Page 96 of Serenity

“I don’t want anything or anyone coming between us.”

“Likewise,” he said, finger combing through his goatee and stifling a yawn.

“Is there anything else I need to know about you and your ex-wife?”

“Hmm. Let me think.”

Seconds passed.

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything you haven’t told me. Even if it’s insignificant. Full disclosure.”

Covering his arm over his face, he huffed.

“That’s a lot to disclose.”

“The important things. Things that can affect us,” I clarified.

“There are videos.”

“What videos, Duke?” I was trying to be patient. Trying not to allow frustration to take the driver’s seat. That went out the window. Tattooed into a grimace, my facial features revealed my annoyance against my efforts.

“I fucked those women to get back at her and sent her videos. That night at Genevieve was one of them. I was in rare form back then. It was impulsive.” His eyes were trained on the ceiling while he lived in his regret.

“Why did you leave this part out of the story when you told me about it a week ago?”

Finally, his gaze shifted. “Shame. I was embarrassed. I’m too old to be doing shit like that. It was a weak moment. Weak moments. I’m not proud of it.”

Okay. I opened my mouth to thank him for his honesty, but he started talking again.

“She wouldn’t be here without the monthly alimony checks she receives. Mya ain’t got no fucking job.”

Shit like that could keep you from ever wanting to wed. Ever wanting to wed again, in his case. Old feelings of envy came hard and fast, reminding me why I despised Mya. Hated the bitch. She didn’t deserve him. She didn’t deserve his money. She didn’t deserve to remain a part of his life, siphoning undeserved funds from his pockets. She was his past, weaseling her leeching ass into his present. Fighting for relevancy.

I wasn’t mad at Duke for the past week, I’d finalized. It was her. She’d pulled me in and siphoned my ass too. Foolishly, I’d granted her undeserved energy when she should have been paid dust in attention.

Removing his arm, Duke sighed again. Left and right, his head shook as if to clear it of sordid memories. “Mya never loved me, Bee. She wanted a man she couldn’t have and settled for me because I was the one with deeper pockets. That much will forever be clear.”

“You loved her, though.”

Silence. The language of God. It reigned just as my words. Silence spoke so loudly when truth entered the room.

“Doesn’t matter. She married for status. I married for love. Look where it got us.”

Part of his heart still lived with his ex-wife. He wouldn’t say it, but I could feel it. She’d been granted a portion of him he had yet to recover and possibly never would.

“I hate her.” Impulsively, I spoke the feral thought. It was one of many. Looking in my direction, he wordlessly probed for further details.

“Who, Bee? Mya?”

“The woman who stole some of your light. It’s not hers to have.”

“I agree, baby. I agree.”

I heaved once and blinked twice.

“So, call it back. Don’t allow her to triumph while you lug these bitter emotions around.”

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