He knew he was in there. He knew why. He knew that was his place to be. Because he knew he deserved to be there.

And this was why he figured he didn’t lose it with her ex-jackhole. From the beginning, the way she was with her ex and the way she was with Joker, it wasn’t a struggle. It was actually easy to check it.

Tack had been right.

Knowing he’d end the day with his cock buried inside her, go to sleep with her weight resting against him, knowing she’d given him that just as he’d earned it, he could keep his cool, mainly because he didn’t want to jack it up by doing something stupid and lose any of that.

Not to mention, Carissa had demonstrated she had sass and not only didn’t take his shit but was capable of shoving it right back.

That didn’t mean the guy wasn’t irritating as fuck and Joker wasn’t concerned about what that asshole intended to put his Carrie through. It just meant Joker didn’t make matters worse for his girl by losing his shit.

He didn’t get into any of that with her.

He said, “Just statin’ his play.”

“I paid the attorneys one hundred and fifty dollars a month. I couldn’t afford it, but that’s the payment plan they would accept. That’s gonna mean a lot to me,” she declared. “And what stinks is, I’ll think of him when I’m paying my bills every month and don’t have to pay that.”

“You’ll think of him for a month, then you’ll quit doin’ it.”

“He’ll make me think of him other ways,” she said.

“Only in ways that irritate the crap outta you.”

“This is true,” she murmured, her eyes again sliding to her boy.

“Baby,” he called and she looked back to him. “It’s done. You got the power to believe that. So make it done.”

“Okay, I’ll make that done because I’m hungry and I’ve cooked tonight and it’s good stuff. But one more thing.”

“What?” he asked.

“Big Petey won’t accept money.”

Joker dropped his hand and leaned back. “Carrie, I told you—”

“I know what you said but that’s unacceptable. He’s refused now three times. So when he put his wallet on the counter yesterday, I put three hundred dollars in it. Today, when I went into the cupboard for some food for Travis, those bills were shoved between the jars.”

Joker started laughing.

“It’s not funny,” she snapped.

“It is,” he replied, still laughing.

“It is not,” she returned.

He quit laughing (slowly) and gave it to her.