Page 116 of Score on You

He sputters. “I drive all this way to fetch her—”

“Gonna stop you there,” I cut in again.

Before I continue, Callie appears at my side. She squares off against her dad. “How did you know where to find her?”

“I don’t have to answer to you, Calliope.”

“Guess again,” I growl.

He looks positively perturbed by my frequent redirection. “I suppose it won’t hurt to reveal my ingenious methods.”

“The fucking ego on this guy,” I mutter. “Your dick must be the size of a Tic Tac. No wonder your wife left you.”

His mouth pinches into a pucker that would be very popular in prison. “As I was saying, I took precautions after Calliope left. I figured her mother might get the same idea, but I made sure she couldn’t get far. Stupid woman is dumb enough to believe that gaudy bauble on her wrist is an actual token of my affection.”

An uncharted level of disgust twists Callie’s features. “You’re tracking her?”

“Have been for over a year now.” The schmuck has the audacity to appear proud.

A shrill noise cuts across the room seconds before Althea chucks the bracelet onto the floor. She stomps on the fake jewelry as if crushing his balls beneath her heel. Satisfaction raises her chin to a haughty tilt when the task is complete.

I nod in approval. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. Who else feels vindicated?”

Callie’s father trembles with barely contained fury. “I can’t believe you’re allowing them to act like this.”

“In case you missed my statement earlier, they’re free to do whatever the fuck they want. You and I aren’t the same.” It’s an offensive slur to my moral code that he assumes otherwise. “Which leads to you taking the hint and showing yourself out. Or I can go with you. We can put an end to this dispute once and for all.”

“I’m not going anywhere without my wife,” he repeats.

My head tilts as a thought occurs to me. “Was there a wedding?”

His expression is dumbfounded. “Huh?”

“Did you exchange vows? Sign a marriage certificate? Make it legitimate?”

“That’s not how—”

“Then she’s not your anything, except maybe by common law. But I doubt you believe in that either.”

“I’ve had enough,” he barks. “Come, Althea. We’re going home.”

“She already said no. Is that word foreign to you? Does she need to repeat herself?”

Althea is trembling like a leaf but she meets his glare. “No.”

“You don’t have a choice.” He launches himself at her, but I have his shirt in my grip before he moves an inch.

I stride toward the door with him in tow. “Excuse me, ladies. It’s time for me to take out the trash.”

He’s fussing and kicking like an insolent toddler the entire trek to the driveway. “You can’t do this.”

I shove him off me. “It was very unfortunate meeting you. Let’s never do it again.”

His beady gaze narrows. “As if I plan to make this a habit.”

“Glad we have an understanding. Not sure where you parked, but I suggest you run for it before I beat you to it.” I make a shooing motion to scurry him along.

“This isn’t the last you’ll hear from me. I’ll be back with reinforcements.”

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