Page 71 of Scar

“We all know the rumors.” That was the man who had volunteered to take Keys into Primis Headquarters. Ghost, she was pretty sure. His voice was low, like he hated what he was about to say. “War is profitable, and Primis cashed in. They shot first, never asked questions, and left a lot of blood in their wake. Scar would have been in a very dark place after what happened to him. Hell, he probably still carries that darkness with him every damn day. Before any of you start judging him, put yourselves in his shoes. His entireteam, hisbrothers, had just been murdered, and he was the only one to walk away. Think what you would do if something happened to the rest of us and you were the only one left standing. I, for one, would have felt like I didn’t have a soul left to bargain with, therefore the devil could take it so long as I had my vengeance.”

A sniffle sounded.

Tally felt a tear fall down her own cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

“Steel,” Lucky said between gritted teeth. “What if Scar didn’t finish his agreement? What if he left and Alpha has been looking for him all this time?”

Someone cursed, but it was muffled, like their hand was raised to their mouth. It wasn’t until he continued that Tally recognized Bulldog’s voice. “The river. They pulled him from the river.That’swhy we never found him.”

“But he was shot!” someone else said. “How could he have survived the fall in the first place?”

“It’s possible,” Tessa said carefully. “The mountain runoff would still have been extremely cold that time of year. I mean, it would have taken a number of miracles and the right conditions, but it’s possible.”

“Then he’s been with Primis all this time?” Sissy asked. “We thought he was dead and Primis has been holding him captive?”

“It couldn’t have been the whole time,” Scissors reminded her fiancée. “He’s been with Tally for a month.”

“Well, that would explain these pictures,” Keys added. “I’m assuming this is your apartment?”

Tally waved her hand in front of her face. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen my apartment.”

“Oh shit,” embarrassment radiated off of the young man. “I am so sorry!”

“It’s fine,” Tally smiled at him, feeling bad she’d embarrassed him. “I was kidding. But honestly, you’re going to have to ask Simone.”

Tally heard a door open and then Simone come out of the kitchen. Tally wondered if Jenna had taken her in there to keep her from hearing the nitty-gritty of the conversation the club was having. It certainly wasn’t alegalconversation.

After a quick word with Tally, Simone looked at whatever was on Keys’ computer and confirmed that the pictures were of Tally’s apartment.

Tally’s stomach rolled. “He was taking pictures of me?”

“No,” Keys argued. “The pictures of your apartment are the only ones on his camera. There’s none of you.”

Something slammed by the bar. Tally jumped.

“Motherfucker!” Bulldog roared. “What is the one thing,the one fucking thing, that would keep Scar away? What has kept him away since the day he turned in his fucking cut and walked out that fucking door!”

Keys shifted uncomfortably as someone else sighed.

Finally, Steel said, “Protecting us. If Primis learned where he was and pulled him from the river, then they also know about us.”

“That motherfucking warmonger threatened us to make Scar behave!” Bulldog roared.

Tally flinched at Bulldog’s description of her father. She was desperately hoping that Keys and the VDMC were wrong and her family’s money wasn’tblood money.

“And if Alpha threatened Scar’s family,” Bear continued, “then Scar would threatenhis. Only…” his voice trailed off.

Tally’s mind and heart felt like they were spinning in opposite directions.This, this was why he’d come to Atlanta. This was why he’d stayed with her. Her father had been right: Scarhadbeen there to harm her.

Except, he hadn’t. Hell, he hadn’t even taken pictures of her. And what harm were pictures? Other than proof that Scar knew where Alpha’s family was?

So why hadn’t he? Why were there no pictures of her? Why hadn’t he taken a picture and vanished? She might not have even known he was there. Her echolocation didn’t have an infinite range. If he’d kept his distance, she’d have never known. And it wasn’t like he had to be in her personal bubble to take a picture of her.

He’dstayed. He’d stayedwith her. Tally’s heart pounded thunderously in her chest. That had to mean something. Ithadto.

She was so lost in her head that it took her several long seconds to feel that everyone in the room was staring at her. Her cheeks heated. “What?”

Bulldog cleared his throat. He was closer than before, having approached her when she’d been spaced out in her thoughts. “You must truly be an extraordinary woman, Tally Meacham, to have won the heart of my best friend.” She felt something be placed over her hands on her lap and immediately recognized the warmth of Scar’s leather cut. Her fingers gripped the tough hide. “I hope you are worthy of him.”

---