Page 91 of Scarred Hearts

“They didn’t play fair when her father was alive,” he scoffed. “What makes you think they’d play fair now? We’ve been over this. And also, you don’t marry to keep someone safe, you marry for love.

“Not discussing my feelings with you, Ian, but they killed my child and made her so she can’t have children anymore. I’m not fucking around with them anymore. I respect you and your need to run your family how you want to, but when it comes to Gia and our family, I’m running it the way I want to. And you’re going to have to respect that.”

Never averting his gaze from mine, he smoked the last three drags of his cigarette in silence before dropping it to the roof and snuffing it with the sole of his shoe.

“I don’t even know if she wants me leading her family,” I admitted. “She might be down there, ready to run away from me at this point.”

“I think she’s going to be more hurt that you announced a fake engagement than anything,” he said. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“We’re going to be adults and talk about it.”

He slipped his phone from his pocket, checked the screen, and then put it away. “Right now, she’s going to work her shift, and you can talk about it after work.”

“Fine,” I replied. “I have some business to handle with memberships tonight anyway.”

After our chat, Ian disappeared into his office, and I found Giovanna with Amber and Jade in Jenna’s. She glanced back over her shoulder, then excused herself. I took her bags from her, throwing them over my shoulder. Lacing my fingers together with hers, I guided her out without a word to the girls. Judging from their looks, Jade or Giovanna told Amber and Jenna what happened.

The minute we were out of sight, she tugged me toward my office in the executive suite. “In here,” she said. “We need to talk alone.”

“I know,” I replied, reaching over, ready to unlock the door, but it was already unlocked, so I opened and let her enter first. Reaching out for her wrist, I grabbed it, dropped her bags to the floor, and pulled her into me. I crashed my lips into hers.

“Ahem,” a deep voice cleared his throat, and I took a step back, flipping on the light.

“What the fuck?” I snapped.

“We could ask you the same,” Frankie countered.

He was sitting at my desk, Angelo and Bruno in the chairs in front of him, with three other unknown men leaning on the wall.

“I suggest you not,” I replied before I could stop it from exiting my mouth, but I was done bowing to anyone. “You’re in my office and in my family’s club.” I glimpsed Giovanna, who looked either turned on or confused, I couldn’t quite read her. “Get out of my chair,” I ordered.

Frankie stood with a sneer, ready to challenge me. “We need to discuss the little stunt you pulled in your brother-in-law’s office.”

“It was no stunt,” I announced, striding to my desk. I narrowed my gaze on his. “I meant every word of it.”

He scoffed at Giovanna, who was nibbling her bottom lip, but Angelo spoke before he could. “Did you authorize this? Is this who you chose to replace your father? An Irishman who’ll rip this family of every bit of Italian heritage?”

She shifted her gaze to me, and I could only stare at her, wondering if she’d take my side. Any other time, I wouldn’t have questioned her, but it was a big deal, a life-changing event to take place, and I’d just announced to a room full of people that she was my fiancée. Her shoulders lifted and fell as she took a deep breath and waltzed over to me with a stoic gaze. She turned to face them, hands on her hips.

“Truthfully,” she began, and I braced myself, “Tyler’s more capable of running the family than my brothers or I would ever be.” Suddenly, she grinned wide and menacingly. “And I don’t give a fuck that he’s Irish, and you shouldn’t either, because Angelo, your mom’s from Dublin, and if I recall, one of your mistresses is Irish American, am I right, Frankie?” She shifted her gaze to him.

The men sighed, and Frankie bowed his head. “Fair. Fine. If this is what you really want, then we need to have a ceremony tonight.”

“Get out of my office,” I ordered. “Gia and I need some alone time. I’ll let you know when I’m ready for my ceremony.”

“Of course,” Frankie replied, raising a hand, causing everyone to leave the room. He strode up to the desk, reaching toward me. “I support it, but if you’re in, you’re never getting out so be prepared.”

“I know,” I replied, shaking his hand.

Giovanna followed him to the door, giving him a hug before she closed it and whirled around. “Tyler!” she whisper-yelled as she lumbered toward me. “What the fuckkkk?”

Sitting in the chair, I pressed my palms on the desk, bowing my head and resting it on the surface. “Gia, all I could think about was protecting you.” I lifted my gaze to see she was staring at me, still in shock. “I didn’t know if we had to be married for that position. I didn’t know your family’s laws.”

She sashayed to the side of the desk, and I rotated the chair to face her. Placing herself between my legs, she ran her fingers through my hair. I couldn’t look her in the eyes, knowing I announced our engagement when I hadn’t even asked her to marry me. However, I forced myself to stare into them anyway. Should she shed a single tear, I’d take full responsibility for hurting her.

“Do you remember the pink bracelet I gave you as a silly joke while we were lying in bed at Penthouse talking before you had to leave?”

My eyes widened. “Holy shit.” I gasped, yanking the desk drawer open. Rummaging around inside, I took it out, holding it up to her. “I always kept it in my desk drawer at the Celestial Building, then brought it with me when I moved over here. I never considered throwing it out.”

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