Deadly Rivalry (Hardy Brothers Security Book 17) by Lily Harper Hart

– only your losers are slutbags.”
    James made a sound akin to a cat in heat. “That was bitchy, wife.”
    “It wasn’t bitchy,” Mandy clarified. “I don’t like Madeline. You’re mine. I’m not going to share you, so she needs to move along.”
    James snickered. “You’re starting to sound like me,” he said, tickling her ribs. “You don’t have to worry about Madeline. I stuck Jake with her and he should be finishing up over the next few days.”
    “That means she’s going to get more and more dangerous.”
    James stilled. “What do you mean?”
    “James, I know women,” Mandy explained. “Madeline has been playing a game from the start. She might not have known you were married – although I find that hard to believe because I’m positive she Googled you – but she knew what she was doing when she approached us that first night at the benefit.
    “I made the mistake that night, though,” she continued. “I was feeling … exposed … and I decided to take a step back because I was afraid I would overreact and smack the crap out of her. That gave her an opening and she used it.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “You were distracted because you were worried about me,” Mandy answered. “You needed something easy and a day spa fit the bill. You could shove it off on Jake and your brothers and clear your schedule to continue worrying about me.”
    “You’re pretty smart, wife. I shouldn’t have done it, though.”
    “It’s done,” Mandy said, her pragmatic side taking over. “Now we have to deal with the fallout. If her job really is going to be finished this week, that means she’s going to put the full-court press on you.”
    “Nice sports analogy.”
    “I know,” Mandy said, resting her head against his. “She’s going to do something a whole lot worse than stalking us at an art fair or interrupting a lunch. She’s going to do something ten times worse than interrupting us during sex.”
    “How did you know she was following us at the art fair?” James asked, his heart dropping.
    “I know you better than you think and I noticed you were tense,” Mandy replied. “I saw her and the show she was putting on. I didn’t want to say anything and ruin our day.”
    “That’s why I didn’t want to say anything either.”
    “I know,” Mandy said. “I need you to promise me that you won’t put yourself in a situation where she can manipulate either one of us. I know you would never cheat on me, but she’s going to attempt to set up another scenario like that first lunch.
    “She’s going to figure out a way to get you alone and then make sure I find out about it,” she continued. “Please, I know you can’t make any guarantees, but I don’t want to see it even if I know it isn’t real. It’s going to hurt no matter what.”
    James gripped the back of Mandy’s neck and rubbed his thumb against her cheek. “It’s going to be okay.”
    “I hope so.” Mandy started to pull away, but James stopped her.
    “Nothing is more important to me than you, Mandy. It’s going to be okay.”
    “I trust you.”
    “I love you,” James said. “Now get moving. You’re going to be late if you’re not careful, and I still have one rooster move to do. It needs water, so I was saving it for this morning.”
    Mandy giggled. “Cluck, cluck.”
    “No, wife. Cock-a-doodle-doo.”

    “ S ON OF A … .”
    James stared at his phone and willed the text message to change three hours later. To absolutely no one’s surprise, it didn’t.
    “What’s going on?” Jake asked, sauntering into the office.
    “Oh, I’m so relieved you’re here,” James said, grabbing Jake’s arm and giving it a good shake. “Thank you.”
    “I’m confused what you’re thanking me for,” Jake said.
    “Madeline just texted and has an ‘emergency spa security issue.’” James used exaggerated air quotes so Jake would realize how irritated he was. “She demanded that I show up for lunch in downtown