Chapter 14

After they left, I sat in my office in stunned silence. I could not believe Dash had defended Ethan like that. It boggled my mind that he didn't know anything about the real Ethan like I did, and yet, he didn't want him to get the wrong idea?

What utter bullshit.

Fuming as I tried to wrap my head around the reason for his request, I felt my pissed-off-o-meter climbing way into the red. Ethan's professional side was not who he really was at all, and anyone who thought that it was had no idea what they were talking about.

Wasting no time at all, I grabbed my phone and put in a call to the main blog that had been speculating about my relationship with Dash. I'd spoken to the blogger before, and he and I got along reasonably well.

I had no issues setting him straight, and once he ran a new story, the others would follow suit. Not five seconds after I pressed dial, Eli's voice came over the phone and he sounded so shocked that he was slightly breathless.

"Serenity Halverson? Is that really you?"

"It's me, Eli," I confirmed, injecting some friendliness I really wasn't feeling right now into my tone. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he said, suddenly suspicious. "Is this about the article about you and Dash St. Clair?"

"Indeed it is," I replied. "For the record, he and I are not together. His mother chose my company to plan her wedding and he's helping her with some details from the family's side. All it was the other day was him walking me to my car after he'd dropped some papers."

"Okay," he said, not sounding convinced. "The two of you seemed pretty chummy on the pictures."

"We're working together," I said firmly. "It's a purely professional relationship and you can quote me on that. There is no romantic entanglement and we're not a couple, just to be perfectly clear."

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent. Right now, I'm all about business and that's unlikely to change soon."

Grabbing the opportunity to turn this into an interview, Eli took the bait I'd dangled. "All about business? Does that mean you've got new opportunities to join the cast of any of the shows that are rumored to be looking at you?"

Having expected the question, I used it to plug my current business. "Maybe one day I'll look into any opportunities that may present themselves when the time comes, but for now, I'm focused on Miracle in the Making Events."

"That's Ethan Langley's company, isn't it?" He quickly cleared his throat and corrected himself. "I mean, the company you were awarded in the divorce."

I bristled but didn't let it come through in my voice. "My blood, sweat, and tears have gone into making the company what it is today. I wouldn't have been awarded it otherwise."

"Oh, of course," he stammered. "How, uh, how is it going?"

"Extremely well," I said honestly. "The company has been going from strength to strength, and it's really requiring all my focus right now. I'm determined to provide every client with the best service possible, and our attention to detail is really paying off."

He paused for a moment. "We've heard that Abram Fox was trying to convince you to join the cast of his new show about life after divorce. You're saying that neither that, nor the revival is an option for you at the moment?"

"Abram is wonderful and I hope to work with him again someday, but like I said, I'm really tied up at the moment."

"My readers would kill me if I didn't at least try to ask you this," he said cautiously. "If we're not going to be seeing you on a show about life after divorce, do you want to tell me how it's been treating you?"

"Life after divorce?" I asked, not waiting for him to respond before I continued. "Honestly, it's been a big adjustment. Ethan was a huge part of my life for a very long time and it's been a challenge to learn how to rely only on myself again, but ultimately, that chapter is closed and I'm looking forward to seeing what this next one holds for me."

"That's a pretty generic answer," he said, and I sighed quietly. I wouldn't say anything bad about Ethan and I knew that was what he was angling for, but I'd never indulged in mudslinging and I sure wouldn't start now.

Instead of letting him get to me, I chuckled. "That doesn't mean it's not true. I'm finding my feet on my own and ask anyone. That's no easy feat. Ethan and I are now on different paths in our lives and although we had a lot of great times together, we're looking toward the future. I wish him well in any endeavor he takes on and I'm sure he wants the same for me."

"Do you really think so?" he asked, surprised. "Your divorce was pretty recent. Do you harbor any resentment toward him?"

Tons. "Not at all. We were young when we met, and sometimes, even if you don't mean for it to happen, people don't grow together when they get older."

"So diplomatic." He chuckled. "There's really nothing to the story about you and Dash St. Clair?"

"Not a thing." I let out a dramatic sigh. "I just thought I'd set the record straight before these rumors got out of control. I wouldn't want to disappoint any of my fans. I know a lot of them have been rooting for me to find someone new, but right now, that's just not where I'm at. Healing takes time."

"Of course," he said. "Thanks for calling me and for the free interview. It was unexpected, but I appreciate you taking the time to tell your side of the story before it got away from us all."

"I live to serve," I teased. "Thanks, Eli. Have a good one."

"Yeah, you too." He hung up and so did I, relieved that it was done and that he seemed happy to have something new to print.

Julie walked in a few minutes later, closing the office door softly behind her as her gaze met mine. "How did it go? You had that meeting with Diana this morning to tell her about the band, right?"

"Right," I said.

Gosh, had that really been just this morning? I blew out a slow breath, centering my thoughts before I nodded at her. "You were right. She wasn't mad about it at all. Dash, on the other hand, was pretty mad. He would've torn me a new one if it had not been for her interference."

"Well, I'm glad she was here, then," she said, pushing away from the door and striding further into my office. "If she was fine, why do you still look like a hornet in a kicked nest?"

I huffed out a breath. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yep."

Leaning back in my chair, I looked into her eyes, knowing she would understand why this had hurt me so much. "Dash asked me to talk to the media about the rumors that have been circulating about us, but get this. He didn't ask for his own benefit or mine, but because he didn't want Ethan to get the wrong idea. Apparently, Ethan's a realprofessional and he doesn't want to upset him."

She blinked slowly, doing a double-take as she stared back at me. "Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately."

She grimaced, not exactly sticking up for Dash but not nearly as angry at him as I'd have liked her to be. "Well, he doesn't know Ethan any better than anyone else in the world. Few people know the truth about him, but I agree that it shouldn't matter. Either way, you guys are divorced and he shouldn't care if people think you're together."

"I know. Exactly." Feeling vindicated, I started venting and I didn't stop until I got a call from the front desk. Picking up the phone, I checked the time and frowned. "Hello?"

I knew I didn't have any meetings scheduled now and I suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Ms. Halverson? I have Mr. Langley here for you. Should I send him back?"

That bad feeling turned into dread that exploded from my stomach and spread to every inch of my body. "Yes, please. You can send him back."

Julie made her eyes big at me as she mouthed. "Ethan?"

As I hung up the phone, I nodded. "The one and only."

"What does he want?"

"No idea, but he'd better make it fast."

"Do you want me to stay in here with you?"

I shook my head. "You know how he gets. It's better if I just hear him out and send him on his way."

Regardless, she stayed until he appeared in the doorway before she left, glowering at him on the way out. "You were a hundred percent better when I couldn't see you."

He arched an eyebrow at her but surprisingly didn't fire back. Instead, he waited until she was gone before shutting the door and lifting his chin. Somehow, he didn't seem haughty today, and suspicion zoomed through me as I wondered what he was up to.

At forty years old, Ethan didn't look a day over thirty. With neatly styled white-blond hair and shimmering emerald eyes, he was still a looker. He jogged for at least three hours a day and it showed in his lean muscle and broad shoulders.

Seeing him, no one would believe the things I knew about this man, how he'd mentally abused me for years and dared me to let anyone know about it. He was such a gentleman in public, but as soon as we were alone, things had always changed.

He'd put me down constantly, breaking me to the point where I couldn't imagine life without him. I didn't believe I could ever be anything without him. He'd alienated me from my friends, convincing me they were just trying to get to him and using me to do it.

If I ever wanted to go anywhere without him, he'd gotten crazy possessive, accusing me of having affairs and threatening me with everything from money to murder. As I looked at him now, all those memories tumbled through my mind and I shied back a little, but I was careful about keeping my expression neutral and schooled.

"What do you want, Ethan?"

"I saw the article," he said, his voice like honey.

It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This was his apology voice, the one he used to lull me into a false sense of security. His head tilted slowly, his eyes wholly trained on mine. "I can't believe you moved on so soon, Serenity. You and Dash St. Clair? It's never going to work, baby."

I stiffened, not saying anything as I stared back at him. My internal mental alarms started pulsing. They weren't quite blaring yet, but that voice and the way he was looking at me were dangerous. This was how it had always started, with the sweet, genuine imploring.

It wouldn't be long now until he snapped. He took a few more steps closer to me, that green-eyed gaze still stuck on mine. "I always knew you were just waiting to get away from me. You were never happy, were you? You were just biding your time. Were you with him even when we were together? Is he the real reason behind all this nonsense?"

Nonsense?

I swallowed hard. "No, he's not. What do you want, Ethan? You didn't come here to tell me about some article you read. You know better than to believe what the tabloids write, so what is this visit really about?"

"It's about me wanting you back," he said. "I just want you back, baby. You know that. I love you. What will it take for you to come back to me?"

I looked him right in the eyes, digging deep for the courage to say what had to be said. "A complete change in personality."

Immediately, I saw the switch trip behind his eyes. He hadn't liked that and he got closer to me, lowering his voice to a menacing tone that was harsh and threatening. "I built you, Serenity. I made you and I can break you whenever I want. I can destroy you so easily, baby. You'd never be able to show your face in this town again and I wouldn't even break a sweat. I'd think carefully if I was you."

"Thankfully, you're not me." I got up, giving him a wide berth as I strode to my door and opened it. "Leave, Ethan. It's time for you to go."

With the door now open, he returned to his fake persona, his features smoothing out, his spine straightening and his voice back to normal. "I'll see you later."

As he said it, he leveled me with another intent look that told me he meant it when he said he would see me later. Then he was gone. My shoulders sagged, the encounter having drained me even if I hadn't entertained his shit for very long.

Julie came rushing in, her brow furrowed as she skidded to a stop. "Are you okay? What did he want? Why was he here?"

"I hate that man," I whispered before inhaling deeply and blowing the breath back out again. I squared my shoulders once more. "I'm fine. I just need a minute. He…" I trailed off, closing my eyes as I attempted to compose myself. "I'm okay. I'm okay. I just need a minute."

When my eyes opened again, she was giving me a dubious look but she nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I can give you that, but I won't go far. If you need me, shout. Or call."

"I will, thanks."

Julie left the door open when she left, but I didn't close it. Having it open was nice right now. Comforting. Striding to the windows overlooking the city and the blue swells of the ocean in the distance, I crossed my arms tightly against my chest, taking a few more shuddering breaths before my breathing finally evened out.

Life at Ethan's hands had never been a physical battle for survival. He'd never struck me or pushed me around, but he'd sure done a number on my head. Obliterated my self-confidence and taken away my freedom of choice. Of movement.

He'd chosen the clothes I wore and the food I ate. The events I attended and the people I interacted with. At first, I'd fought him every step of the way, but little by little, I'd lost my spark. I'd accepted my circumstances and I was too humiliated to ask for help. To tell even Julie what I was really going through behind closed doors.

None of it had happened overnight, but in time, I'd lost myself and I'd had to claw out of the depths of hell to get back to who I was. A visit like the one I'd just had threatened to send me spiraling again and I couldn't allow that to happen, but when my phone rang with the number for the front desk again, I let out an involuntary mewl, my hands shaking. I took the call.

"Ms. Halverson, I have Dash St. Clair for you. Can I send him back?"

I frowned. "Sure. Of course. Yes, send him on in."

What on earth was he doing back here?

He had to have just missed Ethan and I couldn't be more thankful. During the divorce proceedings, I'd done my best to keep as much detail as I could private. Some things had surfaced, but only my lawyer, the judge, and a few of the other people involved with the process knew how bad things had truly gotten. Somehow, at least we'd managed to keep everything from getting out.

Dash strode into my office a minute later, and I stared into those golden-brown eyes, comparing the way it made me feel to be looking into them to the way I'd felt looking into Ethan's just a little while ago. There was no comparison.

Still pissed at Dash but feeling warm, safe, and tingly anyway, I frowned at him. "What are you?—"

"I'm sorry," he said, cutting me off, but I didn't mind. If he was sorry, I was more interested in hearing what he was sorry about than I was in the niceties. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did about the press and Ethan. None of it was your fault, and besides, you two are divorced. You shouldn't be punished for having friends and I'd like to think that's what we are. Friends. If he believed there was more to it, then I suppose that's on him. Can I take you to dinner to make up for it?"

Well, at least he came to his senses reasonably fast.It was actually pretty sweet that he'd come back to apologize and that he wanted to make up for it. Even so, I made him sweat for a minute, thinking it over before I finally nodded. "I'd like that but only as friends."

"You got it," he said, a relieved grin breaking out across his face. "How's eight o'clock sound?"