Page 73 of Held-

“Best decision I ever made.”

He gives me one last contemptuous look before allowing Britney to lead him to a table near the back.

“Let’s get out of here,” Brayden growls, his eyes fixed on Ethan’s retreating back as if he could set it on fire through sheer will.

I nod, the pizza in front of me suddenly as appealing as cardboard. “I’ve lost my appetite anyway.”

Brayden catches Tony’s eye and makes the universalcheck, pleasegesture. The owner nods, already pulling out his receipt pad.

“I need to use the bathroom first,” I say, sliding out of the booth. “Meet you outside?”

“I’ll pay the tab.” He nods, though I can tell he hates the idea of letting me out of his sight while Ethan’s still in the room. “Make it quick.”

I weave through the tables, heading toward the hallway markedRestrooms, and feel the weight of Ethan’s stare as I pass. I keep my chin up, refusing to let him see me flinch.

The women’s bathroom is empty, thankfully. I lock myself in a stall and lean against the door, drawing slow breaths to steady the jittery feeling beneath my skin. The confrontation rattled me more than I want to admit.

Ethan still has that effect. This subtle, insidious way of making me feel small. I hate it.

At the sink, I splash cold water on my face and study my reflection in the smudged mirror. My cheeks are flushed—not with shame this time, but with anger. My gaze burns a little too bright.

Progress, I guess.

I take my time washing my hands. I don’t want to rush out. I don’t want Ethan to think he chased me off. Because I’m done running. Done letting him think he holds any power over me.

The door swings open just as I'm reaching for a paper towel. I freeze, my wet hands dripping onto the floor as Ethan slips inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

“What the hell are you doing?” I back up against the sink.

“We need to talk,” Ethan says, his voice softer now, reasonable. It's the tone he used to use when he wanted to convince me I was overreacting. “Alone, without your pet criminal breathing down my neck.”

“Get out, Ethan.” I try to move toward the door, but he steps sideways, blocking my path.

“Two minutes,” he says, holding up his fingers. “That's all I'm asking.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” My heart pounds against my ribs.

Ethan moves closer, his cologne wrapping around me like a noose. “I'm worried about you, Cece. Everyone is.”

“Worried?” I laugh, but it sounds brittle even to my own ears. “That's rich coming from the man who spent our entire marriage making me miserable.”

“Making you miserable?” Ethan's face contorts with disbelief. “I gave you everything, Cece. A beautiful home, financial security, social standing. What more could you possibly have wanted?”

“I don't know, maybe a husband who didn't screw every available woman in town?”

He steps closer, backing me against the sink. “You want to know why I strayed? Why I had to look elsewhere?” His eyes harden as he looks me up and down. “You were frigid. A goddamn ice queen in our bedroom.”

The shock lands hard, stealing my breath. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” He leans in, voice dropping to a cruel whisper. “You think I wanted to cheat? I didn't. But one can only take so many nights of putting their dick in a cold fish before giving up. All those nights you'd lie there, stiff as a board, waiting for it to be over.” He shakes his head with mock sympathy. “No wonder I had to find my pleasure elsewhere.”

Hot shame floods my cheeks, followed immediately bywhite-hot angerso intense my vision blurs at the edges.

“Brayden would disagree with you.” I spit back.

Ethan’s face transforms instantly, tightening with the kind of fury I remember all too well. His hand shoots out, clamping around my wrist hard enough to make me wince.

“You little slut,” he hisses, leaning in so close I can feel his breath on my face. “You're fucking him?”