“You’re frightening,” Logan muttered.
“You’re bloody brilliant!” I exclaimed. “God, I’d hug ye if I didn’t reak.”
“I appreciate the offer.” She grinned, but it faded as she met Cannon’s gaze. “You don’t approve?”
“You want me to approve the fact that you just prostituted yourself to get a tape?” He slammed his water down on the counter.
“Cannon—” I warned, but the lass didn’t flinch.
She marched right up to him in her heels and glared. “I agreed to play golf with him, Cannon. That’s all.”
“Sounded like he wanted a lot more than that.”
“Well, he probably does, but he’s not going to get it. He’s been sniffing around since junior high. That’s why I’m bringing my dad. He won’t put up with that nonsense. He never has. Put those big muscles of yours away and use that big brain, instead. He has something I want. I have something he thinks he wants. It all works out in Connell’s favor. And if I’m willing to spend an afternoon in that wretch’s tedious company, what business is it of yours?” She had to brush a handful of really long blonde hair back over her shoulder, ruining a little of her tirade.
He folded his arms across his chest, and I didn’t miss the way her eyes followed the movement.
Oh, fuck. This wasn’t good.
“It’s not,” Cannon confirmed.
“Goo—”
“I know he’s here!” A shriek erupted from the hallway.
“Fuck me,” Logan muttered and started walking that way.
“Drinks and a show,” Langley mumbled as she headed for the fridge.
“What the hell are you doing here, Blaire?” Logan snapped.
“I need to talk to you!” She shouted loud enough to make me flinch. “I tracked your phone—”
“You what? Look, I said everything I needed to. We’re done. Over. Finished. You told my friend’s girl to make up some shit about him and post it for revenge?”
She suggested what exactly? My eyes went huge, but that shot was still warming my belly, dulling my judgment, so I sat my happy ass there.
“I told her to take her power! You guys have everything, and you just expect us to bow and scrape for you and be happy for whatever scraps you leave!” She jabbed him in the chest.
“What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t expect anything from you! I gave you everything I had—”
“Not your heart! If I had that, you never would have broken up with me just because I gave a girl advice.”
“You don’t want my heart. You want my name and my face, and my social media following. I just wanted you...and now I’m not sure why.”
Damn. Harsh.
“Oh, grow up, Logan. Everyone uses everyone. You wanted a doting girlfriend, so I gave that to you. I needed a platform boost, and you gave it to me.” She pointed at Langley. “She used her marriage to boost her career.”
“Excuse me?” Langley retorted.
“She got knocked up and now gets NHL rate child support and a fucking ring.” She motioned toward Echo.
“Oh, honey, if you only knew.” Echo shook her head and slid back onto the barstool next to mine.
“It’s getting very daytime talk show in here,” I muttered.
“You were the one who told him!” Blaire shouted at Echo.
“Yep. Zero guilt over that one. A man should know when he’s in bed with a snake.” She shrugged.
Blaire’s jaw dropped, and her head swung, no doubt looking for another victim. “And you,” she seethed at Persephone. “Perfect, Persephone-fucking-VanDoren. What the hell would you know about wanting a god damned thing when everything you’ve ever wanted has been—”
“No.” Cannon moved in front of Sephie, blocking her completely from Blaire. She looked up at him and quickly back-stepped.
“You need to leave, Blaire.” Logan pointed toward the door. “Harass me again—harass my friends again, and I’ll get a restraining order. Take your Birkus bag and your hundred-thousand followers and get out.”
“Birkin bag,” she corrected him with a crazed look in her eyes. “I belong here, Logan. We can be good for each other! I can get you endorsements and—”
“Get. Out.” His words were soft, but final.
“You’ll see what a big mistake this all is,” she tried again, her voice gentling.
“Get. Out.” He repeated.
She took one last look at us—even Sephie where she peered around Cannon’s chest, she was that small—and nodded. Then she turned and walked out.
We all sighed as the door clicked shut.
“Fuck, I hate women,” Logan snapped.
“Hey!” Langley, Echo, and Sephie all protested like they’d been scripted.
“Not all women.” His shoulders sagged. “Just the ones like that. Swear to God the next woman I date won’t even know I’m damned Reaper.”
Cannon moved, taking his original position at the counter.
“Thank you,” she told him.
“It’s not a crime to have what you’ve always wanted,” he answered with a shrug. “Just a waste if you don’t appreciate it.”
“I never said I have everything I’ve ever wanted. She presumed. Don’t make the same mistake.” She cleared her throat and faced me. “Okay, back to the original problem. Richard just texted. He’s getting the tape tonight. Hopefully we can stop the bogus story from printing which solves Langley’s problem, but if you give the tape to Annabelle, maybe it will solve your problem, too.”