Warning:  This is not a comfortable chapter.  It was difficult for me to write, as it is based on the experience of a dear friend, and it may prove uncomfortable for some of you to read.  The last place I posted this, I received some very negative emails.  Don't hate me for writing about Cade's actions.  Instead, hate the type of man who thinks he can get away with what Cade did.

Chapter 10

Sunlight slid through the blinds and woke Serena as it played across her face. She grumbled sleepily and moved to roll over, then froze as Darien tightened his arm around her waist. Oh, that's right. In her exhausted state, she had almost forgotten the amazing events of last night.

Quietly, she rolled over until she faced him. In sleep, the powerful businessman looked about as tough as a little boy. She studied his face, carefully scrutinizing the lean lines and firm mouth. No, she amended, he was definitely tougher then a child. With his dark, handsome looks, Darien reminded her of a sleeping panther.

Rustling down at the foot of the bed drew her attention, and Loki grinned at her before carefully wrapping his front paws around one of her feet and extending his claws through the bed sheets. The cat was hungry, and no newly acquired lover was going to stay his wrath if he was not fed.

Serena laughed softly to herself and lifted Darien's arms away from her waist so that she could slide out of bed. She found herself flushing, and berated herself for being so embarrassed at being naked in front of a man. A sleeping man, no less, and one she had spent several hours last night making very satisfying love to.

"Where are you going?" His voice was rough from sleep, and it stopped her in her tracks.

Serena grabbed her robe from its hook and wrapped it around her nude form. "I . . . uh . . . Loki's hungry." When he chuckled, she flushed again and looked at him uncertainly. Was there going to be any awkwardness after last night? She had never been very good at mornings after; she hadn't exactly had much experience.

But Darien merely reached out his arm and grabbed her, tumbling her playfully back into the bed beside him. "Too bad. I'm not done with you yet. The cat can wait." She laughed as he nibbled on her neck and made loud growling noises.

"Darien! That tickles!" Then, as his tickles became caresses, and his love bites became actual kisses, her laughter quieted to sighs, and she turned into his arms.

Loki sighed in disgust and leapt off the bed before he got kicked off. Silly humans. With a sneeze in the direction of his mistress, he wandered off in search of food or trouble -whichever came first- and left the couple to their pleasure.

***

Serena smiled as Darien trailed his fingers soothingly over her back. It felt so good, so relaxing. What had made her so nervous about sleeping with Darien? He was nothing at all like Cade . . . the thought brought back unnecessary memories, so she pushed it away to concentrate on the sensation of Darien's hands.

"What were you so afraid of last night?"

She froze at Darien's question. It was as if he could read her mind. "Umm, it wasn't anything important. It had been a while, that's all." She closed her eyes and prayed that he'd accept her admittedly weak answer.

No such luck. Those strong hands that had been so comforting only a moment ago pulled her around until she faced him. Darien's eyes were serious as he studied her. "No way, Serena. I want an answer. A real one."

Serena tried to pull away, but his hands, though gentle, were firm. Finally she gave up and stared at him, her eyes pleading. "Does it matter? It was a long time ago, Darien."

Darien sighed and shoved a hand through his ruffled hair. "I can't make you tell me, Serena. But . . ." He stopped and ran the free hand along her cheek in a swift caress. "I care about you. We wouldn't be here if I didn't. If something that happened years ago can still hurt you, hurt what we have, I want to know about it. I'd like to help, if I can."

It was impossible to refuse that steady, implacable tone. With a sigh of her own, Serena sat up and reached for her robe. "I'll tell you. Just don't interrupt, and don't touch me. I'm afraid I'll lose the nerve if you do." He nodded, and she slid out of bed and crossed to a comfortable chair by the window. It was the one piece of furniture that she'd brought from her old apartment, and it was covered in shabby blue brocade. She stroked the soft fabric for a moment before speaking.

"It was five years ago. I'd just gotten back from Italy. It had been such a wonderful experience, and I had all of these ideas and concepts just bursting out of my head, ready to become my art." She smiled softly. "I was going to take the art world by storm. Of course, before that could happen I needed a place to start selling my things.

"I went from gallery to gallery with a few pieces I'd made before coming back to America. Before I could start to create new work, I needed money to get a place, rent a studio. Most places weren't willing to accept a total newbie, and they all told me I needed a few sales first. It wasn't what I'd expected.

"I found Cade's gallery completely by accident. I'd just been turned down by another place and was leaving when a man stopped me. He gave me his card, explained that he owned a gallery downtown that specialized in newcomers to the business. He liked my stuff and wondered if I'd be interested in hearing an offer. Well, I jumped at it, of course. I looked at his gallery. It was small but nice, so I accepted his offer, and that's how I met Cade.

We started dating. Cade would take me out to dinner or bring a small lunch by the studio I was renting. He was really sweet." When her voice cracked, Serena broke off and stared out of the window for a few minutes. A tear glistened in the corner of her eye.

Darien wanted nothing more then to climb out of bed and sweep her into his arms and kiss her, and tell her that it was okay, she didn't have to tell him. Instead, he kept to his promise and only watched her.

Eventually, she sighed and continued with her story. "I suppose it was rather inevitable that I'd fall in love with him. One night, he came by my apartment with champagne and two-dozen roses. He brought waiters from a really expensive restaurant who served us a wonderful dinner, then left us alone. I slept with him that night."

She turned and stared at Darien. "Cade wasn't my first. That so-called honor went to one of my fellow students in Venice. It was sweet, but that was all. With Cade . . . it was exciting. He had so much experience, and he enjoyed teaching me new things. But other then that, I can say in hindsight that the relationship wasn't very good. Cade treated me like I was an investment. 'Can't let the goods get away,' he'd say with a laugh. He had such a loud laugh. But I wish I'd realized at the time how much he actually meant what he was saying.

"We moved in together, and I really enjoyed it for a while. I really enjoyed playing at being the little woman, cooking dinner and doing that sort of thing. But it didn't last very long.

"Cade began take other women out. They were all artists who displayed things in his gallery, and he swore it was only business. I believed him for a while, but it started to get old. There were too many times when he'd break a date off with me for one of these 'business dinners.' He'd come home drunk, with lipstick on his collar, and I'd yell at him. It was so cliché." Again Serena laughed, but this time it was more of a sob. "I was stuck. I was getting tired of the relationship, but he'd said that if I dumped him he'd stop selling my art. I needed the money for supplies, and I hadn't found any other galleries. Most places said that my work was too new, too confusing.

"Then, one night, Cade actually brought a woman home. I guess he was so drunk that he just wasn't thinking. That was the last straw, and I walked out. I came back the next day, when I knew he'd be at the gallery, to get my things. He'd already changed the lock, and I had to break in. I thought that it was over. I could find another job, even if it wasn't glasswork. I felt really confident that I could start my life over and make it work.

"Three weeks later, I realized something. My period was almost a month late. I went out and bought one of those little tests at the drug store, and it was positive. I made an appointment with my OB/GYN, and he said the same thing. Two months later, during a check-up, he told me I was having a little girl.

"I really didn't know what to do. I didn't want Cade's baby! And how was I supposed to raise a child all by myself? I couldn't get an abortion, I just couldn't. So I decided to have the baby and give it up for adoption. I didn't even tell Mina or our mother." Even as she wiped away another tear, Serena's lips curved upwards in a sad smile. "I was in my fifth month, when I felt her kick." Unconsciously, she raised a hand to her stomach and rubbed gently.

Sitting there, with the sunlight glistening in her hair, that beautiful, wistful smile upon her face, Darien was ready to swear that he was watching an angel.

"Well, I decided then and there that I wanted to keep her. And I also decided that it wasn't fair not to tell Cade." Her voice quivered. "I went over to the apartment that evening to tell him. He had some woman over, and they were both a little drunk. He pushed me out onto the landing and started yelling at me for being there, so I started yelling back. And I guess I let my big news slip out among all the shouting. Cade froze and stared at me, and asked if I was sure. I thought that was pretty funny. Yeah, I was sure, and it was his.

"Cade didn't like that. He said I had to get rid of it. Get rid of it! Like my baby, my little girl was a piece of garbage or something! I snapped at that, and I pushed him. Well, Cade was bigger, and he was drunk, and he pushed back. He pushed me down the stairs."

At Serena's words, Darien straightened like a shot. There was a red haze before his eyes at the thought of someone hurting Serena. Especially like that. But Serena continued with her story with no notice of his reaction.

"Cade's date was sober enough that she called EMS. They came and got me, and took me to the emergency room, but it was too late. I got away with a broken collarbone and some heavy bruises.

"But I lost the baby."

Here the tears in her eyes spilled over and she began to sob into her hands. "The doctors told me, but I didn't believe them. How could I lose her, just like that? Mm . . . my little girl. I . . . I was going . . . to name her Lily Victoria. Isn't that a pretty name? And she was just . . . gone."

The crying storm lasted a few silent minutes, but eventually she sniffled and wiped her eyes, making a visible effort to pull herself together enough to finish her story. "I'm told that I suffered a massive breakdown at the news. I lapsed into a state of semi-consciousness. When I was awake, all I would do was stare at the wall, or out the window. They called Mina to come and get me. Did I mention that Mina is a nurse? She specializes in physical therapy and special cases like mine. So they let her take me home.

"It was three months before I came back to myself. Mina was wonderful; I found out later that she quit her job and mortgaged her house to take care of me. She was always there for me. I guess something she did worked, but it was another year before I could bear to touch any of my glass equipment."

Serena turned at last and looked toward Darien. "You know that glass orb hanging in my window? The one you wanted to buy? That was the first decent thing I managed to make. And I'll never give it away or sell it, not even to you." She shrugged. "Well, with Mina's help I pulled myself back together and started working again. I moved back into the city and started selling little knickknacks to tourist shops. That's where you come in, and you know the rest."

Darien slid off the bed and crossed to her. He knelt beside her and carefully took her hands in his, raising each one to his mouth and placing a gentle kiss on the back. "You're an amazing woman, Serena. I'm honored that you'd tell me all of that, and even more honored that you have trusted me as much as you have." Again, those three little words played in the back of his mind, but he couldn't say them. Not yet.

Serena smiled at him and squeezed his hands. "It's okay. It's still me, you know. I dealt with a lot of the excess baggage a long time ago."

"No." Darien shook his head. "It's you, but now I know better just how incredible you are."

***