The Walls of Jericho by Rudolph Fisher

The fact that Linda had taken the job in Fred Merrit's house as soon as it was available seemed to Shine, like the slap, a mere gesture of defiance, as a matter of fact rather complimentary and encouraging. But the fact that she stubbornly withheld her company and had done so now for two weeks seemed an unnecessary emphasis of her already defined position.

And because it was for him an entirely new experience, for which his knowledge of women contained no therapy, his own futile resentment rendered him daily more and more violent. He worked harder and played harder and knew that nothing ailed him; but with a stubbornness greater than Linda's he refused to admit to himself that the girl had anything at all to do with the change. No mamma in this man's world was tight enough to put it on him.