“Our new TV. We earned so much yesterday and today that I wanted to spoil you with gifts. Come look in here.”
When I tugged his hand, he staggered past Archer into the kitchen and watched me open the fridge and freezer doors.
“It’s all healthy food,” I boasted. “All the things you like—including sausages for breakfast and those hash browns you were raving about. I’m making steak and potatoes tonight, and I’ve got homemade brownies for dessert. Do you like pecans? I hope so because I crushed some up and put them in the batter.”
Noah canted his head and touched the sugar canister. Then he noticed the towels and accent rug. “Your friends need to leave. Say goodbye.”
My excitement evaporated at his curt tone. “What do you think?”
“What do I think?” he seethed. “I think you blew a lot of fucking money.”
Joy hustled across the living room with her bag and went out the front door, but Archer planted roots in the kitchen.
Noah strode into the living room and gave an incredulous laugh. He picked up an automotive magazine I’d placed on the table by his chair and flung it across the room.
Archer inched closer to me, and his body went rigid.
I touched his arm. “You need to go.”
Noah swaggered into the kitchen, shouldered past me, and yanked open the fridge. “Yeah, wolf. You need to go.” He popped the lid off a beer and guzzled the whole thing down.
Whenever Noah’s voice got quieter, it was the calm before the storm.
Noah stared daggers at him, the fridge door between them. “Are you the one that pissed on the side of my house?”
My blood ran cold when I saw this was about to escalate. Archer was no match for a tiger, and if Joy came in and got hurt, I would never forgive myself.
I rushed to the front door and held it open. “This is between us. Tell Joy thank you for everything. Please go, Archer.”
Still leaning on the fridge door, Noah parroted, “Please go, Archer,” and cupped his fingers in a childlike wave. “Know your place, wolf.” He stepped aside and slammed the fridge door so hard that the contents knocked around inside.
I rushed up to him, hands on his chest. “Noah, they were just leaving. We can talk about this when they leave. Please don’t start anything. I’m going to make you a nice dinner tonight.”
He raked his teeth across his bottom lip. “You’re the one who started something. You seem to think we have disposable income.”
Archer’s hand touched my back. “Cici, do you need help?”
Noah gave me a sinister grin. “Do you…Cici?”
I knew the moment he heard another man call me by a nickname, his tiger was ready to pounce and rip him apart. Terrified this night would end in bloodshed, I replied, “I’m fine.We’refine. Go home, Archer. This isn’t your business.”
There was a tense standoff.
Finally, Archer said, “If you need anything, call. I mean it.” Then his tone went lethal. “And if you put one fucking hand on her…”
Noah pushed forward, and I used my body as a shield.
“Please justgo,” I said, Noah’s skin vibrating against my fingers.
A moment later, the door closed.
I stepped against the counter and hugged my middle, unable to meet his gaze, terrifiedof his wrath.
He jerked open the fridge and pulled out the remaining beer. “You know what, Cecilia? I had too good a time last night to talk about this right now. After you take all this shit back tomorrow?—”
“I bought it for you, Noah. And I have to work.”
“After you take back all this shittomorrow,” he ground out, “you’ll give me every last dime you made at the store.” Noah slammed the fridge door. “Don’t do that. I don’t want to see one fucking tear. I busted my ass for the past two days and come home to find that you went on a shopping spree and blew a fortune on bullshit! I’m too fucking pissed to deal with your shit right now. Cook my dinner, and I’m gonna sit on the front porch, drink my beer, and cool down.”
