I mean, he always wore cargo pants. And I knew he was a commando. He’d been in on Evie’s rescue the first time she got kidnapped (that one without all the girls) and Evie said there were smoke bombs and tackling involved. Not to mention, he’d charged after Ryn when she was taken, I was there as yet to be abducted, and I heard the gunshots he was exchanging myself.

So he left it in little doubt he took his masculinity very seriously.

But acting possessive and like the wronged man when he’d only kissed me once and he did it when he had a girlfriend?

(Okay, I participated in that, and encouraged it, and that was very wrong, until I understood what was up with him and the woman he was seeing, but I didn’t have a boyfriend.)

Seriously, after he broke into my studio and was a jerk to me, then I got a nasty call when he stormed out, I could phone whoever I wanted.

Right?

Before I could share my thoughts on this, Axl’s attention returned to me.

“So, official. My job in this,” he cut a hand between him and me, “is done. You want it? You’re up.”

And with that, but no explanation to what that meant, he walked right through my gate and the entire deck shook when he slammed it behind him.

For long moments, both Brett and I stood there silent, staring at the door.

Then for longer moments, we did the same.

After those moments were over, I turned to him.

“You’re a guy. What on earth was that?” I asked, tossing my hand toward the gate.

“Quiet, sweetheart,” Brett said in a voice I’d never heard.

Instantly, I got quiet.

I also belatedly took in the look on his face as he continued to stare at the gate.

And when I did, I decided to give him as much time as he wanted.

He didn’t take a lot of it before he rearranged his face (slightly) and turned to me.

“Now that I’m not in danger of getting my knife, hunting that motherfucker down and teaching him a lesson…”

Eek!

“…as a guy, I can tell you that he’s in it so deep with you, he can’t fuckin’ see straight.”

At that, I threw up both hands and reminded him (again), “He has a girlfriend!”

“I’ll be expending some effort today in finding the veracity of that statement.”

My body jolted.

“You don’t think he has a girlfriend?”

“You’re my girl to look after. I been doing that. This situation was not moving forward, so I had my ear to the ground, eyes I always got lookin’ checkin’ things out. He spends time with a woman. Until now, I thought she was a place keeper.”

Uh-oh.