Easton

“You want to keep on blaming him, go ahead, but I can tell you now, you toxic little bitch, I will make sure you, your husband, and your fucking kid struggle for the rest of your natural born lives. Do you hear me? You can keep thinking this is all Easton’s fault, but your friend, she didn’t have to fuck him, did she? They both made a choice, and you are just as much to blame as everyone else. If you had been a good enough friend, she’d have come to you when she started sleeping with him, telling you all of her secrets. Instead, she chose to keep it a secret from you. What does that tell you, huh? It tells me you weren’t as good a friend as you think you were. And if you had that big of a beef with what happened, you wouldn’t be fucking one of the Four Kings. I bet they knew what had happened and who did it. You’ve got to make a choice in this world, darling, and it’s not chasing after Easton. Otherwise, I, no one else, I, will end you.” She let go of Taylor, grabbed her bottle of water, and left the elevator.

Without looking back, she took the stairs back up to the waiting room.

Liam was waiting. Romeo and Karson were still there.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She spoke quietly to him so he was the only to hear what happened.

“Is it wrong to think of how hot you are right now?”

“I didn’t mean to get so angry.”

“She threatened our man. We can’t have that, and all you can do is whatever it takes to save and protect our family. I’ll have your back always. I’m not having anyone throwing Easton’s past back at him.”

Scarlett held onto Liam as Axton and Taylor returned. The couple were holding each other, and it looked like Taylor had been crying.

Good. She had no desire to end Taylor’s suffering. She didn’t even want to think about how long Easton had been suffering at her hands.

This was the first time since being married to Liam she’d been violent. The emotions of the day were starting to finally get to her. Pushing some hair off her face, she let out a breath.

Just as she closed her eyes, she heard the door to the waiting room open. The doctor was there to finally tell them all what had happened. She couldn’t lose Easton. They had a fucked-up past, but that didn’t mean she wanted to see him dead. Not ever. They were given a second chance at this. She wanted to apologize and to make up for all the lost time they had missed.

A second chance to be together and she didn’t want to fall apart. Liam held her hand, but it was all too much.

Would Easton live or die? He had to live. She had so much to make up for.

Chapter Fifteen

Over eleven years ago

This was it.

He had to go home.

Had to go back and face reality, which really fucking sucked. His friends would be waiting for him.

Easton glanced down at the time, waiting for Scarlett to arrive. The last couple of weeks with her had been the best time of his life. He hadn’t loved Carla, and it made her death even worse. She’d been a fling, a bit of fun. He cared about her, but after knowing Scarlett, he didn’t love her.

He loved Scarlett. His Scar. His world.

They had come together and it had been the most magical time of his life, and now, he was going to have to walk away even if it killed him.

As he ran his fingers through his hair, rain fell down around the gazebo.

Part of him hoped she wouldn’t turn up. She’d stay gone as just a summer camp fling, but there was no stopping Scarlett when she started.

She ran toward the gazebo, all in white. It made this so much harder.

He couldn’t run with her.

His father would find him, and when he did, Scarlett would die. He’d underestimated Nial before, and he wasn’t going to do it again.

“Hey,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “I’m so sorry. A couple of the kids didn’t want to leave, and I had to see them off. You know how it is.” She kissed his lips. She’d already admitted she loved him the other day. He’d told her the same thing. He loved her and wanted to be with her for the rest of their lives.

Now, he had to break her heart, shatter it, destroy every single trace of love he had for her.

“What’s wrong?” Scarlett asked, letting him go.

He’d not held her back, not given her any indication he wanted to even hold her.

He stood, hand in his pocket, waiting for the right moment.

Even as he smirked at her, he knew he was screaming inside, begging for her to not listen to him. to know he never wanted to hurt her.