My hand came up before I could think better of it. I caught her wrist — not roughly, but firmly enough to make her stop. Her gaze dropped to where I was holding her wrist, then returned to my face.
“Do you really think physical restraint counts as winning an argument?”
“It counts as stopping it.”
Addy inhaled slowly, and I felt her pulse jump under my thumb.
“Are you jealous?”
Kind of, but that wasn’t the point. Why the hell did they deserve muffins?
I gave her a flat look. “Of whom?”
“Them.”
“I’m not jealous of my own fucking men,” I sneered. “They all know you belong to me, not to mention what I’d do to their dicks if they ever dared to touch you.”
She squinted at me, her head cocked to the side. “Youlooka bit jealous.”
“They were talking to you!” I exploded.
I knew how insane I sounded, but I couldn’t help myself. Why did she have to get on so well with everyone she met?
“Everyonetalks to me.”
“That,” I said, tightening my grip just slightly, “is exactly the problem.”
Her lips parted, and I had to fight the urge to kiss her, to show her who she belonged to and who deserved all her pretty smiles.
“You can’t control how people feel about me.”
“No.”
“You don’t get to manage it.”
“Oh, I absolutely do.”
Addy’s free hand gripped my shirt now, fisting in the fabric like she didn’t even realize she was doing it.
“Is it really so bad if they like me? I’m just … talking.”
“You’re altering dynamics.”
“Good.” She shrugged. “Change can be really beneficial.”
I sighed. “You don’t understand the ripple effect.”
“Then explain it to me,” she pleaded softly.
“I just did.”
Now she was glaring again. “No, you threatened and glared at me. That’s not an explanation.”
I crowded her, backing her into the counter. Not violently but firmly enough for her to feel it. Her breath caught and her eyes widened.
“You want an explanation?” I murmured. “Fine. If someone interprets your openness as access and tries to exploit it, I will have to remove them.”
“Remove… them?”