Page 164 of Three Reckless Words

I keep staring even after she’s out of sight, waiting for this whole situation to start making sense, and hating that it won’t.

My phone blowsup with voicemails before I reach the office.

All from Dex, weirdly angry, rambling on about some regulatory notice.

What the hell? I listen twice, but I’m way too busy thinking about Rina’s meltdown to really comprehend his message.

The fact that she told me all this shit about the bees and Winnie…

I can’t decide if it’s a huge red flag or a green one, or whether I’d be the crazy asshole to leave Colt alone with her in the future.

When I finally get to Lee’s Summit, still consumed with Rina and Winnie and Colt, Dexter and Patton are waiting in my office.

Pat’s pacing and Dexter stands there like a statue.

Both of them stare at me as I head through the door, right before Dexter slams a thick printout onto the table.

“Explain this,” he demands.

I pick it up and skim the first page.

It’s a notice from the Attorney General’s office, Carroll Emberly III. A legal notice announcing an antitrust probe against Higher Ends. A big old stack of legal bullshit no doubt explaining all the ways Carroll Emberly intends to fuck me very personally by proxy for preventing him from controlling his daughter.

“What the hell?” I flick through the pages, working deeper, even though I can guess what it’s going to say.

A lawsuit.

A dick-shitting lawsuit.

All because I went and pissed off Mr. Big Shot AG by giving Winnie breathing space.

“Holy shit.” Pat resumes pacing when he sees the worried look on my face. He’s usually the more relaxed one, armed with ten dumb jokes, so the fact that he’s this agitated says everything. “Holy fuckingshit,this is bad.”

“Who does he think he is?” Dexter says. “This is bullshit.”

“What are we going to do, guys?” Patton tugs at his hair. “What right does this asshole have to throw this at us?”

I lean against the table and pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to figure out a way we can get around it. Unlike the other two, I have some idea why this is happening.

“If this succeeds, it’s going to be hell to pay,” Dexter fumes. “Do you know how much we could lose? Even if we win, the legal fees alone will drag us down, and it could go on for years.”

“Let’s not get carried away,” I say, holding up a hand. “It’s going to be all right.”

Patton turns on me. “Easy for you to say, Arch. There’s no quick fix for this shit.”

Believe me, I know.

But between Patton and Dexter I’m the calm one, the older brother who’s intelligent and in control. I do my best to play the part, even though the only thing I want to do is rip something apart with my bare hands.

Fuck!

“Listen to me,” I say loudly. To my surprise, they both stop and stare. “We set our legal dogs to work. We’re going to pad our team with as many lawyers as it takes to shoot this down out ofthe gates. We won’t let it get off the ground. You hear me?” I slice my hand through the air. “No way.”

“No way in hell,” Patton repeats.

I shake my head.

The temptation to punch something is almost unbearable.

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