Page 43 of A Smooth Operator

Lani's face went pale, and Marina smirked.

The scent of freesia hit me. I closed my eyes. I knew who was standing behind me.

I turned and saw Echo. She looked beautiful in a yellow summer dress that was striking against her skin. It cupped her beautiful breasts, nipples I had suckled on, breasts I'd fucked. Her hair was soft around her shoulders.

Her eyes shimmered with tears.

I didn't know what to say. I felt small. Disgusting.

David was next to her. "Echo, I'm so sorry you heard that."

Fuck! How long had she been here?

Echo smiled, and I could see the heartbreak in her eyes. "Lani, lose my phone number, yeah? Never ever call me again."

"Echo, we were only jokin' and—"

Echo cut Lani off with a wave. "I may be the help's niece, but y'all are horrible people. I educated myself and am a fuckin' scientist while you, Lani, do fuck all at your daddy's company, same as you, Marina."

She took a step toward me and looked me in the eye. "And you are the worst of all of them. I'm not a leech. I have taken nothin' from y'all or y'all's family. My aunt earned her livin' workin' hard for your parents. I was headhunted by several companies, and I agreed to work for your father's because he asked me to. But don't worry about that; I'm going to quit. I've never taken anything from any of you." Her voice dropped, and only I could hear her when she said, "Can you say the same, Remi?"

She turned around and, with her head held high, walked out of my club.

I felt like I was standing in a war zone, one I had created by setting off a million bombs to crush the kindest and most loving soul I'd ever met.

"Well, that was—," Marina began.

"Shut Up," I bellowed, cutting her off. "David is right, and so is Echo. She's no leech. She's a hardworking, smart woman who has built her own life. Can you say that, Mar, Lani?"

"Take it easy, man," Tommy chimed.

"You need to shut the fuck up, Tommy. And next time you're fucking Mary Anne Coulter, do it somewhere else besides the country club 'cause I and ten other people saw you doin' her." I knew I was out of control, but I didn't care. I was in the wrong here. I was completely in the wrong. I'd hurt an innocent woman because I was a stupid little bitch who was stuck on appearances.

"Tommy?" Lani exclaimed.

I put a hand on David's shoulder. "I'm sorry, David. I'm gonna try to…." What? Fix this? Like it was fixable.

David looked surprised. "You okay, Remi?"

I shook my head. "No, man. I ain't okay. I have to go."

"Where?" David asked.

I ignored the screaming match between Tommy and my sister and Marina's snipes.

"I got to go see Echo."

David frowned.

My eyes filled with tears as I recalled how hurt she was, how I'd hurt her with my words and, if I was honest, my actions. I had wounded her every step of the way because I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. I'd kept her my dirty secret when, all along, she was the most honest relationship I'd ever had.

"You want me to come with you?" David asked, concerned.

I shook my head. "No. I need to go make this right." But he knew just as I did, that I'd never be able to make this right. Echo would never forgive me, never get past this. I couldn't blame her, I didn't deserve her forgiveness or her mercy.

I found Alex by the bar and told him I'd be out for the rest of the night, and he could call me if there was anything urgent.

I then got on my bike and drove to see the woman who I'd just destroyed.

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