Page 96 of Scar

“I would accept it gladly even if it did.”

Tally scowled. “I wouldn’t.”

That rumbling sound echoed in her ear.“I don’t know if talking hurts because I’ve never done it successfully.”

Tally reached her hand back to touch his bare hip. Despite that they’d had sex four times the night before, he was half-hard against her ass. At his age, that was impressive. But then she imagined it had been a long time since he’d had sex. “Don’t try to talk to me. I don’t care if you can talk. If you need to use a phone to communicate with me, then that’s what you do. Don’t push yourself beyond what you can do. I’ve been meaning to apologize for demanding you talk to me in my apartment. I feel awful about that.”

“Don’t. If your dad hadn’t interrupted us, there’s a chance I might have been able to. I was trying.”

That confirmation meant the world to her, but the reminder about that day brought back the reality of their situation. “What are we going to do about my dad, Scar?”

It was several minutes of silence before the mechanical voice answered.“I don’t know what you know or don’t know. I’ll try to summarize as best I can. You know your father owns a paramilitary group called Primis. Ten years ago, they offered me a position to avenge the deaths of my brothers. I worked with them for two years, but my contract was for five. After I learned some things about what truly happened to my brothers, I left. Went AWOL. Your dad has been trying to find me since. I don’t know how he tracked me to Mount Grove, but he did. In a way, I owe him for that. I was shot and his medical team saved my life. And then, of course, I met you. When I was in Primis after getting shot, your father implied that he wanted me back because I still owed him time on my contract. However, this time it was different. He was very persistent, like he was on a deadline and needed me compliant. I think he wanted me for something specific.”

Tally waited a moment to make sure he was done texting. “Do you know what?”

She felt Scar shake his head behind her. His face was barely touching her hair on the pillow, like he was content just to breathe in the scent of her shampoo.

“Why did you come to Atlanta?” She knew the assumed reason, but nothisreason.

“Alpha threatened my family. The plan was to threaten his.” There was another pause and then,“Instead, he inadvertently gave me you.”

Tally chuckled. “Bet that was the shock of a lifetime.”

“Understatement. But how could I not fall in love with you? Per your own words, you’re awesome.”

Tally’s whole body shook with the force of her laughter. “You’re not so bad yourself.” Sobering, she asked, “Why did you show yourself? That first night. If you were there to take pictures, why come up to me as you had?”

“I saw the two thugs come at you. How was I to know you could kick their asses?”

“Silly man. Not all women are damsels.”

Scar’s chest shook against her back as if he was silently laughing.“You were so fucking beautiful, and the moment I realized you were toying with them is when I fell for you. I just didn’t realize it. But that’s why I stayed. I was obsessed and needed to learn everything about you.”

“Yes, the stalking did clue me in to your obsession.” She rubbed her ass against his groin to soften her words, realistic though they were. “It was moving the things in Mark’s apartment that did it for me, but the moment you collapsed in my apartment was when I knew. It seemed like too soon and I fought thinking the words, but it didn’t stop me from coming after you.”

His lips pressed to the base of her skull.“You gave me back my brothers, Tally. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Her lips twitched. “That’s the first time you’ve said my name.”

“I wish I was able to say it for real.”

“I’m not,” Tally snapped. “Does it bother you that I’ll never be able to see you?”

“Don’t be fucking stupid. Of course not.”

“Exactly,” she emphasized. “Don’t push yourself beyond what you’re capable of doing. Now, back to my dad. What’s the plan?”

“I have to find him.”

“Why do you have to find him? Is he not in Washington, D.C.?”

There was another long pause before her phone replied.“When Keys was at Primis, while the others were getting me out, he attacked their systems. Made them all public. As in everything. All the things the government knew about and the stuff they didn’t. Their financial records were also in that data dump. Right now, Primis is no more.”

Tally’s jaw dropped. “Holy fuck.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Getting rid of Primis doesn’t solve the problem of your father. He’s spent a lot of years protecting his identity. Only a handful of his people know his real name. A man by the name of George Shepard is the public face of Primis.”Then a pause.“Or was.”

“I know George,” Tally told him. “He and his wife, Sybil, visit during the holidays.”

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