“What?” I screech, my eyes scanning the floor for a mouse or something.
“Dress your fucking woman, you asshole!” Manny hollers, while unknown man can’t seem to take his eyes off my ass, even though it’s plastered up against Cain.
“Oh, my God!”
“It sure as shit isn’t, ‘Oh, my God,’ sweetheart. It’s more like, ‘Oh, my fucking God, that chick has one hell of a nice ass,’” Unknown man says.
Cain draws me in tight. His hands spanning my waist territorially.
“Bronzer enough, you pervert. Calla, go,” he orders, squeezing me a bit before pushing me away.
“May I have some coffee first?”
“Fuck, no. And don’t come back out until I say.”
Oh, I am pissed now. Is this how he thinks he is going to talk to me around everyone? Is this how all these rat bastards talk to their wives and girlfriends? Oh, no. Not me. I storm back to the bedroom like a scolded child and plop my ass on the bed. He has five minutes or I’m walking out there with absolutely nothing on and he can shove his bossy male stick up his ass.
Five minutes turns into ten. It’s eight o clock and I’m beyond mad.
Raised voices are heard once again when I creep into the kitchen. All three of them stop talking and look at me like I’m intruding. And I am. I don’t care. None of them have moved from their spots.
“I thought I told you-”
“Stop,” I say, holding my hand up.
“Let me tell you a little something about me, which Manny should know, being that he has followed me around for a few years. You do NOT mess with me and my coffee!” I yell. “I’ve lived off of that stuff for six years. It’s the only thing that I crave, the only thing I need, and you’d better give me a damn cup right the fuck now!”
“Damn, woman. You really are a feisty one,” Unknown man says.
“And you are?”
I turn and face him, knowing full well what his name is. It cracks me up all these nicknames everyone has for each other. Makes me curious to know what they call Cain. I stick my hand out for him to shake.
“Bronzer,” he replies politely, taking my hand into his big one.
“Ah. Nice to meet you. Priscilla is your wife, right?”
He grins at the mention of her name.
“Yeah, she claims me,” he chuckles.
“Great. Is she here by chance? Because you see, my husband here said she would go shopping for me today, and well,” I look down at the t-shirt that has now fallen off my shoulders, baring a lot of skin. “I kind of need some clothes.”
“Calla?” Cain growls my name.
“Yes, dear?” I respond without looking at him, tossing a wink at Bronzer.
“Here.”
A cup of black coffee appears in front of me. The rich aroma sets my nose twitching.
“Thank you,” I say pleasantly.
Manny chuckles. Cain swears and I feel everyone’s eyes on my backside when I leave the room to try and find some paper and pencil to spend a hell of a lot of my darling hubby’s money.
“Have you ever been spanked?”
I cock my head and glare at Cain, who is standing on the threshold of the bedroom. I’m sitting cross-legged on the bed finishing up with my list. I glance at it one more time before I answer him to make sure I have all my sizes down. There’s a big star next to the lingerie shop in Birmingham Hills that I know carries my favorite bras. I stick the pen behind my ear out of habit.
“Are you cross examining me?”
“Cut the smart ass lawyer bullshit. I thought I made myself clear when I told you to respect me in front of others. It’s a shame Bronzer is one of the cool guys and doesn’t treat his wife like shit, because I want nothing better than to turn you over my knee and crack that ass.”
I grind my teeth and shake my head at this fool.
“Look, respect goes both ways. I apologize. Give me a break, would you? I mean, how was I supposed to know you would be having some man meeting in the middle of your kitchen early in the morning?”