Page 133 of Lace 'em Up

My body is aching.

Stella is standing like a tiny warrior ready to battle.

Phillip is the dragon ready to be slain.

I react without thinking, setting Zeus on the floor and then carefully grabbing the vase from the counter.

I lift it and…

Slam it down onto his head.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” I joke as Dr. Halston shines a flashlight in my eyes.

Grinning, she clicks it off then reaches into her bag. “You remember the deal with the salve?” She passes a new tin of it over to me.

I nod, eyes flicking over to where Jean-Michel is talking with the head of his security, Pascal. “Yes. Thank you.”

Alarm system upgrade? Imminent.

And I’m not going to argue.

Because I had to use a vase to knock my ex-fiancé unconscious.

But…I’d saved myself.

My past tried to fuck up my present, tried to steal my happiness, and I didn’t let it.

Progress.

Of course, that came with a bit of assistance from Mama Bang wielding a hockey stick.

Something I’m sure that King—and Jean-Michel and Rome and Cam (and Pascal, who’s now talking into his phone, looking extremely pissed off)—will find hilarious.

Eventually.

For now, though, I have other things to worry about.

Like making sure Zeus gets his medicine on time—maybe I’ll make a note in King’s planner?—

Or maybe I won’t, considering my asshole ex is the reason the pup is going to be on painkillers for a few days.

Zeus is bruised and broke a tooth biting the shit out of Phillip’s leg, but otherwise he’s okay.

Thank God.

But it’s also why Dr. Halston is only checking me out now—after we called the police and Jean-Michel, and after I took Zeus to the vet.

I’m fine.

Way better than before.

Which…isn’t going to go over well.

None of this is.

One thing.

I just want to have one nice thing in my life without my past creeping in and trying to ruin it.

---