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“Look, sorry, but I need to interrupt whatever little monster honeymoon y’all got going on. I need to talk to you… now.”

Willow must have heard something in my tone because she didn’t even make one of her usual smart-ass comments. “Okay, hold on.” She turned back to her temporary husband and patted him lightly on the chest. “Baby, give me a minute. Wifey got family business.”

Frankenstein gave one slow nod.

Then he grunted.

“Urrrgh.”

I paused.

Willow paused too.

The man didn’t crack a smile.

I frowned. “Is he serious?”

Willow pressed her lips together, clearly fighting laughter. “He been doing this shit ever since we got married.”

Another low grunt came from him.

I stared at Willow. “So you don’t even know what his real voice sounds like?”

“Nope.” She shrugged. “But he’s tall, fine under all that green paint, and so far he agrees with everything I say. This might be the healthiest relationship I’ve ever had. We might get married for real.”

Under different circumstances, I would have laughed my ass off, but Chalis was still standing in my house.

“Willow, seriously. Come with me.”

That finally wiped the amusement from her face.

“Stay right here, husband,” she told Frankenstein. “Don’t let no other bitch try to claim you while I’m gone.”

He straightened his shoulders and gave her another obedient grunt. “Urrrgh.”

Willow nodded approvingly. “See? Communication. That’s all I’ve ever asked for in a man.”

I grabbed her arm and angled her toward the foyer. “Girl, come on!”

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Willow, I know damn well you didn’t invite Chalis.”

“What?”

“Chalis is in my fucking house.”

Her entire expression shifted as she searched past me. The moment she found him, her eyes widened.

“Oh, hell no!”

“Exactly. How the hell did he even know about the party?”

“Well, this is a talkative ass town, but I swear I didn’t invite his ass.”

And I believed her.

She took another look in his direction and noticed the men surrounding him. “And he brought his weak ass boys with him?”