Page 68 of Heathen

"On second thought," she says a few seconds later as I'm pulling things from the fridge. "I'm going to swim laps in the pool."

The scrape of her stool echoes around the room, but her footsteps are too light for me to hear them as she makes a hasty escape.

"You're a fucking idiot," Rooster mutters. "That was not the way to handle that."

"What?" I ask, still working on making breakfast.

"You know what, unless you don't. Then I'm just really sad for you."

I don't bother feeding into whatever conversation it is he wants to have, but, of course, that doesn't stop him from continuing.

"Are you really that stupid when it comes to women?"

I turn to face him, anger making my left eye twitch uncontrollably.

"What could you possibly know about women? The only interaction you get is what you pay for online."

His lips form a flat line. "There's nothing wrong with online dating, but we're not talking about me."

"We're not talking about me either," I mutter and turn my attention back to the carton of eggs.

"How hard would it have been to tell her that you just want to make sure she's fed? Or that you like feeding her? Hell, you could've said something about wanting to watch her stick things in her mouth."

"Watch it," I growl as I spin back around to face him, seconds away from knocking his head off.

"That," he says, pointing to me as if I just proved his point. "You care for her."

"She's my wife," I say through clenched teeth.

"You married her to save her from trouble," he reminds. "At least that's what your story is."

"That's what happened."

"Yet," he says, pointing back to the now empty stool. "You walked in here and claimed that woman like a caveman. I had to clear my throat because you were getting dangerously close to pulling her fucking clothes off."

"I wouldn't do that," I argue.

"Not knowing how close you were proves my point. You're insane about that woman, and anyone within a mile of you two knows it. Why act like a dick five seconds after kissing her silly?"

I grind my teeth together, hating to be so transparent to anyone when I'm supposed to be keeping my cool with this entire situation.

"She's not up for discussion," I mutter, once again turning back to the carton of eggs I no longer feel like cooking. "Thesooner we can take down Dima and his crew of merry criminals, the sooner I can get back to my life."

It feels wrong to say the words, but I know they have to be said. A couple of erotic interactions and a long conversation don't create a situation where we make plans to spend the rest of our lives together. The sooner I realize that the better it will be for all of us.

"We should just go to the warehouse and shut them down," I say as I place the eggs back into the fridge, my stomach now in knots so tight I'd never be able to eat.

"You know we can't do that," he says, as if he's always been the voice of reason. "The fact that he's helping women find love is a gray area. Without proof that they're being coerced or threatened to be there, it's not a case that will hold up in court."

"Kaylee is proof that they're being threatened," I argue.

Rooster holds up both of his hands, making me realize that what he's going to say next will do nothing but piss me off.

"You're a reasonable man," he begins. "So don't take this the wrong way."

"There isn't a single conversation in the world that begins like that which doesn't anger someone," I say, warning in my tone.

"Yet, some things have to be said. So just listen." His throat works on a swallow before he trudges forward. "Kaylee Rhodes seems like—"

---