Page 28 of Vow to Hate You

“Our marriage is business,” she shot back, tugging against my hold. “You have no right to tell me I can’t sleep with anyone when you probably have a woman spread on this desk every fucking weekend.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Is that jealousy I hear?”

A laugh bubbled out of her. “Don’t be ridiculous. Fuck whoever you want, Damian. I’ll be doing the same.”

Letting go of her wrists, I grasped her hips, lifting her onto the desk before pushing her thighs apart to step between them. Her eyes flashed with warning as I leaned over her.

“You are the first woman I’ve had on this desk,” I admitted roughly. “The night you came here, and I brought you on stage? First time I did that too.”

Her frown proved she didn’t believe me. “Sure.”

“Business and pleasure are separate,” I told her. “I don’t mix them. But for my wife? I’ll bend you over this desk right now.” My fingers wrapped around her throat when she attempted to back away from me. “It’s my job as a husband to make sure you’re satisfied in every fucking way. All you need to do is ask, Talie.”

Heat flared in her widening eyes. Her lips pressed together tightly, as if refusing to say what was really going on in her head. But then her gaze cleared, and she gave me an overly sweet smile.

“Satisfy? After our past, I don’t think you’re capable of that. Which is why I’ll find someone to fulfill my needs who I don’t want to strangle.”

I ground my teeth in annoyance, knowing she was doing this to get under my skin. Before I could respond, there was a knock at my door. I glanced over my shoulder to see Rhyett stepping inside. Talie pushed my arm away, and I dropped my hand from her neck as she jumped off the desk.

“Phone call for you,” Rhyett told me. “But I can have them call back if you’re busy?—”

“No,” I interrupted, knowing I needed to get things done before the dinner tonight. “She’s leaving.”

“Hey, Talie,” he greeted her with a wide smile. “It looks like you two are working through your issues.”

“No, we’re not,” she replied dryly. “I’m here because I want to work.”

Rhyett’s jaw dropped. “Work here?”

“It’s not happening,” I snapped. “Can you drive her home? I have things to finish here.”

“I can find my own way home,” she retorted, walking toward the door.

“Aw come on, Talie.” Rhyett threw an arm around her shoulders when she tried going past him. “Let me drive you. We haven’t had time to talk since you’ve been back.”

“I think you said everything when you wouldn’t let me leave the club the first night I was here.”

He grinned sheepishly. “I mean, you kind of deserved it after what you did.”

She went still, her eyes cutting to him. “Me? Have you ever asked Damian what he did to make me leave?”

“I know enough.”

She scoffed, looking at me. “I doubt it.”

My chest tightened as our past crept into my mind. “Go home, Talie. Get ready. We have somewhere to go tonight.”

She threw me a cold smile, making me silently groan. No matter what I did, she was going to fight me. I didn’t blame her, but it wasn’t making either of our lives easier. Being part of business came with our families. Something she knew, even if she didn’t want to do it.

“See you later, husband,” she called out before she and Rhyett left my office.

CHAPTER 12

talie

Sitting on one of the barstools, I took another sip of my red wine before setting the long-stemmed glass back on the granite island. My foot was bouncing, and I kept impatiently shooting glances at the front door. I’d finally read Damian’s text stating that Ihadto go to a dinner with him tonight. Then later he sent me another message when he was on his way, telling me I should get ready.

I wasn’t going to the damn dinner. But I decided to tell him nicely first before fighting about it.

---