Page 119 of No Holds Barred

Rex sighed heavily. “It was hard at first, and just about any time we talked, we ended up in a full-blown argument.Sometimes her fault, sometimes mine. We took our anger out on each other, which is normal when you’re married to an extent, but when you’re in the process of getting divorced? It just intensified for us.”

“But now you’re fine.” Angelica eyed him carefully, trying to figure out what the difference was.

“Yeah, now we’re fine.” Rex nodded. “Doesn’t mean the pain has gone away, but it’s easier to deal with.”

Angelica scratched the back of her neck, still not quite understanding that one. What exactly wasn’t he saying? Maybe she just needed to ask Hope about everything to get an actual answer.

“Ms. Shields?” Lyric’s voice reached her ears, and Angelica turned to find her standing awkwardly behind them.

“Yes?”

“There’s a call that you need to take with the Kartalis.”

“Right.” Angelica sighed and nodded at Rex. “This shouldn’t take me more than an hour.”

“I think we can handle it without you, especially since you sentthemaway.”

Angelica chuckled. “You’re welcome.”

Rex laughed and cupped his hand over her shoulder as she turned to walk away. Angelica paused, looking over her shoulder and back up into Rex’s eyes. The words were on the tip of her tongue well before she said them. But why the hell not? What difference would it make?

“I’m glad we’re friends,” she whispered.

Rex jerked. “We are friends, aren’t we?”

Angelica tilted her chin up at him. “You didn’t think so?”

“Now that I think, which I’m sure Hope will tell you isn’t my strong suit, yes, we are friends.” He pulled her in and wrapped an arm around her shoulder in a side hug. “I like that.”

“Like what?” Angelica wrinkled her brow.

“That we’re friends,” Rex laughed. “Hope’s going to hate it.”

“She already does.” Angelica sighed with a smile. She’d noticed it weeks ago, but she hadn’t mentioned anything to Hope.

“Ms. Shields?” Lyric said.

“I’m coming.” She nodded at Rex and then stepped away. They made it to the elevator before Lyric smiled at her. “What?”

“I like that you’re making friends.”

Angelica narrowed her gaze. “Enough of that.”

“Fine.” Lyric laughed. “What was that all about, though?”

“Mark and Alexis are the problem here. They keep arguing, like in front of everyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were to dig deeper if we discovered that they drag employees into the arguments with them, pitting them against each other.”

“Ah.” Lyric folded her hands together in her lap.

“I don’t understand how Hope and Rex can be so cordial and then Mark and Alexis are still fighting like they’re newly divorced even though it’s been twelve years.” Angelica stepped into the elevator and turned around, hitting the button for her floor.

“Ms. Shields…” Lyric’s chastising tone was clear, but Angelica didn’t understand why.

“What?”

“Some people are willing to work on their problems.” Lyric looked at her directly. “Others aren’t.”

Angelica froze. Was that really all it was? Hope and Rex had spent time together working on how to be in the same room together and co-parent whereas Mark and Alexis had probably never tried. Angelica kept all comments to herself, not sure what to say out loud and what to question further. But Lyric’s comment spun wild possibilities in her head.