Page 17 of Callan

“How do you know he’s her husband?”

Oh, are we back to that again?

“You know that too.”

His eyes drill into mine.

“I wasn’t talking about myself. How doyouknow that?”

“I don’t. But frankly, it’s not that hard to guess. You and her get together at a certain hour. Listening to you fucking her drives me up the wall.”

Oops.

Too much information?

My gaze slips from his face like a dead snake.

He moves his hand from my waist to my face and tilts it to his liking so he can meet my eyes.

A faint smile adorns his lips.

“Because you haven’t had sex in a while,” he says.

“That’s not the reason. And not everybody lives for sex and smooth ice rinks that feel good under the tip of the tongue.”

He bites his lip to crush his amusement.

Although, again, I doubt it’s real.

“Has she brought home other men?” he asks, and I turn to stone.

“What?”

The revolt sweeping through me makes me choke on air.

I push up again.

He grabs me firmly and brings me down.

With unabashed resolve, I sit on his bulge, a small volcano against my skin.

“Do I look like a snitch or something?” I toss at him.

He slightly tips his head to the side, a sarcastic smirk on his lips.

“You just threatened me with going upstairs and blowing my cover. Doesn’t that make you a snitch andextortionistat the same time?”

“Huh? Extortionist? Me? Who would’ve thought?” I say, acting like I’m affected by his words. “That’s rich coming from you. You’re still holding my phone hostage.”

“You took unauthorized pictures of me.”

“Oh, get over it. Who are you? And why are your pictures so important?”

He flashes a sly grin, and this time, I believe it’s real.

“I don’t know. You tell me. You took my pictures. You watched me coming down from her balcony.”

“All right. All right…” I say impetuously, my patience running thin. “First off, Mister… You banged that woman seven days straight. And I had to live through her oohing and humming every time you put your dick in her. It got old after a while. But since I was home doing nothing while waiting for some stupid ass company to call me and let me know if they were willing to offer me a second interview and possibly a job, so I could make coffee and fetch lunch for some obnoxious boss,” I say in abreath, not blinking once. “There was nothing else to do. I barely moved into this building. So, I don’t know much about anyone, including your crush upstairs. I didn’t know there was another male involved. But you sure did, or you wouldn’t have taken so many precautions. So, honestly, I don’t know why you’re so surprised. Or upset. Or even caring if she is seeing other men. You didn’t pick her because of her moral compass.”

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