“Hi Marcus,” Jaylah says, her voice a tiny squeak. “I know it’s taken a while, but I wanted to come by and, ah, thank you for what you did.”

Marcus’s eyes flash to her. Damn.

“No need to do that,” he rumbles.

“Of course there is,” Jaylah protests. “You saved my life.”

His eyes hold hers, dangerous. “No problem.”

Then he turns to me. “My office, ten.”

With that, he walks away.

I know why Jaylah is thanking him. A little bit back, Marcus was visiting Mack at the hospital and saw her getting dragged off by some psycho. He saved her life, going in after her and bringing her back. It was sweet. I turn to the girls and their faces are all slightly . . . freaked. Marcus does that to people.

“Sorry about him.” I laugh nervously. “He can be slightly, ah, broody.”

Santana grins. “I bet he likes to spank the bacon?”

My face lights up. “He most certainly does.”

We all burst out laughing again.

I like these girls. A lot.

~*~*~*~

I spend the next few minutes chatting with the girls, and after twenty I realize I was meant to be in Marcus’s office. Excusing myself and saying goodbye to them, promising to catch up again, I rush off. Candy tags me just as I reach the office space and spins me into her. “Candy, I’m . . .”

“So, that girl that just walked in.”

Huh.

“Over there, Kat,” she says, jerking her head.

I turn and glance at the reception desk. There’s a beautiful woman, and I mean beautiful, standing at the desk. She’s got long, red hair and dazzling green eyes. She’s tall, slender, and so damned feminine it burns.

“What about her?”

“She was one of Marcus’s regulars.”

Ouch.

“Really, Candy?” I hiss. “And I needed to know that because?”

“Because she’s here to see him.”

I shrug. “Good for her. He’s married to me.”

She crosses her arms in a huff. “You’re a crappy wife.”

I laugh loudly, unable to stop it. “I am not.”

“Are so. You’re meant to get jealous.”

“Well, I’m not.”

Lie. I so was.

“Fine, we’ll see . . .”

I grin at her and she returns it, then I turn and rush out. I make it to Marcus’s office just as the door opens and he steps out. He’s angry; I can see it right away. His eyes flash to me and I grin up at him. His anger doesn’t scare me anymore—he’s always broody, and if I’m not happy and bubbly then we simply clash. It’s better this way.

“Sorry, I was talking to those girls and got sidetracked. They’re amazing, and—”

“I said ten minutes, Katia,” he growls.

I snap my mouth shut. He leans in close, his lips brushing my ear. “When I say ten minutes, I don’t mean half an hour.”

“I had guests,” I protest.

His arm curls around my waist and he holds me close to him, not in a sexy, oh-my-God kind of way, but in a possessive, controlling kind of way.

“Next time there’ll be consequences.”

I stiffen. I hate broody Marcus.

“You had guests. I’m not going to be rude.”

He leans back and stares down at me, his eyes burning. He opens his mouth to speak but a pretty feminine voice rings out, “Marcus?”

Great. Ginger Barbie just saw him.

“Your girlfriend is here,” I chirp.

His eyes flash to her, his jaw tics, and then he glares at me.

“Later, honey.”

With that, I curl out of his arms, chuckling lightly as I walk back to Candy’s room. She snatches me back in and gasps. “What was that?”

“What?”

“You just told him his girlfriend is here!”

“Stop eavesdropping, Candy.”

“That woman is fine.”

I throw my hands on my hips. “And I’m not?”

She turns to me, opening and closing her mouth.

“Candy!”

“Of course you are,” she stammers. “But she’s . . .”

I turn and see Ginger Barbie curling her fingers around my husband’s arm. Jealousy burns low in my belly, but I suck it back down. He’s glaring at her, full and ugly. If it weren’t for that glare, I’d probably run out there and dropkick her right in the fanny.

“Look at the glare he’s giving her,” I point out.

She nods. “You’re right about that. He looks like he’s going to spit on her.”

I laugh, staring at my husband. “That wouldn’t surprise me.”

CHAPTER 4

THEN

Marcus

She’s perfect.

Not only is she a knockout, she’s got a stable job. The best part, she’s struggling. My plan will work; it will work because I’m sure she’d do anything she could to get the lifestyle required to help her mother. Including falling for, and marrying, someone who supports her. Call me selfish, go ahead.

It’s not selfish; it’s smart.

A win-win, really.

I open the door to my Mercedes, and she slides onto the leather seat. Her short, red dress rides up her creamy thighs, showing me a hint of what’s beneath. Katia is one hell of a babe. I don’t get women who look like her often; most of them are fake with their blond hair and double-D plastic tits. Not her; no, she’s as natural as they come. Thick blond hair, the most dazzling eyes I’ve ever fuckin’ seen and a tiny, tight body that’s definitely not enhanced.