Page 88 of Scarred Hearts

“Kattt.” Giovanna greeted her with a playful smile, masking the strain that simmered beneath the surface. I’d not witnessed her greet her so casually before now. “Ivan,” she added, arching an eyebrow at him before turning back to Ekaterina with a sneer.

Ian folded his arms over his chest. “We’ve been discussing the fight, and Ekaterina would like to move it to next weekend.”

“Why?!” Giovanna exclaimed, her façade slipping for a moment before she quickly recovered under Ian’s watchful gaze. “I mean, it’s just so soon. And wouldn’t it be unfair to her fighter if we moved the fight up? I’ve been training hard for this.” She glimpsed me, knowing she’d not had enough time to train properly just yet.

Ekaterina took a long drag of her cigarette before lowering it gracefully to her side. She sashayed over to stand in front of Giovanna, oozing dominance. Every fiber of my being wanted to intervene, to demand that she address me instead of my girlfriend. Instead, I bit my tongue, knowing any confrontation would only escalate the situation further. I stood ready to protect Giovanna at any sign that Ekaterina was about to become physically aggressive.

“Oh, my fighter ready. You not need to worry.” She reached to Giovanna’s face, stroking her nail on her cheek, the cigarette dangerously close to her flawless skin. “He ready to help bring you home where you belong.” An evil laugh erupted from her bright red lips.

Giovanna glanced at Ian, but he shook his head subtly. With a forced grin, she replied to Ekaterina, “We’ll see.”

“No, we won’t.” Ivan suddenly stood, striding over to stand next to his sister. “I’ll be fighting you.”

“What?!” Giovanna and I snapped simultaneously.

“Excuse me?!” Ian spat.

Ivan and Ekaterina exchanged a knowing glance before he replied. “Oh, yes, I can’t wait to beat you senseless and take you back to Moscow with me. I’ve spent too much time in the states.”

Giovanna’s face contorted in confusion as she turned to me before looking at Ian and Luke. “What?!” she shouted.

“She’s coming to L.A.!” Ekaterina suddenly argued with her brother, crushing her cigarette against an ashtray on the nearby table. “Not Russia.”

“What?!” I echoed.

“When I’m done with her, you can have her, sis

,” Ivan chuckled, his eyes trailing over Giovanna possessively. “But for now, she’s mine. I’m not done with her, yet.”

“Yes, the fuck you are!” Giovanna bellowed. “We kicked your ass before! Shit,” she mumbled when she realized it was a secret.

“What you say?” Ekaterina asked.

“Fuck,” Ian grumbled, marching over and placing himself on the other side of Giovanna. “She’s just upset.”

Giovanna sighed, shaking her head. “I’m not doing this anymore, Mr. Knight.” She turned back to Ekaterina. “I will gladly fight him,” she said, lifting her chin at Ivan with her arms crossed high on her chest. “And I’ll kill him in front of everyone.”

“Watch your mouth, little cunt!” Ivan barked.

“Don’t speak to her that way!” Luke shouted before I could defend her.

“Fuck you and your fucking family!” Giovanna barked. “I’m done taking shit from all you people!”

“Tyler,” Ian growled, and I shifted my shocked gaze to his, “tame your brat before I do.”

“Watch your back, Ivan!” she spat back as I grabbed her. She broke free from my grip as I tried to hold her back against my chest. Lunging forward, she landed a punch square on Ekaterina’s jaw. “You fucking bitch! You’re next!”

“GIA!” Ian roared, leaping forward and seizing her in his arms, pulling her away from the group. “Tyler, get her out of here now, before she gets hurt!”

I got ready to take her from him, but Ekaterina, holding her jaw, smiled a bloody smile. “It okay.” We all paused, turning our attention to her, with Giovanna panting while Ian held her firmly. “She just fire up about fight. We let this one slide if Ivan fuck her in front of us tonight.”

Ian shifted Giovanna behind him protectively, crossing his arms. “I’ve been gracious enough, Ekaterina. I’ve welcomed you into my club, given you the best dancers, and instructed my people to treat you well. But I won’t allow anyone to touch Gia.”

Ekaterina let out a shrill laugh. “I joke! Just let her dance for us tonight.”

He glanced at me, and I shook my head subtly. Closing his eyes, he swallowed, then cocked his head at the siblings. “No.”

“I’m sorry?” Ivan scoffed. “You’re telling us no?”

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