Page 24 of Scar

He pauses, then my phone beeps, stating that he wants to video call. My eyes go wide and I quickly sit back in my seat, ensuring to keep the camera on me, making sure no one is behind me before I answer.

“Hey.” I smile at him, desperately trying to stop my hands from shaking.

“Looks quiet,” he states.

“Yeah, it’s a quiet day for them I think.” I shrug, masking my fear. The doorbell chimes with someone coming in, and thankfully you can’t see it on camera, but I hear deep murmurings and I know it’s Scar returning. I pause, at a loss for words.

“Hey there, darling girl. Can I interest you in today’s soup of the day? It’s my mamma’s recipe, winter vegetable,” the owner beams as she tops up my mug. She gives me a wink and I could kiss her.

“Yes, that would be lovely, thank you,” I accept.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you were on a call,” she feigns innocently.

“It’s my fiancé.” I smile, adding to the performance.

She surprises me by leaning in next to me, smiling and waving at Layton. “Oh, hey there, you have a beautiful fiancé,” she compliments. “And my, aren’t you a handsome devil! Perfect match,” she sings.

Layton’s frown quickly turns into a smile. “That’s very kind of you. Look after her for me, and no bread with that soup. I don’twant her getting fat for our wedding.” He winks. The sound of plates and glasses smashing has me and the owner looking up to see Cash and another brother holding back a very angry looking Scar.

“Oh, do excuse me. The wash boy has dropped the dishes again! Honestly boy, can’t you just wash the damn dishes without smashing them?!” she yells as she walks off, giving me a wink.

“Okay, I will let you go, but be home before it gets dark,” he orders.

I nod. “Of course, I will. I will text you when I get home,” I assure him.

He nods, then disconnects.

I make sure that the call has ended before I place it back in my bag. Only then do I exhale a long breath. I place my head in my shaky hands, trying to regain some composure. I feel him next to me, and his warm hands gently grasp my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face. As I turn my head to look at him, I can see that there is still anger in his eyes, but this time it’s mixed with sadness and regret. He releases my wrist and reaches up, slowly and delicately tucking my hair back behind my ear.

“I’m sorry,” he rasps.

“What are you apologising for?” I ask.

“For my reaction, and for being selfish and not thinking what you would have had to endure for me leaving. If I had known, I wouldn’t have gone. I would have stayed and waited for my club to come and get me,” he rasps.

I smile. “It’s okay, and I know you would have stayed. That’s why I didn’t tell you. If you’d stayed, you would have died. So I may be living in misery right now, but at least we are both breathing.” I shrug with a smile playing on my lips.

His eyes flicker down to my mouth. “I can’t let you go back to him,” he sighs, shaking his head.

“I have to. If I don’t, then my father and Layton will come for me. For you,” I state.

He runs his hands through his hair. “I can’t sit back and watch you suffer like this, like you did for me. Let me help you. I owe you my fucking life,” he says, his voice breaking.

“You owe me nothing but keeping yourself alive. This was always going to be my life. I just brought it forward by a couple of years. I was delusional if I thought my life could ever be different from what it is now. It’s okay. I will be okay,” I assure him. After seeing him, I would accept my life now that I know he is happy. “Go be with the woman you love and start your life with your family,” I state. There’s an awkward clearing of a throat behind him and I look over to see a guy not looking too happy.

Scar smirks. “That isn’t a thing anymore, Angel. She isn’t mine, she’s Acid’s. I’m cool with that.”

“Oh,” I wince. I look to the other guy Acid and mouth the word‘sorry’to him. He smirks back at me amused.

“Angel, look at me,” Scar demands. I turn my gaze to him. “You are not going back to him,” he orders, while also making it sound like a threat.

“I have to,” I remind him. It isn’t that simple. If it was, then he wouldn’t have been held for months. Even his club, his President must know that. As if I summoned him, the bells chime above the door and in he walks. His cold glacial stare lands on me and I instantly feel fear creeping up my spine as I remember our last encounter with his hand wrapped around my throat. I am not saying or doing anything that may provoke him in any way.

“He won’t hurt you,” Scar assures me, sensing my hesitation.

I raise my brow at Scar. “Well, I’m not about to provoke him,” I whisper quietly.

Scar’s smile widens. “He will be grateful for that, because his ol’ lady gives him enough shit.” Scar smirks.