Page 16 of Scarred Hearts

Ice Man was seated on the couch and offered me a polite nod. I hadn’t seen him since he got injured and wanted to ask him how he was, but I also didn’t want to bring anything up that Mr. Knight and Luke may not want me saying.

Matching his expression, I gave a small wave before my gaze met Mr. Knight’s. He was dressed impeccably in a sleek black suit, his fingers steepled over his mouth as he raked his piercing gaze over me. It was hard to decipher his thoughts from his unreadable expression.

“Sit,” Luke hissed with a firm grip on my shoulder.

Laying my bag next to me, I perched on the edge of the seat, crossing my knee over the other. Out of respect, I remained silent, mentally preparing for whatever reprimand or instructions Mr. Knight was about to deliver. After all, it was ultimately his decision whether or not to allow me back into the club.

He lowered his hands, folding them on the desk before him, his steely gaze fixed on me. “I understand why you left,” he began in a surprisingly calm tone. “I don’t blame you.”

Wait, is he being nice?

“I have no words about your father,” he continued, “but I do take full responsibility for what happened. Your brother’s mistake played a role, but at the end of the day, I’m ultimately accountable for what happens within this club.” He leaned forward, his expression serious and unyielding. “I don’t play games, and I don’t leave anything to chance. Especially after everything I’ve been through in these past few years.”

Fidgeting with my hands in my lap, I nodded once, unsure of how to respond. I’d prepared myself for him to be angry and condescending, not understanding and remorseful.

“I know there are some people here who missed you,” he added, his gaze softening slightly. “And our customers have certainly been asking about you to a point that it pissed off some of the girls.”

“Thank you for allowing me to return.”

“Family and loyalty are the two most important things to me,” he stated firmly, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

I glimpsed Luke, who stood nearby, watching the exchange with a mix of hesitation and hope in his eyes. “I agree,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“All I ask is you prove your loyalty to this club and my family.” I opened my mouth to respond, but he lifted a hand. “I’m not calling this a second chance due to our circumstances, but since you’ve been gone a while, I think we need to get reacquainted.”

I bobbed my head. My heart swelled with gratitude at his unexpected show of understanding. “I think that’s fair.”

A small, self-satisfied grin pulled at his mouth, causing a dimple to appear on one cheek. “And just so you know, I don’t like secrets.”

“I—” I glanced at Luke again, who arched a brow, before turning my attention back to Mr. Knight. “Okay. No secrets.” Shit. He knows. But what if he doesn’t? I wasn’t taking any chances. Secrets or not, it wasn’t just mine. There was no way I would throw Tyler under the bus, even if Mr. Knight expected my loyalty. For some reason, I felt the need to protect him.

His sharp gaze bore into me for what felt like an eternity before he finally spoke again, his tone deeper than before. “Good.” He leaned forward in his leather chair and reached across his desk to slide a sleek, black key card toward me. “Go get settled in, and Luke will be down in a bit. We have another business matter to discuss first.”

“Thank you!” Relief washed over me. Eagerly, I reached for the card, my fingers trembling slightly as I picked it up. Confident. Be yourself. Stiffening my posture, I gave him a final nod with a self-assured grin. As I turned to leave, Luke’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Jade’s excited to see you again. We’ll discuss the assistant stuff later.”

4

RETURNED

GIOVANNA

Before heading to Luxe, I knew I had to find Jade. I’d missed her and Maddie a ton and would have to make a point to take Maddie a little present and see her soon. As I entered the showroom, a familiar sense of comfort washed over me. Euphoria felt like home in a way I never could’ve imagined.

I took a moment to admire the ambiance, as if I were seeing it for the first time. In one corner of the club, a second VIP section had been added, complete with six booths facing the main stage. While they lacked the high-backed chairs and individual poles of the other VIP area, they were still luxurious; with squared off sitting areas and glowing blue glass coffee tables. Sexy was an understatement.

Strip clubs were often deemed dirty and uninviting, but not Euphoria. It was like stepping into another world—one that didn’t feel grimy or sleazy. Instead, it exuded an aura of adult allure like no other club I’d ever entered.

“Hey, you!” Aurora’s voice interrupted my thoughts from behind the main bar.

“Hey, chick!” I strode over, leaning an elbow on the back of one of the barstools.

“Luke said you’d be coming back.”

“Yeppp,” I chuckled. “Couldn’t resist this place any longer.”

She laughed as well. “I get it.”

---