Evin's Fight (Southern Charmers 3)

“Which is amazing for me. Because when I slap my lawsuit for slander and defamation of character, it will be open and shut.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Caitlyn. You try to fuck with me, I’ll sue you for assault. Don’t forget that little video of you in Vegas is still out there.”

Poppy throws her head back, her laugh more an evil cackle that has the hair on the back of my neck standing.

“Oh, dear sister. You shouldn’t be afraid.” She flips her head, her face hard, unlike I’ve ever seen. “Be terrified. You had months to plan your takedown and failed. Now it’s my turn. You better hope this place allows you to stay with your fake dependency problem. Because when you get out, you’re going to be homeless, broke, and alone. My memory is long and detailed. I’m in the mood to share and have nothing to hide. The reputation you’ve spent your life building is ashes. That’s a riveting exposé.”

She hits a nerve because Tasha’s lunging. Poppy sidesteps and spins out of the way.

Tasha goes flying, crumbling down with a thud. There’s a sickening crack and blood spurts from her nose. She lifts her hand and screams when her wrist hangs limply. “You bitch!”

“One last thing. When you turned tricks with your therapist to get access to a phone, it makes you a whore.”

There’s a stunned silence in the crowd as Poppy delivers the last blow with a dismissive flick of her hand.

The silence is short-lived when a buzz of shock and disbelief trickles through the room.

I follow my wife, eyes aimed at her ass as she sashays confidently out of the building.

“Winging it works well for her. Guess that is how you got her to marry you,” Jackson cites proudly.

“Winging it works well."

“You have a lovely family.” Karen steps up to the railing, keeping several feet between us.

My eyes stay glued to Poppy, who’s in the yard with Marco and the kids, fawning over Mom’s horses. The woman never ceases to take my breath away, and today is no exception.

This morning, Mom arranged for a personal stylist to come to the house at Poppy’s request. I spent the time with Marco, Grady, Dad, and a political advisor discussing strategy.

When she walked out, it took every modicum of control and restraint not to take her directly to the shed. Fucking stunning. So breathtaking my heart stopped. It took me back in time to that bar in Vegas and the moment my eyes landed on her. Her rainbow-colored waves have returned, but instead of a crown of flowers, she had an ornately jeweled accessory placed on her head. Skin-tight jeans, spiked leather boots with some sort of fringe, an oversized white sweater exposing both shoulders, and she’s dripping in her favorite vibrant jewelry.

Mesmerizing.

Truly a gypsy goddess.

“We got lucky with the pleasant weather today,” Karen speaks again.

I glance at her, taking in her polished appearance. She may outwardly look the part of First Lady of Virginia, but her eyes speak volumes. She’s betrayed and broken, lost now that her crafted world has blown up at the hands of the daughter she stood beside.

“My family is great, and the South Carolina weather cooperated. Is that really why you felt the desire to approach me?” It’s all but a snarl, but my disgust for this woman is too great to mask.

“This is an uncomfortable situation, I thought maybe we could talk.”

“About what? How my wife took part in a two-hour interview, reliving her last decade, revealing her identity, and somehow spun that shit to make you and Marco look like decent people? She took that spotlight off of your family dysfunction.”

“Caitlyn was very generous. I hope to give her my gratitude if she’ll speak to me.”

Generous? She was a fucking angel of mercy toward Marco and Karen. Natasha Bindel didn’t fare so well. Her world of lies and years of influence have imploded. Poppy didn’t hold back. She tore Tasha apart but did it in true Poppy way, which means it was classy.

“Piece of advice, her name is Poppy.”

She reels, pain flickering in her gaze. “Of course, old habit of calling her the name I gave her.”

“Lady, give up the act. You’ve known who she was for years. Everyone knows that.”

“I left her alone, fulfilled my promise.”

“Do you expect an speck of respect for that?”

“No, but I’m not this horrible person I’ve been painted to be.”

“You cheated on your husband repeatedly, influenced him to run for office because you were bored, empowered your malicious daughter, while watching your other daughter struggle, and fell into a life of lies and deceit. That’s more than being a horrible person.”

“Evin, know this isn’t easy for me.”

“Then go home. No one’s keeping you here.”

“I have no home.” Her voice breaks.

“Marco’s not kicking you out of the mansion. He’s sticking beside you until the time in office is over.”