“I’ll give you one thing, boy.” Bull’s voice held a lascivious tone that made Slade’s jaw tic. “You’ve always had fine taste in woman. That one right there is smart as a whip and sexy as sin. Please tell me you’ve tasted that at leastonce.”
Slade squeezed his fists together, shaking with the need to let them fly across the table at Bull. It was only the room full of witnesses that kept him planted in hisseat.
“Bull, I’m going to give you some advice.” Slade leaned closer, his voice dropping lower as he spoke. Slade watched Bull’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as the man swallowed deeply. “You can talk about that tramp that you’re married to like that, but don’t ever let me hear you speak about Mandisa thatway.”
“Seems I’ve touched anerve.”
Bull was right—he had touched a very raw nerve. Mandisa was completely off limits. She wasn’t about to be a casualty of Bull’s senseless destruction. Not on Slade’swatch.
“I never believed you were capable of such depravity until Macy came along. I’m telling you now, I’ve learned from that situation. I’m not some naïve young buck you can step all over anymore, Bull. If you come anywhere near Mandisa, I promise I’ll ruinyou.”
Slade watched the shocked-still features that made up his father’s face. The man’s quick-moving eyes considered Slade carefully—more carefully than Slade had ever witnessed before. Bull could try Slade if he wanted to, but Slade meant every word he’d said. He would decimate Bull if he came anywhere nearMandisa.
Satisfied that his point had been made, Slade stood up, removed his phone from his jacket pocket, and sent off a quick text toAaron.
Send me something quick to end thisnow.
Once the text was sent, Slade replaced the phone in his inside pocket and pulled enough money from his wallet to cover the bill. He didn’t want to owe Bull anything, not even the cost ofdinner.
Resolute in his desire to get as far away from Bull as possible, Slade looked up and directed his sights toward the corridor with one thought resounding in hishead.
Where the hell is mywoman?
* * *
Slade must have been waiting for her to emerge from the restroom. He was standing in the corridor leaning against the wall. When their gazes met, he took a few strides and was at her side. He placed a comforting hand at the small of her spine and directed her toward theexit.
The valet brought Slade’s car to the curb and was rewarded with a generous tip from Slade’s billfold. He helped her into the car and joined her shortly, pulling quickly into traffic. Mandisa said nothing for the hour-long trip from Downtown Austin. She was equally quiet as they entered the house and climbed the stairs to Slade’sbedroom.
She remained quiet, removing her jewelry and clothing, then heading for the shower. When she was dried, wearing shorts and a tank top, her usual uniform for bed before she began sharing night space with Slade, she stood in front of a sitting Slade and crossed herarms.
“So tell me, Slade. Exactly how long have you been sleeping with your father’swife?”
