Page 36 of Prince Charming

“Ignore these assholes, darlin’. They’re trying to be funny.”

“What do you mean?”

“They assume we’re dating, even though I’ve told them more than once we’re not.” He aimed a warning stare to the idiot twins known as Preacher and Grinder, who were geared to pipe in. “They’re fucking around.”

“Oh. I see. I’m sorry, I take a moment to translate English, I don’t always understand certain phrases.” She smiled shyly at Snake.

Now Tag wanted to rip his brother’s head off ‘cause she was smiling at him when he worked so fucking hard for all Marianna’s smiles.

“Sorry, babe.” Snake apologized, “just fucking around with this one.”

“He’s a good friend.” Further hammering all the nails in his coffin.

Though she did it smiling at him, like she meant that shit, so he couldn’t pout too much.

“You’ll learn to ignore whatever comes out of these bikers’ mouths, Marianna.” Winter supplied. “They chatter worse than we do and love teasing each other. As tough as my husband looks, he’s a big softie.”

“Snow queen, don’t be telling all your man’s fucking secrets.” Snake complained, pushing his face into the side of his wife’s throat.

“What did Sofia want, brother?”

It was subtle, and he doubted anyone noticed, but he felt Marianna’s leg stiffen under his hand.

Answering Grinder, he shrugged. “You know Sofia. Same shit, different day.”

She’d only made a beeline for him after seeing him with Marianna.

Now she had her beak out and her claws sharpened.

Because he monitored his ex, ready to step in if she dialed up her crazy stunts, it meant Tag was unaware of another man approaching until…

“Holy fuck, I know you, don’t I?” He aimed his drunken fumes Marianna’s way.

It brought out Tag’s protective instincts as he clocked the jackass salivating over Marianna pressed up against his side.

“Walk on, man.” Warned Rider.

“Yeah, yeah, Rider, I will, got a lotta respect for you. But I saw her, and I recognized you, babe.”

“I don’t think so. I don’t know you.” She answered.

The man swayed in his scruffy jeans. He was a no one. But he was a no one who was frightening Marianna with his sleazy stare, and that shit didn’t fly with him.

“Back the fuck up, chump. No other warning.”

“Last time I saw you, you were getting nailed by a Russian I was working for. Goddamn, he had some class, babe.” The man slaked his tongue over his lips. “Maybe you wanna spend time with me, babe.”

The way a gasp moved through Marianna put fire in Tag as he went on autopilot, grabbing the guy by the throat.

This made all his boys leave their seats.

“You don’t listen so well, do you, asshole? Now I’m gonna have to make sure you do. She said she doesn’t know you;she doesn’t know you,got it?”

After each word, Tag squeezed the guy’s throat until his face turned purple. He was so angry he wanted to drain the life out of him and then piss on his corpse.

Daring to talk to Marianna that way? He had to die.

“You don’t talk to her, you don’t fucking look at her, do you understand? Or I’ll kill you.”

---