Page 21 of His Vengeful Tradwife

"IfIwas ever lucky enough to be married to you,Iwouldn't even look at another woman," James said, and I couldn't help laughing at the look on Maverick's face as he glared at his coworker.

"Get the fuck out of my house--" he said through gritted teeth, but I grabbed James by the arm and waltzed him into the office, slamming the door in Maverick’s face.

"Nonsense! Let's go in here so we won't be disturbed."

I began to go over my investments and finances with James and tried to ignore the fight I could hear between Maverick and Amanda. It was only a few minutes later that I heard the front door slam shut and heavy breathing as Maverick paced outside the door.

"Go watch the kids!" I yelled at him.

"If I hear you doinganythingwith him," Maverick roared, "I will break this fucking door down, do you understand me, Tallulah Laurent?"

"Who the fuck is Tallulah Laurent?" I snapped, kicking the door to vent my feelings. "Please address me as Tallulah Martin, my maiden name."

Maverick's unhinged growling was practically taking the door off the hinges, so I determined to ignore all of his provocation and take as long as I could to finish my legal consultation.

Since it was pissing my ex off, I didn't let James out until I was good and ready, and I was sure to have my hand on his arm when I opened the door. Maverick pounced on James as soon as I did.

"If I see you in my home again, I will wring your goddamn neck," he threatened.

James glanced in the other room, seeing the kids eating ice cream at the dinner table, and grinned cheekily.

"Thanks for a lovely time," he said. "I'm hoping we can meet soon on a morepersonallevel, Tallulah. Now that you're free."

At that, Maverick grabbed James by the collar and carried him bodily from the room, the shorter man swinging in the air and ineffectively trying to kick my husband.

All in all, a very successful day.

I planned my revenge that week even as Maverick was constantly underfoot.

"Why don't you go over to Amanda's apartment?" I demanded one evening when I could barely turn around in my kitchen without running into him. "You were very happy to sneak away there after work before, so why are you home every day at 5:06 pm sharp now?"

"I want to keep an eye on you," he said. "Make sure you aren't bringing guys over here."

I smirked to myself. Maverick followed me like an angry, jealous panther.

And I'd have to be blind not to notice that he was horny and angry as fuck. He would love nothing more than to take me angrily. It was how we had always solved our rare fights in the past, screwing each other for hours until we were lying, sweatyand sated, on the bed, then laughing at nothing and forgetting what we were mad about.

"We should go on a double date with Amanda and Austin," I said, prepping the maple and mustard glaze for my pork chops and trying not to look at him beside me.

Maverick's face flushed, and he glared at me.

"I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Ithink it's agreatidea," I countered. "After all, in time he might be the kids' new stepdad."

The angry breath Maverick sucked in sent all the curls flying around my face.

"You are not going to marry that jackass," he said, moving behind me so that one hand gripped the counter on either side of me, so close that his legs brushed the back of mine. The veins stood out in his big arms.

"I might," I said merrily, although my heart was pounding a little bit at his proximity, the furious heat that rolled off him. "Mrs. Austin Gregory. That sounds good."

I held out my left hand, twisting it this way and that. "I might just get a tattoo ring this time. A cursiveAwould look amazing. It'll bepermanent, like my second marriage."

I whirled around, forcing my voice to remain calm, glad as fuck that I was wearing a bra, because before he cheated I couldn't have been able to resist the way he was standing, looming over me with that intense laser focus energy.

"This time," I said, my voice like steel, "I'll make a smarter choice."

Maverick struck like a snake, wrapping his hand around my waist and yanking me closer so that my body was smashed up against his.

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