Page 234 of Beyond the Temptation: Vol 2

“I’m Amber Manning. Marcus’s wife.”

“Ex,” I cough loudly enough that others notice us. More clearly, I state, “Ex-wife. And you changed your last name back to Clemons the day the divorce went through.”

“Oh, Marky, don’t be like that.”

“Seriously, Amber. What. Do. You. Want?”

“It’s just been so long since I’ve seen you. I’ve missed you.”

I laugh. I can’t help it. And the more I laugh, the angrier Amber gets. “Bullshit.”

“Well, if you weren’t hanging out with…” she pauses and looks Delia up and down, “this, you might be able to see what we had.”

Before she’s even finished speaking, I’m halfway out of my seat. Delia looks at me, shaking her head, and I sit back down.

“Oh, Peaches. You think I haven’t met your kind before? That I haven’t dealt with your kind before? Oh, you poor thing.”

If I didn’t know Delia was terrified of confrontations, I might not notice the way her hands shake on the tabletop or the way her pulse is racing in her neck. I wonder if this assertive, takes no shit, Delia is part of the new her. I don’t hate it, that’s for sure.

Delia continues after a deep inhale, “See, I know what jealousy looks like, and you’re wearing it like a fucking outfit. Is this the first time you’ve seen Mr. Manning here out with a woman who isn’t you? Maybe you should have thought about how that would feel before you started sleeping around on him before the ink was dry.”

“Who are you? What the hell do you think you know?” Amber spits out.

“I know everything that goes on in this town. I might not be from here, but I hear everything. And I pay attention. Maybe you should stop worrying about what this,” she motions between the two of us, “is and start worrying about what that,” she points to the man she shacked up with as soon as I was out of the home, “is really doing when you think he’s at work.”

“You bitch,” Amber snaps, raising her hand.

I’m out of my seat before I can even think about it, grasping Amber’s wrist over her head. “I’d think long and hard about your next move,” I speak calmly and quietly.

“Ow, that hurts. Marcus, you’re hurting me.” She looks around at everyone staring at us. Everyone except her man, who has his face in his phone.

“Sweetie, I’d do a lot more than stop your arm from moving if I were him! I’d have already put the cuffs on you for even thinking about it!” Pam, one of our EMTs, yells.

“Everyone in here is watching you make a fool of yourself,” I tell her in my lowest voice so only the three of us can hear. “I’m well within my rights as an officer of the law to arrest you for attempted assault, and there isn’t anyone in here that wouldn’t back me up. You chose your path. You chose another man, another life. Now you get to live with that choice. Get the fuck out of here.”

I drop her wrist, standing between Delia and Amber, and narrow my eyes.

“You’ll regret this,” she screeches before whipping around and walking back to her table. Sandy is there with their check and an order to leave.

I don’t move from my spot, standing guard until Amber has left, only turning to look at Delia when she’s gone. Delia’s staring at the table, curled in with her arms wrapped around herself. What happened to the badass that was just here?

“Delia?” I quietly ask. When she doesn’t respond, I gently place my fingers on her shoulder, which makes her jump. “Hey, sorry. It’s alright. She’s gone. You’re okay.”

She refuses to make eye contact with me, but I can see the tears in her eyes and I want to burn the world down and take out anyone who has ever hurt her. My need to protect this woman takes over my entire being. Mine echoes in my head.

“I…I have to go,” Delia says softly. If I weren’t paying such close attention, I would have missed it.

“Del—”

“I have to go,” she states louder. “I have to go right now. Please.” She finally meets my eyes on that last word, and the fear in them is almost tangible. I can smell it in the air and taste it on my tongue.

Sandy and Pam both appear at my side, one with food in a to-go bag, the other helping her out of the booth.

“I got her.” Pam nods to me. “I’ll make sure she gets home.”

“Thanks.”

I watch as the women leave, sliding back into my seat.

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