Page 32 of Torment

Her gaze shot up to his.

He shrugged. “There’s no cage fighting club around. I already asked.” He smiled mischievously, a smile that had recently become her undoing.

“What I don’t get,” he continued, “is that you’re willing to face Brent. What are you thinking?”

She looked down, and moved back. It was impossible for her to think straight with him so close to her. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Are you sure about that? Because from where I’m standing, coming face to face with Brent isn’t something you need to do right now.”

“The sooner I do this, the sooner everyone can go back to living their lives.”

He got it. He got what she was saying loud and clear. The way his eyes narrowed and the way his stare pierced through her—she knew he got it.

She squared her shoulders. “I want to do it. I want this nightmare to end once and for all, Ace.”

“Scar, do you really think that with you claiming the inheritance this son of a bitch will stop?”

She shrugged. “Probably not. But at least he won’t be able to ruin any other girl’s life by using my grandmother’s money to fund his sick, twisted endeavors.”

She turned to James. “Set it up. I’ll do it.”

He just nodded, his expression pained. Funny—everyone standing in that office at that moment had some or other form of guilt and their own damn torments.

What a fucked-up bunch they made.

When she spun around and walked out of the office, Hunter followed and grabbed her hand, swinging her back to him.

“Scar, think about this.”

“I have been thinking about this, Ace. I’ve been thinking about this for the last seven years. Don’t you think I knew this day would come, that I would have to face him again?”

He just shook his head and looked down at her hand in his, staring at the cuts on her knuckles. The feel of his thumb gently stroking around the wounds, careful not to touch them, sent chills down her spine. Good chills. Chills that made her entire body feel alive. It felt good. Too good.

She pulled her hand out of his and leaned back. “Even though I hoped I would never have to look into his eyes again, I knew deep down I would have to sooner or later. And that time is now.”

“I’m going with you.”

“No.”

“It’s not up discussion. I made you—”

“Fuck your promise, Ace. Seriously? This is the twenty-first fucking century. Have you not gotten the memo that promises have no merit these days? You don’t have to keep your promise.” Dammit, she didn’t want to cry. Not again—and certainly not in front of him. “Go, Ace. Just leave. You never should have stuck around in the first place.”

Hunter stepped closer, but Scarlet reared back and then stormed off in the other direction, hoping like hell he wouldn’t follow her. She just couldn’t handle it, being that close to him anymore. It was wreaking havoc inside her, making it feel like there was a giant wrecking ball smashing through her chest.

Desperate to get rid of the tears lingering in her eyes, she rubbed at them vigorously while rushing around the corner. Her mind felt like it was spinning out of control, to such an extent that she didn’t even notice Colton coming her way before she walked right into him.

“Whoa, in a hurry much?”

“Shit. Sorry.” If it wasn’t for him grabbing her arms and steadying her, she probably would have skidded across the laminated flooring on her ass. When she looked up, he was staring down at her, still not letting go of her elbows.

There they stood, chest to chest, his hands still on her arms, and he was making no attempt to move away.

When she gently pulled her arms free from his grasp, she gave a step back. “Sorry,” she muttered before walking past him.

“You look like you can use a drink,” he said behind her.

“Several, actually. But I just want to get some fresh air.”

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