Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(119)

“No, you won’t resort to blackmail because you aren’t an evil person. But even if I did know, which I don’t, I wouldn’t share. Whatever he does in his spare time is his business.”

Marcus opened his mouth for rebuttal when Kate and Jasmine stormed in and slammed the door.

“What the f**k happened to Sean, Krista?!” Kate asked with wide eyes.

Ben hustled in next, opening the door with a scared rabbit face. Krista looked at him harshly, wondering how much he told. He shook his head quickly and then honed in on Marcus.

“Marcus, there you are—I had a couple questions about your art mock ups.” Ben’s voice was calm, but she could tell he was trying to be distracting.

Marcus held up his hand to Ben, looking at Kate. “Ben, not now. There is a crisis at hand.”

“Ben knows!” Jasmine said, rounding on him.

Ben’s face went white. Jasmine nodded and turned back to Krista as Marcus’s eyes got greedy.

“You guys, stop,” Krista said, standing up and putting up her hands. “Look. Yes, Sean and I reconciled and are seeing each other. Okay? That is the gossip fit to print. As far as why he is all banged up, that has nothing to do with any of you so leave him be. He’s had enough people talking about him.”

Jasmine gasped as Marcus said, “Oh honey.”

It took Krista another beat to realize they were all looking at her neck. She fingered her scarf and realized that in her haste to calm everyone down, her scarf slipped down her neck.

“What happened?” Kate asked with a trembling voice.

“Sean and I like it rough,” Krista said as she sat down with a plop.

“If this was a domestic violence issue, I would high five you because you obviously beat the living crap out of him,” Marcus said, trying for humor and failing. He sat down, the essence of diva dried up.

“He came back, didn’t he? It was him,” Kate whispered.

Tears were in Krista’s eyes before she could even think to start blinking. She was desperately thinking of something to say, some way to get out of this, but came up with nothing. The room was deathly still as everyone looked at her.

Jasmine was the first to snap out of it. She rounded the desk, picked up the phone, and said to the responder, “Get in here.” Without a goodbye she put the phone down and took the seat next to Marcus.

“I told you he would come after you, Kris,” Kate said, leaning against the wall. She looked more defeated then Krista felt.

“Look,” Krista said, grappling for control. “I…”

Sean walked in the door, his body taut and face blank. “What’s going on?” he asked tersely. He was met with silence. No one wanted to meet his eyes. Not even Krista.

“They were wondering what happened to you,” Ben explained quietly. “They didn’t believe that Krista didn’t know. She was trying to cover when they saw her neck. That is about where we are.”

Sean leaned against the door, all ease and grace. He was in complete control. Krista looked up to find his eyes on her, full support, but also unspeakable sadness. He was silently asking how much to tell.

“An ex-boyfriend came into town and Sean defended my honor,” she uttered into the silence, tears streaming down her face.

“How did he find you?” Kate gushed, leaning against Jasmine’s chair. It looked like she was having a hard time supporting herself.

“He said phone and internet. I don’t have a land line, and I don’t know where my address is listed on the internet, but that’s what he said.” Krista leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

“This was Jim?” Jasmine asked, silently conveying something to Kate.

“Yeah,” Krista answered as Ben nodded.

“What did he want? I thought you broke up? I thought you had a restraining order against him?” Jasmine continued.

“We did. I do. He was planning on taking me back to Seattle with him. By force. Sean got in the way then Ben called the cops.”

“So…he’s in jail?” Kate asked.

“Far as I know, yeah,” Krista replied.

“Kris…” Kate hesitated.

“You have to leave again, Krista,” Jasmine said into the din. “As soon as he’s out he’ll come back for you. Next time he might just kill you. You think he’s happy Sean got in his way? I knew that guy, too. He’s crazy. He’ll kill you both if he can.”

Krista looked up at Sean silently. Sean was still looking at her with sadness. He nodded once. She felt renewed tears streaming down her face.

“Now you know,” Sean said to the crowd. “And if this gets beyond this room, anywhere beyond this room, I will take each and every one of you down. Marcus, this goes double for you. You think you have a job with Tory? I will end it. I have the power to do so.” Sean was serious, and it showed. If anyone doubted he could do what he said, they were fools.

Marcus put up his hands and shook his head. “This goes beyond my expertise. I’ve never gossiped about you two—not because of threats—and I don’t intend to start now. Too serious for office gossip, anyway. Too sad.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

“But he must have been big for our Captain to look like he does,” Marcus said with a sly smile.