Page 102 of Some Kinda Romance

50

SERENITY

As soon as Dash left, I crawled into my bed and slept for a few hours. I woke up groggy and momentarily confused, but then those last few minutes before I’d fallen asleep came rushing back and I smiled. I couldn’t believe we’d finally made it official.

He and I had been through quite a bit to get this far and I wouldn’t deny that I hadn’t thought it would ever happen. I’d been so determined to move on from him and so convinced I was right about his motivation for giving that quote that I’d never imagined we’d get back together.

After what he’d done and then again after he’d taken care of me last night, I’d realized once again that he wasn’t Ethan. He hadn’t lied to me and he wasn’t trying to keep me down or distance himself. He wasn’t ashamed or only interested in himself.

All of which had made me realize, in turn, that I had to start separating my relationship with Dash from my past with Ethan. One relationship was not the same as the other and I didn’t have to work so hard to protect myself from Dash. He didn’t actually mean me harm. He’d made mistakes, but he was always working on fixing them, and when he said he was trying to be better, he meant it and he always came back stronger.

It’d been one heck of a learning curve for me so far to really understand all these things, but now that I did, I knew he wasn’t the only one who’d have to try to do better. I had my own stuff to work on and I was now more motivated than ever to do it.

Knowing that I needed to share all this with someone, I called Julie. She picked up and didn’t even say hi. “How was the trip? Where did he take you? Please tell me it was amazing and he made up for all the rotten things he’s ever done to you.”

“It was amazing and he’s definitely making up for all the rotten things he’s ever done to me. We went to Vegas, which was amazing until I got food poisoning. Sort of ruins the mood if that happens.”

“Shit. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine now. Poor Dash had to take care of me all night, though. I feel so bad for him.”

She scoffed. “Don’t. It was the least he could do. Besides, a couple who vomits together, stays together.”

I gagged a little bit. “I’ve never heard that saying, but we didn’t vomit together. Thank heavens, it wasn’t a stomach bug that I could’ve given to him, or else we might not have been together anymore.”

“Bullshit. Everybody gets sick, Serenity. Sometimes, they pass that sickness on to a partner. Anyone who can’t handle that shouldn’t be in a relationship. He really took care of you? He didn’t cut his losses once sex was off the table?”

“Not at all. I felt horrible about it, though. He went through all that effort to organize a night for us to spend together and he didn’t even get anything out of it.”

“Contrary to what you seem to believe, you don’t have to put out just because he takes you someplace. Besides, Dash is a big boy. He could’ve taken care of himself if he really wanted to.”

“With me hurling in the next room?” I grimaced. “That’s not exactly sexy.”

“I know, but that’s the point. Life isn’t always sexy and not everything is about sex. Did you have a good time with him before the hurling?”

“The best.”

“Well, there you have it.” She paused for a beat, disappeared, and then came back again. “Uh, Serenity? You have to hang up right now and look at what I just sent you.”

My stomach went cold, but I did what she’d said, finding a video from her waiting for me on my messaging app. I played it immediately, confused when I realized it was a clip of Dash and Ethan arguing outside Dash’s offices.

It hadn’t been filmed from close enough that I could hear exactly what was being said, but it was clear that neither man was happy. Ethan said something and grinned, and Dash moved in a split second, grabbing him by the collar and ramming him into the side of the building. Holding him there by his jacket, he got in Ethan’s face with his own only inches away from my ex’s.

I gasped, all my nerves tattered as I clapped my hand over my mouth. I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but nothing else happened, other than Dash clearly telling Ethan to leave. Ethan looked shocked. Nobody ever treated him like that. The coward only picked on women like me who he could physically intimidate. It was a different story when someone his size stood up to him.

He straightened his suit and left with his tail between his legs, and Dash watched him go the entire time, his face made of stone.

The clip ended and I just sat there, staring at my screen as disbelief robbed me of all thought for a long minute. I certainly hadn’t expected anything like that from Dash and I didn’t know what Ethan had said to have made him react that way, but I couldn’t deny how it made me feel.

For so long, no one had known how truly awful Ethan was and it’d killed me to see everyone kowtowing to him, kissing his ass and trying to get into his good graces. This was the first time I’d ever seen anyone fight back, and even if they hadn’t come to blows, it’d definitely been a fight.

One that Dash had clearly won, which sent a rush of triumph through me as if I’d been personally responsible for it. That argument could only have been about me, and judging by the way they’d both reacted, Dash had stood up for me when Ethan had started talking shit.

Not only that, but he’d shoved him against the side of the building. I really, truly couldn’t believe it but it’d happened and I suddenly knew that I had to see him. I had to check on him and make sure he was okay, but I also needed to let him know how much I appreciated what he’d done.

Unlocking my phone once more, I tapped out a quick text to him.

Me: I just saw the video. Are you okay?