Page 44 of Scarred Hearts

Post five outside Ty’s for tonight. Mr. Knight instructed into the phone.

Yes, that’s right and get me an update on Ivan.

He scanned the three of us with a thoughtful gaze before looking away. Tell her I’ll be right there. I need to handle something. He hung up, slipping his phone away.

“Excuse me,” he said, pushing by us and marching toward the door, snatching it open.

Unsure if we should follow or not, Tyler placed me in front of him, and the three of us followed anyway.

“Where’s Beau?!” Mr. Knight’s voice thundered through the executive lobby, filled with fury and complete disregard for anyone around him.

Beau appeared in the doorway of Jenna’s office, his expression steeling itself for whatever was about to happen. “Yes?” he responded calmly, but with caution.

Mr. Knight huffed under his breath, his anger reaching a boiling point as he marched toward Beau. Drawing his fist back, he swung with all his might, connecting it across the bodyguard’s face with a sickening thud. Blood splattered in the air like a gruesome work of art. Beau stumbled backward, grabbing at his jaw before collapsing over a nearby chair, leaving a trail of blood dripping from his mouth.

“Ian!” Jenna shrieked in shock and horror. “What the hell?!” She reached out to grab his arm in an attempt to calm him down.

Raging and fueled by adrenaline, he jerked away from her, pointing an accusatory finger at Beau. “Do not ever call Gia a little bitch again!” he bellowed with venomous hatred. “Am I clear?! I’ll shove my gun up your ass and pull the fucking trigger!”

Jenna gasped.

“Oh shit.” A hushed giggle escaped my lips as Tyler intertwined his fingers in mine with a tight grip.

Mr. Knight spun around to face us. “Take her away from here for tonight,” he commanded. “Luke and I need to work on damage control and figure out a plan for the dancers before we close for the night.”

“Um,” I exhaled, trying to stifle my smile, “thank you.”

He gave a single nod, a glint of respect in his eyes. Though he wasn’t smiling, it felt like we had an unspoken understanding now.

Tyler shifted beside me. “Keep me updated on Ivan.”

Mr. Knight shot him an ominous glare before striding toward the main doors of the executive lobby, Luke following closely behind. Chance, Declan, Ice Man, and Nico trailed after them. Jenna turned to her bodyguard and asked if he was okay, receiving a nod in response. She pursed her lips in slight annoyance before twisting back to me, grasping my hands in hers.

“Sorry about all that,” she whispered before speaking normally again. “Do you want to come stay with us tonight?”

“Jen,” Tyler said, placing a comforting hand on my back, “I got this.”

The rumble of Tyler’s car echoed through the parking garage as he pulled into the same spot as before. He cut the engine off and sat for a moment, his gaze fixed ahead, before turning to look at me. “I don’t know what the hell is going on between us, but it needs to stop right now.”

“Okay,” I replied, not putting up a fight. “I fucked up. I get it. I put you and your family in danger because I’m a hot-tempered Italian. I fight when I’m mad or hurt. It’s how I survive. I take full responsibility for my toxic personality trait.”

“No,” he scoffed with a slight smirk. “I fucking love that about you, and look at my own family. You fit right in. I just don’t want to ever put a target on your back.”

“Ty—”

“Listen to me, please.” He sighed, twisting a little more toward me, “If I don’t say this now, I’ll never say it.”

I nodded.

“I can now admit Mila and I were never compatible, but she didn’t deserve to die because of me. She might not have loved me,” he lifted a shoulder with an eye roll, “and Jade might have threatened her to stay with me, but she wasn’t a bad person. The way it affected me when she passed was a nightmare.”

“I know,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the heavy silence that filled the car. For once, I didn’t care if he yelled at me or not. My fingers trembled as they reached out to entwine with his, our hands resting on the center console beside his gun. “I’m so sorry. Losing her must have been hell for you.”

“Losing her wasn’t the hardest part. The guilt of taking my kids’ mother away was what tore me apart.” His eyes were shadowed with sorrow as they flickered back to mine. “But if something ever happened to you,” he continued, “I’m not sure even Ian could stop me from destroying the world in revenge. I couldn’t live with myself knowing something happened to you because I need you.” His hand moved gently, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. “And that’s the difference this time. It’s not about not wanting to be with you, it’s about protecting you so I never have to live without you in my life.” His voice softened, yet it carried an unyielding strength. “I’m not willing to ever risk that, even if it means living in pain without having you.”

“Wait,” I gasped, my heart pounding in my chest. “You want to be with me?”

“Want and need are two different things.”

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