Page 114 of Scarred Hearts

The people you see in these photos and those around you are anything but innocent. Tonight, you put your trust in the wrong people when you showed up for a staged event. Your families have held us captive, trapped us, and tortured us. They’ve set us up, they’ve killed some of us. But tonight, it ends forever. You have seventy-three seconds to make yourselves another drink or take your own lives. There are weapons locked in a cabinet next to the bar. The code is 1234. When you get to hell, be sure to tell your relatives who sent you there.

We hopped into Nico’s Jeep, peeling out, the tires kicking up dirt and loose cement as we sped away from the property. I glanced down at my watch as we crossed over the train tracks and bridge.

“3… 2?—”

BOOM!

GIOVANNA

Restlessly, I wandered through the luxurious den, my eyes seeking any sort of distraction. Amber and Aurora huddled in a corner talking about work while Jade paced the room just as I was, huffing every time she checked her watch. Kirsten and Nadia were in the kitchen, cleaning her wounds.

Roaming into the adjoining living room, I paused by a plush maroon wingback chair nestled in the corner. From this spot, I had a perfect view of the front yard and its swaying trees, casting eerie shadows in the moonlight. My fingers traced over the soft velvet fabric of the chair as I sank into it, unable to tear my gaze away from the men outside.

Giovanni and Valentino stood by their sleek Mercedes SUV, puffing on cigarettes, while their bodyguards, Trigger and Joseph, kept a watchful eye nearby. The rest of the property was heavily guarded by several other armed men, adding to the tense night.

Jenna’s voice echoed in the quiet room, pulling me out of my thoughts as she entered with two steaming mugs. The sharp, fragrant aroma of Earl Grey tea filled my nostrils as she handed me one of the mugs.

“I never got rid of that chair,” she said with a hint of sadness in her tone as she sat on a nearby loveseat. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“On the day of my parents’ funeral, I sat there watching the media on the other side of the gate, waiting to get a glimpse of my family grieving our parents’ deaths.”

“They’ve left Ty and I alone for the most part, but once in a while we still get stopped about it,” she continued, tucking her feet up onto the cushion beside her. “It’s hard to believe how much we’ve been through, and now it’s all coming to an end.”

I rolled my eyes playfully at her, trying to lighten the mood.

She laughed softly. “Yeah, until the next tragedy strikes. I know.”

With a heavy sigh, I raised the steaming cup of tea to my lips and took a slow sip, trying to calm my nerves. My eyes were fixed on the window, watching every set of headlights that passed by on the road outside the gate. Each time a car slowed down, my heart skipped a beat, hoping it was someone returning home safely from whatever Tyler had planned. But my brain was in overdrive, running in endless circles, as I anxiously awaited their arrival.

“They always come back.” Jenna’s voice broke through my thoughts. “He’ll be back too.”

I nodded, grateful for her reassurance but still feeling fidgety. “I just wish I could have stayed and helped.”

She giggled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “You and Jade are so much alike in that way. Always wanting to be in the thick of things. But sometimes it’s better to stay out of it all.”

Standing up, I met her eyes. “Being cooped up in here is driving me insane. I need a distraction.”

She stood up as well, placing her mug carefully on a coaster on the end table before wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. I embraced her in return just as tightly, taking comfort in her warmth and support. “I know a hug isn’t much of a distraction,” she said softly, pulling away, “but I love you, and I’m so grateful to have you as my future sister-in-law.” Tears filled her eyes as she took a step back. “I was supposed to have a little sister too, but my mom had a stillborn three years after I was born.”

My hand flew to my chest in shock and sadness. “Oh, my God. I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

She dismissed my worries. “No need to apologize, everything is fine now that you’re here. It’s like you’ve always been a part of our family, like my sister. And I love the way you make Tyler feel at home and happy. He’s never been more content and himself than he is with you.”

A genuine smile spread across my face as I replied, “Thank you. Just so you know, I always wanted a big sister. Instead, I ended up with three older brothers.”

We laughed together, but it trailed off just as quickly when we spotted rows of headlights entering the driveway, and seven cars passing through the gates.

“They’re back!” Jenna called out excitedly.

The rest of the girls ran into the room, all of us lining up at the large window to count each person as they exited their vehicles. I set my tea down on the window ledge.

“They’re all here!” Amber exclaimed.

Jade let out a snort. “And no one’s limping. Must have been a great time that I had to miss.”

“Shut up,” Jenna snapped.

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