accusation. “If you don’t do yours, then Zoe has no reason to go after Ryan. That man destroyed my sister and I intend to make him pay.”

“I don’t know,” London hedged, unnerved by Everly’s savagery. “This is all just so much more than I signed on for.”

“Listen up,” Everly said, leaning close, her manner intimidating. “We made a deal and you’re going to see it through.”

“Deals can be broken.”

Abruptly, Everly’s demeanor changed and she became cool and collected once again. “I wondered if this might happen with you. This is one deal you’re not going to break.”

“What are you going to do to stop me?” London asked, sounding more confident than she felt.

Everly’s quicksilver mood change intensified London’s concerns. What sort of unbalanced person had she gotten mixed up with?

“I’ve set things in motion that are going to ruin Linc’s life. That was what I promised I would do. You need to do your part. You owe me and you owe Zoe.”

“I’m out.” London started to slide past Everly. To her surprise, the other woman grabbed her arm in a tight vise. “Let me go.”

“If you don’t go through with this, I will reveal to Harrison what you’ve been up to.”

Panic flooded her and London scrambled for what to say to defuse the situation. The only way she knew to limit Everly’s blackmail potential was to deny her feelings for Harrison.

“You’ll only blow up this whole scheme if you do. I’ve used Harrison to get to Tristan. He means nothing to me except as a means to an end. If you tell him what I’ve been up to, we all go down.”

That said, she yanked her arm from Everly’s grasp, feeling the rake of the woman’s nails against her skin as she pulled free. It wasn’t in London to shove the woman before escaping, but if anyone deserved to be knocked around in that moment, it was Everly.

London walked away as swiftly as she dared, conscious that she’d already been away from Harrison for too long. Heat surged beneath her skin as her heart and lungs pumped adrenaline through her whole body. She couldn’t go back to Harrison in this emotionally heightened state. He would want to know what was wrong. What could she tell him?

And then her gaze fell on a small group and the one individual who was utterly familiar to her. Lincoln faced Claire Robbins, and from her devastated expression and the anguish on his face, London realized whatever Everly had set in motion between Linc and the woman he loved had just come to a head.

Grief and rage hit her already raw nerves and London sped away from the crowds as her stomach pitched sickeningly. What had they done? What had she done? Linc didn’t deserve to have his life ruined because he’d broken off their engagement. He’d been right that they didn’t belong together. Only she’d been too busy wallowing in what she’d perceived as her failure to see it.

Tears blinded her as bile filled her mouth and anguish twisted her heart. She was well and truly stuck now that Everly had exacted London’s revenge on Linc. Her chance to escape the situation long gone.

London made her way toward the refreshment tent where the lunches had been available earlier. She needed some water and a quiet moment to herself. What a fool she’d been to make such a terrible pact. Her fingers tightened over the flash drive. The moment to use it was gone. And London was relieved.

Everly’s threat filled her mind. London had no doubt that Everly would tell Harrison what was going on even if it meant ruining everything for all of them. The woman was crazy. Or maybe it was London who’d lost it. She was still trying to figure out how she could get the incriminating information on Tristan and not let her actions destroy what she was building with Harrison. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

* * *

Harrison had finished a full plate of desserts without London reappearing and wondered where she’d gotten herself off to.

The day had started out cloudless and warm for late November. Harrison’s optimism had been sky-high. He’d considered their first appearance in Charleston society as a couple to be a statement about their relationship.

It had been.

Just not in the way he’d expected.