I grin at him and smack him across the chest.
I am my own boss.
Oh, I’m not working for the Dumont label. I took advantage of the transfer that Pascal orchestrated—anything to let us live a new and free life without their involvement.
I worked for two weeks at the new office in Dubai as the head boss.
I liked it. I liked the people.
I didn’t even have to deal with Pascal or my fucking murderous uncle. Sorry, but I can’t quite forget that.
No, the company is big enough now that there are those who manage the different branches in different countries.
But even though I am Ludovic’s daughter and I got all the respect in the company, in the business, in the fashion world, the designs and the style and the attitude just didn’t jibe with mine anymore.
I wanted to merge the classical style I’d grown up with and been trained on with something a little more me.
So I started my own label.
The name?
Seraphine.
The ladies in Dubai are loving it so far. Turns out, this fashion-forward, rich, vibrant city was the best place to start something new, something catered to the well-to-do woman who wants class with some edge.
And believe me, it’s very new.
We’re still looking for an office after operating out of this apartment for a while. But everything is coming together. We have designers and social media experts, and once we cut that red ribbon, the world won’t know what hit it.
Of course, Blaise is my CFO. Even though his family was never known for managing their finances, Blaise was always very aware of the money he had and what to do with it. He’s been instrumental in getting Seraphine off the ground. I couldn’t do it without him.
The tabloids love to report on us, by the way.
They talk about how we’re the outcasts of the Dumont brand, how I had a nervous breakdown after my father’s death (which isn’t untrue) and wanted to follow in my brothers’ footsteps by distancing myself from the Dumont name as much as I could.
As for Blaise, well, the media is a little kinder. Figures—he’s a man with money, after all. They like to say he rescued me, that he brought purpose to my life.
Maybe that’s true. He’s saved me on more than one occasion.
But I like to think that I brought out the best in him as he’s brought out the best in me.
And now, well, the two of us will do what we can to bring out the best in her.
Did I say her?
I grin at Blaise. “I think it’s a girl.”
He grins at me right back. “I wouldn’t be surprised. Perhaps she can design for the label.”
“Maybe,” I say, pressing my head into his chest as he hugs me. “Or maybe we’ll start a new tradition and let our children do whatever the fuck they want to do.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Sounds damn good to me too.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
If you’ve read the first book in the Dumont series, Discretion, and happened upon the acknowledgments there, you’ll be happy to know that the writing experience for Disarm was a lot different (better!) than the writing experience for Discretion. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from readers thanking me for my honesty and transparency when it comes to my (albeit short) battle with depression and how difficult it was to write while in the throes of it, so if those acknowledgments helped you in some way, I’d be happy to hear about it.
But as I said, writing Disarm was an easier process. Thank god. That’s not to say it was all a breeze. It was definitely a book written on the go. I started the book at the end of my time in Kauai and was writing it while in LA. The Lamill coffee place in Silverlake was a godsend, and I loved going there with my husband every morning and putting in the words, surrounded by creative people furiously typing on their laptops. I was also writing it during our road trip up the West Coast heading back home, drinking wine and spending many nights typing my ass off in La Quintas in Paso Robles, Healdsburg, Port Orford, and finally typing THE END in Portland. Whew.
Of course, all of this was made easier thanks to many people who helped me along the way. Thank you to Kathleen, Nina, and Sandra for being shoulders to cry on when I was totally losing it. (Have I mentioned writing on a deadline while traveling is stressful?). Thank you to my ever so patient agent, Taylor Haggerty, for all your support and understanding. Thanks to Maria and everyone else at Montlake for again putting up with me and my wacky writing process. I know I keep putting you guys through the ringer, but your passion for the book and your patience and help have not gone unappreciated! Holly, your editing skills are amazing and you definitely deserve all the credit in shaping this book and making it the best it can be. Special mentions to Hang Le for knocking another awesome cover out of the park and everyone at the Social Butterfly team.
I also have to give a shout-out to my readers! I had to push back a book release because I needed to work on this book and you guys are so damn understanding! Thank you for supporting me through everything I do, and I hope you enjoyed Seraphine and Blaise’s journey in Disarm. Stay tuned for book number three because Pascal is going to win you over, I promise.
Finally, last but never least, my husband, Scott. I can’t do any of this without you. You truly make me a better person and a better writer. Every crazy thing I’m going through, you go through it too, and you never complain, and your love and support never wavers. You deserve all the medals in the world.
Honorable mention to my sweet pit bull, Bruce: if you weren’t such an awesome dog and the best traveling buddy, I don’t think I could get my books done as fast. It’s almost as if you know these books pay for your abundance of Milk-Bones!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karina Halle is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of The Pact, A Nordic King, Sins & Needles, and fifty other wild and romantic reads. A former travel writer and music journalist, she currently lives in a rain forest on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and their adopted pit bull. There they operate a bed-and-breakfast that’s perfect for writers’ retreats. In the winter, you can often find them in California or on their beloved island of Kauai, soaking up as much sun—and inspiration—as possible. Visit Karina online at www.authorkarinahalle.com.
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