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“So, this is the guy you told me about?” Mr. James—er, Andy—glares at her.
“Yes.” Her voice is steady.
I didn’t realize just how toxic their relationship was. Yeah, I know he started this open relationship bullshit, but had I known he was this much of a fucking bodach, I wouldn’t have just been enjoying time with her. I would have made her mine. Only mine.
“Obviously, this is going to need to end. You can’t continue fucking my boss?—”
He doesn’t get the chance to finish that shitty thought, and before I can stop myself, my hand is wrapped around his throat. I shove him back into my office against the wall, Hadley hot on my heels, a soft shriek at my outburst escaping her lips.
“You willnotspeak to her that way. I don’t care if you are her husband or not. You haven’t been around for a month. You haven’t seen what your request has done to her,” I grind out, my lip curling in disgust.
I’m not even shocked at the venomous snarl that is coloring my words.
“Furthermore, whether she and I have a relationship is up to us. Not you. Do. You. Understand. Me?”
I enunciate each word of the last sentence with a bit of added pressure to his throat, the words not a question so much as a statement. Because there is no question. Whether he likes it or not, until she tells me she can’t be with me, I will not walk away. Maybe not even then.
After a weak nod of his head, I pull my hand from his throat, taking a step back to give myself some space.
Turning to Hadley, I pause, my voice coming out much calmer. “Tá brón orm. Are you okay, a mhuirnín?”
“Yes, I’m fine, baby.” Her sweet smile tells me everything I need in this moment.
We’re okay.
“Baby?” Andy scoffs.
The spark that ignites is palpable.
Hadley gives him a glare that would have me on my ass. “Andy, I love you, but I don’t know who you’ve become over the last six months. What I do know is that you are not the man I married.Youare the one who wanted this. You are the one who said you needed ‘a well-rounded life experience,’ so I gave in. I said okay. Now that I’m seeing someone, you do not get to dictate who that person is. I didn’t tell you not to sleep withNaomi. I’ve even tried to make conversation to see how that experience was going for you, but you’ve shut me out. So, quite honestly, I don’t want to hear it.”
I stand to the side, my eyes on Hadley and mouth agape. Holy shite, a fired-up Hadley is hot as fuck.
Her intense gaze softens when she meets mine. “Are we still on for lunch?”
“Yes, mo stór.” I place my hand on the small of her back and lead her out of my office.
We enter the restaurant after a ten-minute walk through the city streets. She has been in her head the entire time. When we finally take a seat in the booth, I sit across from her.
“Are you truly okay?” My heart is aching waiting for the response.
“Honestly?” She shrugs. “I’m pissed off, but I’m not going to allow that to damper my time with you.”
She grabs my hand across the table and squeezes gently, as though she’s trying to convince us both that she’s okay.
I don’t bring it up again. We continue our lunch as though our relationship hasn’t just been thrown in a fucking blender because of my job. Not to mention the fact that I absolutely assaulted one of my employees, and said employee is her fucking husband. That’s going to look fantastic with HR, icing on the fucking cake.
“Would you like another drink, ma’am?” asks our waiter, who, in my opinion, has been entirely too friendly with her for my liking.
I glare up at the young man, who is completely oblivious. He’s lost in that enchantment I know so well, the allure that is Hadley. However, my mantra plays on a loop.
She. Is. Mine.
It’s on repeat in my mind. I know it’s not necessarily the truth at the moment, but that’s where my brain is currently living.
“We’re fine,” I interrupt before she can respond.
I’m being an overprotective prick right now, and I know it. I just don’t care.
