Page 54 of Scarred Hearts

“Nada.” Thinking Luke didn’t need to know that information, I buried it with all the other secrets I had tucked away about my past. Client confidentiality? Not quite.

Several years ago, I went back to New York for a court case. Emilio had me bent over my own father’s car hood after a meeting one night at the house. Giovanni and Luca drove separately and left, but Emilio stayed behind and charmed me into a quickie after my father retired to his bedroom for the night. The next two nights, we met up at the hotel his brother owned and continued our short-lived fling.

“Anyway,” he shook his head, “they’re here about a fight we’re finally going to host.”

“The one Jade told me about, but it keeps never happening?”

“Yeah, well,” he raised a hand, “thankfully we didn’t have to, but Ian’s dead set on it now for a few reasons.”

Puzzled, I rolled my bottom lip between my fingertips, deep in thought about why I was going to a meeting about warehouse fighting. Then, I recalled that a couple of the Pivovarov family members were prized champion fighters. Shit. I knew where it was going.

“You said not even close when I asked about the Russians.” I said, quirking a brow with my head tilted.

The SUV turned into the parking lot of an old warehouse. Two armed guards stood next to a little building that looked brand new. The property was surrounded by a tall, metal fence with several layers of razor wire on top.

“Today, we’re just meeting with our friends, but they brought someone with them,” Luke said as one of the guards opened the gate and waved him through. Luke stretched his neck out, scanning the property. “Still getting used to the guards.”

“Fancy,” I half-joked.

Peering ahead at the abandoned-looking buildings, I grinned. Shipping containers were arranged in what appeared to be a maze off in the distance next to the water. The atmosphere was eerie, and I loved everything about it. Picturing the past, I imagined it was once thriving and loud with legal activities. Now, it just looked like a place where people came to die.

“Ian had a new fence, cameras, and a guardhouse built after the incident with Jade’s ex.”

“I was right.” I laughed quietly as he came to a stop next to a row of other cars and SUVs.

“About?”

“Nothing.” I opened my door and hopped out, gravel crunching under my white Timberland boots.

“Leave your stuff in the car for now,” he said as I shut my door simultaneously with his. Leading me to the side of the brick building, he nodded at Indigo.

I knew Indigo well. He was one of two of Giovanni’s bodyguards. His lips parted in a knowing smile when he saw me. “Gia,” he bowed his head.

“Hiii, Indigo.” I wiggled my brows as I passed him, stepping into the building.

The minute the door closed, Luke put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me in the narrow corridor. “How do you know him so casually? I thought he’d only been to the club once or twice before you left.”

I smirked as a bug landed on my neck, and I reached up, scrubbing my fist on my skin with a grin. “I might have fucked Emilio a couple of times.” I decided to be truthful.

His eyes swelled, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Ian’s voice boomed from the other side of the wall.

“Luke, is that you?!”

“Shit, Gia!” Luke whisper-yelled. “Is there anyone else you fucked that I know personally? We’re about to walk into a really tense meeting and?—”

“LUKE!” Ian bellowed.

“Coming!” he called out, his eyes narrowing on mine. “Nice hickeys.”

“Huh?” I jerked my head back, then slapped my hand over them, realizing I’d just wiped the makeup away. I pointed my thumb back over my shoulder with an amused expression. “Should I have left my gun and knives in the car too?”

“Jesus, Gia.”

13

OLD FRIENDS

TYLER

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