by Lexi Blake
Serena put a hand on her arm. “It’s all right. He’s only going to talk to her.”
Ally hoped she looked absolutely nothing like she felt. She felt like picking up a chair and bashing it over Princess Elise’s blonde head. Instead, she simply shrugged. “Of course.”
She noticed Jake and Big Tag walking out of the kitchen. They each had a beer in hand and each man was carrying a tiny infant girl. It looked like Charlotte was still out shopping. They sat at a table across the room from Macon and his former bride, but they didn’t even try to hide their curiosity.
“Kala, this is what’s called drama. This is what we live for, baby girl.” Ian tipped his beer back. “Way better than TV.”
Jake frowned and looked down at his identically dressed infant. “How do you know which one is which?”
“A father always knows,” Big Tag said. “Also, I marked this one with a Sharpie. See, it looks like a tiny mole right behind her ear. That’s Kala.”
Serena gasped. “Ian Taggart, that’s horrible.”
He shrugged. “Nah, what’s horrible is I’m trying to figure out a way to make it permanent. Is it illegal to tattoo a baby?”
“Yes,” Serena and Ally managed to say at the same time.
Big Tag shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s not like I’m putting a skull and crossbones on her. It’s a miniscule dot so neither one of these girls can pull one over on the old man.” He pointed to the baby in Jake’s arms. “Yeah, I’m looking at you, Kenz. I see how you roll over and try to pretend to be Kala. I’m not blind. Daddy sees everything. Including how you look at that Tristan kid. Stay away from him.”
“Ian, she’s eight weeks old,” Serena pointed out. “Tristan recently turned one. I hardly think they’re planning to date.”
“Yeah, well, it’s never too early to start. I know what your boy’s going to think. He’s going to think Mom didn’t have to pick, why should I, and then suddenly my sweet baby girls are in some weirdo relationship where they have to worship the boy.”
Jake flipped him off but smiled down at Kenzie. “Don’t listen to your father. Tristan’s going to be a gentleman. Ooo, what do you think she said?”
Macon’s hands were in fists on the table, his back ramrod straight.
Finally he was showing a little anger. She could deal with anger.
“It’s all right,” Serena said, giving her a half hug as they watched the table. “He’s going to tell her to go any minute now and then everything will be right back to normal.”
“I have to be reasonable.” Ally said the words as though saying them would calm her. They didn’t really.
“Oh, what’s the fun in that?” Big Tag asked.
“Ignore him. He lives for this kind of thing,” Serena said, glaring at the big guy. “There’s absolutely no reason to get upset. He didn’t invite her here.”
“But he knew she was probably on her way,” Jake said.
“What?” That was completely news to her.
Jake winced, like he knew he’d screwed up. “Sorry. Uhm, Adam told him on Sunday that it was a distinct possibility, but I don’t think Macon really gave a damn.”
He’d known for days that his ex-wife might show up and he hadn’t mentioned it? Was he happy to see her? Was the whole angry thing only for show? Maybe he wanted to have the upper hand. Elise was right. They had been together for most of their adult life, though Macon had been in combat for a good portion of their marriage. Did he want to give it another shot?
“He certainly doesn’t care about her anymore,” Jake said quickly. “I’m sure of that.”
“Well, it sure looks like she cares about him,” Big Tag said. He bounced his daughter gently as she gurgled up at him and tugged on his shirt. “That, baby girl, is what we guys call manipulation. You see when a woman wants a man to do something, sometimes she strokes his hand like she’s stroking another part of his anatomy he really wants stroked. She often doesn’t really go through with this, but some guys are dumbasses.”
Sure enough, Elise had a hand on Macon’s arms, stroking from his elbow down to the wrist. She held his hand in hers and the free hand kept stroking as she spoke. Even from where Ally stood she could see the crocodile tears clinging beautifully to Elise’s high cheekbones.
“Still, reason and rationality will win the day,” Serena said.
Her hands were shaking with anger. What right did that woman have to come in here and try to take her man? Macon was hers. He damn straight better be because she was the one he humped like fifteen times a day. She’d been worried she was going to walk funny after his crazy “try it” play session the night before. Had Elise been the one who let him play with a butt plug? Nope. That had been her. Had Elise let him tie her up and torture her with his tongue for what had to be an hour? Definitely not.
But Serena was right. She had to be calm. “I will talk to him about it after she leaves. Then we can sit down and have a good chat about why she came here.”
“Oh, I think she came here to try to sleep with your man, Jones,” Big Tag said.
“Stop,” Jake nagged.
“Come on. Tell me you don’t want to see what happens when her inner redneck makes an appearance. Ain’t no redneck like a Georgia redneck. Her accent’s already gotten deeper. Look at the way her hands have that slight shake to them. She’s thinking about killing Miss New York,” Taggart explained. “I’m going to lay a hundred on Georgia there.”
Jake shook his head. “I’d be stupid to take that bet. Ally could take that plastic Barbie doll down in a heartbeat.”
“She’s not going to because she doesn’t have to,” Serena insisted. “She’s the lady in this scenario and she’s very secure in her relationship.”
Nope. She really wasn’t. Macon was gorgeous and well educated and he’d come from money. Oh, he might not have a lot of it now, but a man like Macon wouldn’t be down for too long. Wouldn’t he want a sophisticated wife like Elise by his side?
Elise moved her chair to be closer to him. It didn’t take a lip reader to see she was telling him she was sorry and she thought she deserved a second chance. No. They deserved a second chance. That was the way a woman like Elise would play it.
Elise reached up and brushed back his hair.
And Ally was done.
“Thank god. Go for it, Georgia,” Big Tag said as she strode back over to the table.
She wasn’t going for anything, but she deserved some respect. “Hi, I’m assuming Macon hasn’t explained things, but I would really appreciate it if you would not touch my boyfriend in such an intimate way.”
There. That was polite. That wasn’t slamming a fist in her face. It was good. She was a Southern Belle. Not a crazed redneck.
Macon had turned and one brow arched over his face. “I did mention you, baby. You need to stay calm. You have nothing to be jealous over.”
Elise rolled her eyes. “You should leave and let me and Macon work this out.” She turned back to Macon, her hand right back over his. “Macon, I forgive you for leading that waitress person on. I understand.”
“That’s very mature of you,” Macon replied, dragging his hand back. “You should probably stop now.”
“I blame myself. I was so upset over what happened to you overseas. You lost your leg, Macon. Do you know how hard that was on me?” She reached down and touched his leg and then pulled back, distaste evident.
“Yeah, that’s the one,” Macon drawled.
She moved her hand to the whole leg. “I think we should give it another shot.”
“I am going to shoot you if you don’t get your hand off his leg. Both of them. Don’t you ever touch his stump again, lady. That is mine and I will lose my shit if you put a hand on it.” All of her life she’d been told she had her daddy’s temper. Well, she was going to try really hard not to kill anyone, but she might be fighting a losing a battle.
Macon turned slightly, his eyes finding hers. “Baby, I really can handle this. Why don’t you go and finish
up the Napoleons? They need a glaze. You know how to do that.”
He’d been teaching her, patiently going over every step and letting her mess up entire batches so she could learn. She was about to nod and go and finish up. When Macon used that tone, he liked to be obeyed. He didn’t use it very often. For the most part, he was incredibly indulgent. He never said a word when she yelled at him to hurry up or moaned about the fact that he left his towels all over the floor. He simply picked them up and apologized and kissed her. So he wasn’t the crazed-Alpha, you-must-obey-me-at-all-costs Dom. And she could be the reasonable, trusting girlfriend.
She managed to get a few steps toward the kitchen when she turned to look at Macon one last time. She trusted him. She believed in him. If he said he could handle this, then he would.
That was when Elise smirked her way. “Yes, why don’t you go and finish up in the kitchen while my husband handles me. He handles me quite well.”
Macon opened his mouth to say something, and that was when Elise leaned over and planted her lips on his.
“Take it.” Serena pushed an umbrella her way. It had been sitting near the coat rack in the lobby, so Ally knew her friend had walked back to get it. “Time for reason is over. Kill the bitch.”
Macon managed to move out of Elise’s arms, but Ally had had enough. It was time to stake her claim and let the Elises of the world understand what happened when she tried to take a Georgia girl’s man.
Ally held the umbrella like a baseball bat and managed to see Elise through a haze of red mist that seemed to have filtered into the room. “I told you to get your hands off him.”
Elise finally seemed to give a damn. She jumped back. “Macon, tell your crazy girlfriend to lay off.”
Macon stood up and sighed. “Yeah, I think we’re past that now. Don’t kill her, baby. Taggart, I’ll take one of those beers. If she can flame out on my ex-wife, I can have a single beer.”
“Feel free.” Macon could have a six-pack and not scare her. They had moved past that particular trigger. He was probably a very affectionate drunk. “I will take care of this situation.” She focused all her attention on the woman who’d had a hand on her man. “Get out now and don’t you dare come back.”
Elise took a step toward the lobby. “Macon, you need to protect me.”
Macon was sitting down with Big Tag and had that long overdue beer in his hand. “I already gave a leg for my country, Elise. I’m all out of protection for anyone I’m not actively fucking. Unfortunately, you’re up against the crazy lady I am screwing on a regular basis, so you’re on your own. Ally, you know we’re going to have a long talk after this is done, right?”
He was going to require a short period of complete obedience and she would give it to him. She brought the umbrella down on the table right in front of Elise, glorying in the way she jumped.
“The next time that’s going to be your head,” Ally vowed.
“You pathetic piece of trash. You can’t keep him,” Elise said with a snarl. She held her handbag up like it was protection. “When he wakes up he’s going to realize he needs a woman with some class, someone he can be proud of.”
The words cut, but she wasn’t about to let that show to Elise Miles. God, she was jealous. She hated the fact that the woman still had his name. How could he have married this cold woman? Except that Elise was right and he needed someone well bred, someone who could move through society properly.
“Out,” Ally yelled and she realized she had more than a small audience now. She turned slightly and saw that Chef Taggart, Eric, and the rest of the crew had come out of the kitchen and were actively watching the scene being performed in front of them.
Yeah, she was making quite the impression, but she couldn’t back down now. If she was about to get fired, she was going to make sure there was a damn good reason behind it. She marched on Elise.
Those five-inch heels could really move when they wanted to. Elise hauled her skinny ass toward the front door.
“Macon!” Elise shouted, her arms out as though they could protect her. “Macon, please.”
“It pleases Macon to not have anything to do with you.” Macon yawned and tipped back his beer. “We’re divorced. We’re going to stay that way. Go back to New York. Find some other rich idiot to take care of you. The bank’s closed here. I’m a working man now.”
“If you would talk to your father,” Elise pleaded.
Ally was done talking. She swung the umbrella, narrowly missing the blonde, but then she’d planned it that way.
Elise screamed and Taggart shouted out something about a swing and a miss.
Ally chased the lovely Elise right out onto the street. The minute she could, she locked the door. That woman wasn’t getting back in.
“And stay out. You aren’t welcome at Top.” She turned, her hands still on the umbrella.
Big Tag and Jake clapped, but they weren’t the only ones. She looked over and the entire kitchen staff plus Deena, Tiffany, and Jenni were cheering her on. Thank god.
Chef Taggart gave her a thumbs-up. “Way to take out the trash, Ally.”
But Macon frowned her way. He stood as she walked back into the dining room. “Chef’s office. Now.”
“Back to work. We’ve got dinner soon. And Miles, I’ll handle the glaze, but you better clean up after yourself, if you know what I mean,” Chef said.
She turned again, well aware her trouble was just starting.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Macon closed the door behind him without looking over at Ally. He wasn’t angry, but he needed to make a few things plain to her. She’d put herself in harm’s way. She could still be there. Elise’s father was a lawyer. He wouldn’t be surprised if Ally didn’t find herself being served papers in the next few weeks. They would deal with it, but things would have been infinitely simpler if she’d done as he’d asked her to.
The door locked with an audible snick.
“Macon, are you mad at me?” Now she managed a soft voice, her accent coming out like sweet syrup.
He crossed over to the closet where he knew damn well Sean kept some necessary items. By telling him to “clean up” after himself, Sean had been giving him permission to use his office for the very necessary disciplining of his submissive.
He was about to find out if she could really handle what he needed her to. Being with Allyson had made it clear to him this was absolutely what he wanted.
“No, but we’re going to have a talk about what it means to be a couple.” Ah, there it was. A nice long length of jute. He pulled it out.
Her eyes widened at the sight, but she didn’t protest. “I didn’t like the way she touched you. She didn’t have the right to kiss you.”
He unrolled the rope, getting a feel for it. “You’re right. She didn’t and I can’t tell you how good your possessiveness makes me feel, baby. I want this to work both ways. I’m never going to like another man looking at you, much less actually laying a hand on you. Take off your clothes.”
“What? I thought we were talking.”
“Yes, we’re going to talk with you naked.”
“And the rope?”
“Naked and tied up,” he clarified.
She sighed but started to work out of the T-shirt she was wearing. She dragged it over her head and folded it before unclasping the bra she really didn’t need to wear. Those breasts were two of the perkiest, prettiest things he’d ever seen. It was a shame to bind them up. “I know I lost my temper, but she kissed you.”
And that had driven his sweet girl absolutely insane. She’d been right. She really had lost her shit and now everyone at Top knew Macon had a girl who would defend his honor against all threats. “Now the pants. And I understand, but I could have handled it. I’m worried you’ve opened a nice-sized can of worms.”
She folded the jeans and stood in front of him completely naked, her hands on her hips as she glared up at him. “I’m not apologizing, Macon. She touched your leg.”
He couldn
’t help but chuckle about that. He would bet she’d been more pissed about Elise’s hand on his quarter leg than she’d been about the kiss. “I understand, but it would have been better for you if you’d done as I asked. Her father is a highly litigious man. He lives for nuisance lawsuits. She’s very likely on the phone with him right now.”
She shrugged, tossing her hair back in her sassy way. “Bring it on. I seriously doubt she’s going to find it worth her while. I don’t have any money. Besides, I didn’t even hit her.”
He felt bad about explaining the full situation to her, but she needed to understand he hadn’t given the order for his health. He’d actually loved watching her go a little crazy. She’d wielded that damn umbrella like a deadly weapon. It had been satisfying to see Elise duck and run.
“Sean didn’t hit her either, but she could potentially sue Top.”
The color drained from her face. “I didn’t think about that.”
“Yes, I realize that, but I did and that’s why I requested you go into the kitchen and let me handle things. Were you worried I was going to cheat on you?”
Tears filled those perfect eyes, and it took everything he had not to scoop her up and hold her close. “No. I didn’t think you would cheat. If you were going to go with her, you would have broken it off with me first. Did I really get the restaurant in trouble?”
At least she trusted him. He was still worried she’d taken Elise’s words to heart. The woman had always known how to get under an opponent’s skin. It was her superpower. “I don’t know, but we’ll handle it. There were plenty of witnesses who will likely say you behaved in an appropriate manner, but that’s not the point. I won’t ever put my foot down unless it’s important, Allyson. We have to figure out how we’ll work as a couple, but I can tell you when I finally do put that foot down, I expect to be obeyed. Did you understand what I wanted you to do?”
She sniffled, but he was pleased with how comfortable she was with her nudity. The first few times he’d required her to chuck her clothes, she’d been self-conscious, but it seemed she’d gotten the idea that he appreciated her body. “Yes. I knew what you wanted and I knew what would happen if I didn’t. I knew you would need a session. I didn’t know you kept rope lying around though. That was a surprise.”
