Page 8 of Objection

“To tell me someone beat Mario up last night.”

“Oh shit,” she muttered, setting her phone down on the island. “What happened?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but I know how I can find out.”

I pulled up Kaos’s contact and dialed his cell number. When he answered, I heard loud music in the background.

“Hey,” he answered, and as much as I hated it, his voice made me smile.

Squeezing the back of my neck, I paced the kitchen. “I don’t know why I’m even asking this because I know it’s not possible, but did you attack my ex last night?”

Kaos didn’t respond immediately. A while passed, and I knew he was leaving wherever he was when I no longer heard music in his background.

“Yeah,” he disclosed casually, causing my heart to skip a beat.

“Wait, what? Why would you do that?”

“You told me he wouldn’t stop calling and texting you, so I handled that. Has he called or texted you today?”

My movements stopped as I twisted my mouth to the side. “Well, no but—”

“You’re welcome.”

Scoffing, I pulled my ear from my phone to look at it, as if I could see him. “I’m welcome? Are you insane?”

“Nah. I’m just a man that don’t play about the women in his life, and whether you believe it or not, you at the top of that list.”

My emotions were all over the place. While a part of me was pissed that he’d done something so reckless, another part of me was aroused and flattered. I didn’t know how to express or even process that, so I didn’t bother trying. Instead, I hung up the phone and groaned. As I headed to my bedroom to put on my shoes, I told Nessa, “Forget the jazz club. We’re going to a bar. I need something a hell of a lot stronger than wine.”

Kaos

One Week Later

Even though I’d seen Serenity every day, she called herself giving me the silent treatment unless she absolutely had to talk to me. I missed her. I wasn’t sure why she was mad because I beat her ex’s ass, but apparently, she was. Her anger amused me but I did want to make amends so things could get back to normal between us. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I stood and made my way to her office, which had an open concept across the hall from mine.

She looked good as fuck today in a silk gold dress that hugged every one of her curves. When she saw me, she rolled her eyes and pulled her blazer over her arms, and I laughed.

“You ain’t gotta hide yourself from me,” I told her.

“How can I help you, Mr. Montgomery?” she asked, pecking away on her computer.

“Oh, I’m back to Mister now? Let me find out you like that man and that’s why you’re mad I beat his ass.”

Serenity huffed and tilted her head but avoided my eyes. “I’m mad at you because you took a moment of me venting to you, vulnerably, and used that to cause someone bodily harm.”

“So?” That got her to look up at me, and the slow way in which her head turned caused me to expand. “Were you not upset?”

“Yes.”

“What about me makes you think I’m the kind of man that can know you’re upset and not do anything about it?”

With a sigh, Serenity sat back in her seat and ran her fingers through her hair. “Fine. Just… please. If I’m upset again, can you not automatically resort to violence?”

“No, I can’t. If someone needs to get their ass beat, I’ma give ’em what they deserve . . .especiallyif it’s concerning you.”

Her eyes rolled but she smiled. “You’re crazy, but I think I like it.”

“Good, because I likeyou.”

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