I frown. “You’re related to Harlan?”
“Harlan Calhoun?” he says slowly. “I’m his nephew.”
Paige’s eyes widen, but before I can say anything, she puts her hand on my chest and coughs. Then waves at the suit. “This is my ex, Marcus. Marcus, this is…”
She pauses like she isn’t sure what to say.
“Her husband,”I add as I put my arm around her petite shoulders.
It’s dipshit’s turn to eyeball us. He stares at us for at least thirty seconds. Then the idiot bursts out laughing. He laughs so hard, he has to wipe his eyes. Then he smiles at Paige like she’s a tasty treat. “You almost had me there.” He chuckles. “I brought your mail. Your stepmother said you were here.” He glances at me, then turns to Paige. “Listen, I feel bad about how we ended things. Let me take you to lunch and make it up to you. I miss you, gorgeous. I’m getting a bigger apartment, so you can move back in with me if you want.”
“The fuck she’s moving back in with you,” I growl.
Still sporting that stupid smile, he has the balls to pull her to the side. “Whatever, man.” He turns to her and lowers his voice as though I can’t hear him from three feet away. “Paige, I know I wasn’t very attentive these last few months, but I was busy at work. You know how demanding my job is. I just don’t have the energy to hang out like you want sometimes. When I get home, I just want to chill. Watch TV. Kill a few zombies on my PlayStation. Have dinner. Maybe fuck.”
I’m gonna kill him.
I’m not sure how it happens, but next thing I know, I have his pretty white shirt balled up in my fist and his neck pressed to the door. “Listen, motherfucker, Paige ain’t interested in your half-assed attempts at being a good boyfriend.”
“Rhett, let him go.” She tugs on my arm and gives me a pointed look. “He’s Harlan’s nephew,” she hisses.
Shit. She’s right. It takes everything in me to unclench my fist, but not before I grit out, “She’s not gonna fuck you anymore, Marcus, becauseshe’s my wife.”
When I let go, he staggers. “What, you’re serious?” His gaze shifts between me and Paige.
“Do I look like I’m fucking joking?” I could kill this little weasel and bury him in the backyard. Doubtful anyone would miss him.
His shit-eating smile finally disappears, and now he genuinely looks upset. “Paige? We broke up a week ago.”
I pin him back to the wall. “She broke up with youtwoweeks ago. Now get the fuck out of my house.”
When I shove him loose, Paige’s eyes are saucers. Shit. I hope I’m not scaring her. I’m not usually a violent guy. But when a stranger waltzes into my house and talks to my wife like she’s his personal sex toy, I feel at liberty to let him know he crossed a goddamn line.
He wobbles to one side, then the other. When he regains his equilibrium, he reaches into his man bag and tosses a bunch of envelopes on the floor. “Fuck y’all. She’s not worth this shit.” Then he scurries off like a rat back to the sewer.
When the door slams behind him, I expect Paige to read me the riot act. Instead, she grabs my hand. “Are you okay? I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know he was coming here. I would’ve warned you.”
The concern in her eyes makes me frown. “Sweetheart, you don’t owe me any apologies. You can have anyone over at any time. This is your house now. But I would definitely appreciate a heads-up about any ex-boyfriends so I don’t blow my top when they look like they want to slurp you up like a tasty treat.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t believe you almost beat up Harlan’s nephew.”
“Who almost beat up Harlan’s nephew?” Beau appears in the back door.
Paige points at me. “The Hulk here.”
I smirk. “Let the record show that I held back.”
She rolls her eyes as she crosses the room. I follow her and lean against the kitchen counter and tug her to my chest. “Sorry, wildflower. Didn’t mean to rough up your ex.”
She sighs. “I didn’t know Harlan was his uncle. They have different last names. And I thought Marcus’s family lived in Dallas.”
“Harlan spends a lot of time up there.”
“It makes me realize how little effort Marcus put into our relationship. I remember telling him where I grew up, but he was playing a video game at the time, so I guess it went in one ear and out the other. Because wouldn’t he have said, hey, I have family there too?”
I tuck her hair behind her ear. “He’s a dumbass.”
Beau reaches into the fridge. “What if he says something to Harlan? Do we need to be worried?”
