And with that, he lifted a long-fingered, veined, humongous hand, gave me a salute, and disappeared behind the door.

His last declaration was lost on me.

The one before it had all my attention.

Tanner briefed me. I’m all over the church lady.

Tanner briefed me…

Tanner…

Merry had shared. Merry had promised right to my face he wouldn’t tell a soul, and he’d shared. He’d told Tanner. Tanner had enlisted Ryker. Now they all knew and they were all up in my shit.

With intent, not allowing myself a moment to think better of it, I reached back and yanked out my phone.

I was shaking, I was so pissed, but I still managed to fire it up and get to my texts.

I found Merry, my last text to him hovering unanswered on the string.

Using both my thumbs, they flew over the screen.

Talked to Ryker. He’s been briefed by Tanner. He’s all over the church lady.

I was so pissed, I hit send before I was done.

That means you broke your promise to me. Right to my face, you promised. You lied.

I hit send again, even though I was still far from done.

You know what that means, Merry. You shared my shit. That means we’re over in every way we can be over.

I hit send right when my phone started ringing.

I declined the call and finished up.

DONE, I typed and sent, my phone telling me that Merry was calling again. I declined that too.

Then I went in and blocked a second number that day.

I shoved my phone in my pocket and, with wooden movements, walked on my spike heels around the bar.

The door opened and our first customer came in.

That meant I did one of the few things I was really good at doing.

I hid the shit of my life, burying it down deep, plastered a cocky smile on my face, and called out a greeting.

* * * * *

Garrett

Garrett took the steps up to Tanner’s office two at a time.

He slammed the door at the top, entering the reception area, and stalked to Tanner’s office off the side.

His friend was standing by his desk, his eyes narrowed and on Garrett the minute he cleared the inner door.

“Jesus, brother, like that door the way it is. What the fuck?” he asked irately.

“Set Ryker on Cher’s shit,” Garrett ground out.

Tanner’s chin jerked back before he confirmed, “Yeah. The deal I was workin’ with him got sorted this weekend. Like Ryker, next day he comes in bitchin’ about bein’ bored. Learned things can be not good if he doesn’t have some action, seein’ as he’s got no problem drummin’ up action, and I don’t have any action that I can involve him in. So I set him on Cher’s shit.”

Garrett lifted a hand and jabbed a finger Tanner’s way, not giving that first shit that his friend’s face changed, showing exactly how much he didn’t like that.