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“In English, Garrett,” Julian interjected, “his enemy’s ex-partner is now going to be Landon’s wife, and he doesn’t trust her.”
Garrett blinked, shocked. He set the coffee down with a thump. “You were the turtle in that story?”
“Here we go, Mr. Gage.” His assistant, Donna, strode into the room with her arms full of old newspapers. Every piece written on Halifax, every page with Bethany on it. “Some of these date back several years.”
Landon moved toward the pile Donna had just set atop the table and began spreading them out. “Unfortunately, we seem to have snitches,” he told his brothers.
“Seriously?”
“Beth possibly knows their names—she hinted as much. I want to see who’s been rallying for Halifax for some time.” He opened the top sample, skimming for mentions of Beth. He could do this on his computer, he knew. But this was the one thing where Landon was ridiculously old-fashioned—he loved the smell, the feel and the substance of paper.
“Maybe it’s in the little book?” Garrett quipped.
Landon cocked his brow at him. “And maybe Halifax is in fact an idiot? I’d have to be deranged to base my actions on the writings in a book.”
“Why are you marrying her if not for the book?”
Landon was not going to tell them. He continued to skim. “Perhaps I just want a war buddy.”
Garrett let out a bark of laughter. He slapped his back. “Brother, you want another kind of buddy.”
Landon opted for silence.
“Whatever imbecile tracks his own dirt in a book deserves what’s coming to him,” Julian said in disgust.
“They deserve Landon.”
His brothers laughed, and Landon shoved a sheaf of clippings at each of them. “Either get back to work or make yourselves scarce.”
Garrett settled down on a chair and, eyeing him through the top of the open newspaper, said, “Mom wants to know all about her, you know.”
“I’m sure she got a full report from you, Garrett. Julian,” Landon said, knowing his younger brother’s verbiage was almost exclusively reserved for the women, “you talked to your friend in family law?”
“He’ll be here tomorrow. He’s catching a red eye.”
“Good. Garrett, you’re sending out men to cover the engagement party this evening?”
“I got it.”
Landon’s attention honed in on a heading. Halifax’s Wife Caught In Illicit Affair. A picture of Beth exiting the courtroom was followed by a long, detailed analysis of the court hearing. An awful possessiveness fisted him in its grip.
Grimly, he surveyed her picture. Something in her eyes was like a plea, an innocence.
She could be a liar, a trickster, a tease.
And, damn it, Landon still wanted her.
It was that complicated, and that simple.
Last night, as he lay in bed, remembering her, he’d sought reasons for the lust raging through him and had found none. Except that her wild, reckless kiss had promised breath to a dead man.
He was a man.
She was a woman.
He wanted her.
He’d have her.
