Page 121 of Lush

I grew more exhausted with each step.

“Want a drink?” he asked once we were inside, while loosening his tie.

I nodded.

Reese headed into the kitchen. I replayed my conversation with Harold.

What the hell was going on? One answer just led to another question. It felt like one of those never-ending handkerchief magic tricks.

The blackmailer hadn’t made a move in the past week.

So far, we’d looked into Miles. Tobias. Blair. Harold.Dante.

It all kept coming back to themayor.

He had always been ambitious—too ambitious, maybe. But to play us all like this? He and Mama had a deal. A deal I didn’t know shit about. But to align himself with my family, tocozy up to my mother, and then turn on her? That didn’t add up either. What was his endgame?

Reese’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You okay?” he called from the kitchen.

“Yeah,” I muttered, strolling to the windows, fingers brushing the smooth leather couch. Dark cliffs met a black, endless ocean.

The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. So Dante was involved in the blackmail, right? Then why the delay?

A quiet click, then smooth music started playing.

Harold, Toby, Blair, Mama—round and round we went.

I found the latch to the patio and stepped outside.

All of this needed to be over. Done.

My hands clutched the wrought-iron railing as I looked out.

I felt this huge sense of dread; it was like we were waiting for the other shoe to drop. I turned to see Reese, clearing his throat, holding two glasses, sleeves rolled up, showing off his arms.

“You seem thoughtful.”

I paused, our fingers brushing as I took a drink. That whiskey was strong, but it felt good going down. “We’re married.”

“We are.”

My wedding ring was proof that we had made it through everything. We were married now. He was my husband.

“I’m all yours, Laurene.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I grinned.

“What happens next?” I finally managed.

“We handle whatever comes,” he said. “Together.”

There were so many layers to this. So many things still hidden.

“Reese—”

“Whatever it was with Harold,” he said, “let’s leave that for another day.”

He swallowed hard, gently putting his glass down.

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