Page 105 of Some Kinda Romance

If it came down to it being my word against his, I was pretty sure mine would carry more weight. Sighing as I turned to my computer, I opened a new document and glanced at Lance. “Right. Let’s get this statement written.”

He inched forward on the chair, nodding as I started by noting down the facts. I recited them to him as I typed, explaining what had happened after I’d arrived at the office.

“Be specific,” he advised. “Everyone knows you’re dating his ex-wife. They’re going to want answers. Obviously, he came to you looking for something and it’s clear from the video that the altercation started with both of you pretty hostile. No one is going to buy that he came here to give you his blessing, so you’ve got the upper hand. He was waiting for you at your place of work.”

“Got it,” I said. “How specific do you think I need to be? I’d rather not repeat everything he said verbatim.”

“Don’t,” he said slowly, tilting his head. “Shit, I don’t have any experience with this kind of thing. We could bring in a pro?”

“No, I don’t want someone to come in and put a spin on this. The asshole was waiting for me here, at my place of work like you said, to warn me to stay away from his ex who has no intention of going back to him. The whole point of this statement is simply to apologize that I lost my cool and to make it clear that I don’t believe violence is the answer. Even if I do think it might be in a situation like this.”

“Yeah, don’t say that.” He chuckled. “Even if I agree with you.”

I smirked as I glanced at him. “Everyone is going to agree with me, except for the people who are like him, and they should know that us sane people will break their faces if it comes down to that.”

He snorted, shaking his head at me. “Don’t say that either. Just stick to the facts, make your apologies, and get it over with.”

Turning back to my computer, I laid it all out exactly like we’d discussed, ending strong with a sincere apology. I also made sure to include words like ambush and provoke just to cover my own ass. Then I hit Save and turned the screen toward Lance.

“There. I think I’m done. Read it over and tell me if it’s good enough.”

He leaned forward, squinting his eyes as they moved across the screen a few times. When he was done, he grinned at me. “Yeah, I think that covers it. Are you sure you don’t want me to get a PR person in here to read it, though? It might help to get some outside eyes on it.”

“Nah. Any pro will tear that thing to shreds and I need to get out of here. I’ll call a press conference tomorrow but right now I just need to see Serenity. I don’t think he went over to her place after he left, but you never know, and besides, I need to be with her. Now.”

All of her promises about picking up where we’d left off aside, coming face to face with the real Ethan had set me on edge. I couldn’t believe she’d lived with him for so long and that no one had known what he was like.

Protective instincts reared up in me like beasts rattling their cages. I hadn’t even known her when she’d been married to him and I still wanted to go back and rip his head off his body for treating her the way he had.

“Go,” Lance said. “We’ll deal with the rest tomorrow. You should be with her. And if Ethan confronts you again, call the police like an adult. Or at least get audio.”

I shot up out of my chair, grabbed my stuff, and left him in my office as I raced out. Wasting no time leaving, I told my driver to take me to her address and he stepped on it, clearly sensing my eagerness. I texted her that I was on my way and she told me to come up when I arrived.

All the way to her place, my knees bounced. As soon as he pulled up at the curb outside her building, I was out of the car like a bullet. As always, reporters camped out on the sidewalk, wielding their cameras and training them on me as they hurled their questions about the incident earlier.

Too eager to see her to stop and chat, I waved at them and even tried for a friendly smile, but I’d say what I needed to say at the press conference tomorrow. For now, I just needed to see that she was okay with my own two eyes.

Striding past the reporters like it was a normal thing, I pushed open the main door into the building and took the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, needing to work off all the agitation and nervous energy coursing through me.

My muscles were burning by the time I made it to her floor, but I jogged to her door and knocked, surprised when she texted me instead of just answering.

Serenity: The door is open. Lock it behind you.

I frowned, but when I tried the handle, it turned. My heart started pounding in my chest as I pushed it open. “Serenity! Are you okay? Where are you?”

“In the bedroom,” she replied. “I’m fine, but remember to lock the door.”

For just a second, I paused and let the relief wash over me. She was here. She was fine. The door being open hadn’t meant that Ethan had muscled his way in. And she was in her bedroom. Waiting for me.

A slow grin spread across my face as I turned to lock the door. Sliding the deadbolt into place just to be sure, I wondered what she was doing in her bedroom. All alone while she’d waited for me to arrive. My grin got bigger as I started toward her bedroom, taking my time to build the anticipation now that I knew she was safe and she knew I was here.

The worries of the day melted out of me, the tension finally leaving my shoulders. I’d deal with Ethan, the altercation, the press, and my work tomorrow. For the rest of the day, the only person who would be getting any of my attention was my girlfriend and I could hardly fucking wait.