Tangled Web: A Small Town Romance (The Cortell Brothers Book 6) by Giulia Lagomarsino (an ebook reader txt) 📕

“My feet really are sore,” Kat shrugged pathetically.

“Look, if this is some weak-assed attempt to cheer me up, you’re doing a really shitty job. I’d rather be at home, wallowing in self-pity than have you guys faking pregnancies and ailments that you can’t even decide on!”

I spun around to head for the door just as the overhead bell jingled. I stopped when I came face to face with the very woman I had sent away. She was here, in the flesh, looking just as she did when she left. Only she was fucking pissed, and I was her target. I swallowed hard, trying to figure out what to say.

“Lorelei,” was all that came out.

I was about to freak the fuck out, but then a thought crossed my mind. What if she came back to finish the job? I had ratted her out, and she had to know by now that it was me. If I couldn’t testify, she would be free and clear. There was only one thing to do, play this off as missing her and then run like hell for my life.

“Hey! You’re back!” I said, a grin stretching from ear to ear. “What a great surprise!”

“I’m sure, since you thought I would be in prison.”

You could have heard a pin drop in the room. Everything was still as we squared off. Well, she squared off and I stood there shaking in my boots. I glanced around the room and laughed nervously.

“What?” I said in this weird, squeaky voice as I laughed uncomfortably.

“What’s she talking about?” Mary Anne asked.

“Pshh, I have no idea. What…what are you talking about?”

God, I was fucking nervous as hell.

“I’m talking about you trying to send me to jail for murder.”

Lorelei

All at once, everyone was talking, asking why I would be sent to jail for murder and why Andrew would have any part of it. I figured that at this point everyone knew about it. I guess I was wrong about that. But it didn’t really matter. It wouldn’t be long before everyone was warned about the murderer hiding in their town. Jack and Corduroy would most likely be keeping an eye on me. And even if they weren’t, the tracking anklet I was now sporting would do the work for them. My freedom was essentially stripped.

“Look, I know that you’re probably wondering what that was all about,” Andrew said, his whole body shifting into a protective stance, like I was about to pull out a gun and shoot everyone.

“Really? You think I might wonder why the man I was sleeping with was investigating me?”

He squinted as he thought. “Right, I can see how that would be funny to find out.”

“Funny?” I bit out.

“Well, to some…it might be,” he muttered. “But I had good reason to think you were a murderer.”

“You mean my step-son put you up to it?”

“Your step-son?” Mary Anne gasped. “Why would he do that?”

“Because he hates me, and he’s a greedy bastard.”

“Just how old is this step-son?” Mrs. Cranston asked. “And what does he do?”

“He’s a wealthy pain in my ass that only wants his father’s company.”

“Do you think he’d be up for a few photos for my collection?”

“He’s not that good-looking,” I said in disgust.

She shrugged. “Well, you can’t be too picky when it comes to billionaires.”

The door swung open behind me and Joe rushed in. “Did I miss it? Is it over? I mean…” He cleared his throat and straightened. “Um…is Kat okay? Sofia, are you okay?”

“You’re too late,” Andrew snapped. “The games are over.”

“Yeah, now we get to hear about the evil step-son that’s a billionaire, but apparently not good-looking enough for Mrs. Cranston’s Facebook group. Oh, and also something about Andrew investigating Lorelei,” Mary Anne said excitedly.

“Maybe you want to take this somewhere else?” I said to Andrew. “Someplace more private?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Joe said, moving to stand beside Andrew, a scowl on his face.

I rolled my eyes. They all thought I was here to kill him. “How about we make this a Cortell family event? We can go wherever you want to talk. I just want you to hear my side of the story.”

“I’m pretty sure I already know your side,” Andrew snapped. “It was pretty obvious who you were after you tried to kill me multiple times!”

The door opened behind me and I saw Jack and Corduroy step in out of the corner of my eye.

The whole bakery gasped. “You tried to kill him?”

“When?”

“Do you have any tips? My husband is pissing me off lately.”

“I wouldn’t mention that in front of the police,” another person hissed.

“I think they’d be on my side.”

I cocked my head to the side. “So, what’s it going to be? Do you want to discuss this in front of the whole town or privately?”

“Do it in front of the whole town,” Mary Anne said eagerly. “I’ll send out a Facebook message.”

Andrew stopped Mary Anne before she could run off. “I think Lorelei and I need to talk in private…with my family there, of course.”

I smirked. “Of course, you need witnesses since I’m a psychopath.”

“I never said you were a psychopath. I just thought you were a black widow. Or a serial killer.”

“Right, because there’s a difference,” I muttered, spinning on my heel to walk out. I heard all the groans of the people that were upset that we weren’t having this discussion in front of everyone. I would rather not have the discussion of my life in front of everyone, considering what I had to tell Andrew, but I would do it if that was the only way to talk to him.

Once outside, all of the Cortell brothers followed me out, along with all their girlfriends.

“So, where do you want to do this?”

“Definitely not at your house,” Eric muttered. I glared at him and he shrugged. “Too many places to bury a body. Besides, if we disappeared, who would know?”

“That’s why we’re coming along