Page 157 of On The Rocks

“She almost ran you off the road.” I followed her down the steps into the living room.

“Okay, so if she’s going after me then what happens if you go? Did you think about that?” She came at me, driving me back steps until I fell onto the couch. “You don’t get to treat me like the helpless little girl. I’ve been fighting my way through life since I was born, ace. Some bitch that can’t handle her crazy isn’t going to be the one to take me out. Not when I finally found you.” Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, ripping into me.

“Darlin’...”I stood, and this time, she stumbled away from me, right into Baron.

He caught her. “Okay, let’s just calm down and think.”

Lennon paced away toward the records, resting her forehead against one of the shelves. “I’m sorry, Baron. You don’t need to see us fighting.” She turned around and rested her hip against the shelves, crossing her arms. The cool Lennon that I met my first day at the orchard was right there.

Not the one that I’d fallen in love with.

Not the one who was soft and warm with me.

I tunneled my fingers through my hair, gripping tight until my scalp sang. “Irene hasn’t come at me. Not really. That doesn’t make sense. Maybe we’re just overreacting here.”

“Irene never takes accountability for any mistake she makes. Remember how she made it look like you were the one that took advantage of her?” Baron stuffed his hands into his front pockets. “If I’d had my head on straight, I would have known what she was trying to do. You never played her games. Ever. It drove her crazy that you were immune.”

“Immuneisn’t the word,” I muttered. “She was a viper when she didn’t get her way. I wasn’t stepping into any of that mess, no matter how hard she tried to seduce me.”

“Because she doesn’t care who she hurts, man. She fucked with me and Marc all the damn time. Worse than you even know.”

Lennon pushed off the shelves and crossed to us. “Why did you guys stay?”

“I thought I loved her.” Baron sat on the couch. “When she was happy, she was a miracle. But the minute she was bored or didn’t get her way…” He shrugged. “It was like she was a different person.”

“Maybe she was,” Lennon said quietly. “From everything you’re saying, she’s a narcissist. I’ve known plenty of them in my field. Damn, they can be charming.”

“That’s her,” Baron said, then he put his head in his hands.

I squeezed his shoulder. “She played us for years. You and Marc got the brunt of it, but I was no better. I just stayed out of the way.”

“Because you weren’t led by your dick like we were.”

I glanced at Lennon. “I know what it’s like to want someone beyond sense.”

“We aren’t like her.” Lennon put her hands on her hips. “We’re our own brand of fucked-up, but we aren’t that. Get it out of your head.”

Baron peered up at me. “You definitely don’t deserve her, but I’m glad you found her.”

“Thanks, man.”

He sagged against the back of the couch. “I drove from Manhattan. I’m fucking beat.”

“You have somewhere to stay? I’m sure I can get you a room at the Lodge.”

“I was going to go to a hotel.”

“No. And we are keeping you around until we figure out what we’re going to do about Irene.” I pulled out my phone. “Just a second.”

Lennon sat next to him, and they spoke softly.

I walked to the kitchen, hitting send on the way.

“The Lodge, this is Cara, how may I help you?”

“Hey, Cara, it’s Griffin.”

“Oh, hey. How are you? We haven’t seen you around lately.”

---