Read Online Stefan (The Marquette Family Book Three) by Tressie Lockwood - Free Book Online Page A

front of him, the older man with slightly thinning hair, who had taken his shoes off and was swigging noisily from a can of beer and sporting an obvious hard-on. He eyeballed Stefan around the can, nervous and sweating but arrogant. A touch overweight but probably still appealing to women, the African American man wore a tailored suit, which said he had money. A lingering scent of cigars wafted from his direction.
    “Who are you?” the man said after he swallowed.
    “Stefan.” He tried to muster a smile but failed. That was a rare occurrence for him. “You?”
    Talicia rushed over to Stefan’s side. “Stefan, this is my business partner, Kevin Williams.”
    Just business, she had said. As far as he knew, Talicia never conducted business at home. Why would she? “Perhaps I’ve interrupted something.”
    “No,” she began.
    “Yes,” the man snapped. “Talicia and I were about to have a little conversation.”
    Stefan raised his eyebrows. “A conversation?”
    Talicia glared at the man. “Kevin, don’t start crap that doesn’t need to be started.”
    “Where’s Tyjon?” Stefan asked.
    “He’s got a date. Anyway, what are you doing back here? You usually disappear longer. Was there something you needed, another booking? Stop by the club and—”
    She must have seen his jaw tighten and let the words die away on her own. He folded his arms over his chest. “I’m more interested in the conversation you and your partner intend to have here at your apartment rather than at the club.”
    The man laughed and shook the empty can. He held it out to Talicia. “Get me another one, would you, baby?”
    “Baby?” Stefan growled.
    Talicia swore. She ignored the can and held up her hands to Stefan. “It’s not what you think, Stefan. He calls every woman baby. The man’s a chauvinist.”
    Kevin cackled. “Damn, Talicia. You know how to cut a man down, but that’s what I like about you. Yeah, I call every woman baby, but you’re special.”
    He sidled over to her and smacked her on the ass. Stefan lost focus for a second, but when he came to himself, he held Kevin up in the air with his feet dangling above the floor. Jerome zipped over to him and touched his arm.
    “Boss, I got this,” Jerome said.
    “No, I do.” Stefan cracked Kevin across the jaw and sent him falling backward to land on the couch. The softness of the cushions might have broken his fall, but the impact of Stefan’s fist knocked him out cold. Stefan spun away from the jackass to face Talicia, and he froze.
    She stood before him with her fists raised, feet spread apart, mouth tight. Her eyes were wide with pain and hurt but also with the same determination he had seen a thousand times. All his anger ebbed away.
    “If you even think about hitting me,” she said through clenched teeth, “I’m going to tell you right now, I can defend myself. I have taken down guys as big as you before.”
    Stefan’s mouth fell open. “I have never nor would I ever hit you. Why would you think that?”
    He saw the tears welling, but she widened her eyes to combat them. Her fists were still high, but they wavered. She swallowed several times.
    “I don’t want to fight you, Stefan, but I will.”
    He sighed. “Jerome, take him out for me.”
    “On it.” Jerome hauled Kevin over his shoulder.
    “Wait a minute,” Talicia cried out. “What are you doing? Stefan, you can’t just waltz into my apartment and do what you want to. Jerome, put him down.”
    In her agitation, she dropped her fists, and Stefan snaked a hand out to grasp her wrist and draw her to him. She struggled in his arms and punched him in the solar plexus. All the breath left his body. He felt like he’d been hit by a prizefighter.
    Stefan gritted his teeth and bore it until the door shut behind Jerome and Kevin. Then he released Talicia. Right away, she put space between them, her anger at an all time high.
    “I don’t like being manhandled.”
    “I’m your husband.”
    “Don’t