"Someone came to see me while you were away."
"Really? Who?"
Swallowing the pills, she took a long drink.
"Bianca Sterling, the actress."
He frowned at her. "Why the hell would she come to see you?"
"To warn that you would be going back to her when you and I are through. She was very dramatic, in her Chanel suit and fur coat. I told her to get the hell out of my store and not to come back unless she was a paying customer." She lifted a brow when she saw him grinning.
"What?"
"You told her that?"
"Of course I did."
"I would have paid good money to be a fly on the wall." He took the glass from her and put it on the end table. "What did she say?"
"She left. She wanted to slap me. As a matter of fact, she started-" She stuttered off at the ominous look on his face.
"Did she touch you?" His tone was icy and had shivers sliding up and down her spine.
"No. Of course not. I wouldn't just stand there-"
"Did she threaten you?" he asked, tawny eyes flinty.
"She did. But- Brant, what are you doing?" He had lunged to his feet and was taking out his phone.
Ignoring her, he called up a number.
"I can take care of myself."
"No one threatens you," he said coldly. "Bianca. Yes, it's been a long time. You visited my wife at her store." He listened for a moment. "She said you threatened her. What we had was over a very long time ago, and you need to back the hell off. If you ever confront her like that again, I will make you very sorry." He listened another few seconds. "That movie you're currently hoping to be part of? I happen to be very close friends with the producer. Am I making myself clear?" He listened again. "Goodbye."
She sat there staring at him, her heart pounding rapidly.
"Are you finished? Would you like something to eat?"
"No, what I would like is an explanation."
"She threatened you."
"I can take care of myself, and she's a skinny ass bitch. I could have taken her."
A smile curved his lips. "I have no doubt on that."
"Still waiting here. The last time we had an interaction, you were very angry with me, and then you just left. Why the change?"
With a resigned sigh, he came and sat next to her. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"No." She shook her head. "You're hot and then cold and then hot. Yesterday and today was-" She shrugged. "You're behaving like a concerned husband."
"I happen to be concerned, and I am your husband."
"In name only," she persisted. She knew she should leave well enough alone, but she could not seem to help herself. "Right?"
He looked away from her and focused on something over her left shoulder. "You want an explanation."