Page 56 of His Wild Attraction

“Thanks for taking the message,” I said, tugging off my suit jacket and draping it over one of the kitchen stools.

“Thanks? Did you say thanks?” she asked, and her annoyance suddenly turned into anger.

“Yeah, thanks,” I said, not really sure what I said wrong.

“You’re actually thanking me for taking a message from some woman named Gabby I never even heard you mention?”

“Uhhhh,” I said like the rocket scientist I obviously wasn’t.

“Ellie, I don’t know what to say right now.”

“Fine. Whatever,” she grumbled, then slammed her spatula on the counter.

“Ellie—” I started to explain, but my wife was all worked up.

And fuck, was she cute.

“You know what? Not fine. Not whatever.”

“Ookayyy,” I began, raising my hands like a robbery victim. “Ellie, I am going to need some context here.”

“You want context? I’ll give you context. What else about your life do I have to find out from my friends? And, well, are you cheating on me?”

“What?!” I was stunned.

“Adrik and Marat are your cousins? Like actual cousins? Some woman named Gabby keeps calling for you and apparently, she doesn’t need to leave her number because you have it already. Just how many secrets are you keeping from me?”

My mouth was hanging open as I watched timid, sweet little Ellie tear me a new asshole.

Cheating on her? Was she nuts?

Her eyes were sparkling with anger and annoyance, which was very encouraging, considering I wanted her to fall for me.

But the flash of hurt I saw, even though it lasted a mere second, was too much.

I never wanted to hurt her.

Not ever.

Clearly, we needed to talk.

I just didn’t know if she was going to let me get a word in edgewise.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ELLIE

Stupid dumb lying liar.

Lies of omission were still lies.

I hated feeling like this.

Angry and uncertain. And just plain hurt.

Gary cheated on me, but I never cared. In fact, I was grateful when he had other women. It meant he’d leave me alone.

Not that he ever bothered me much for sex.

Sure, my ego had taken a beating, but I simply assumed it was due to our age difference or preferences in the bedroom. Whatever it was, I never missed sex with Gary.