Page 47 of Savage Protector

Slowly, he crouched until we were eye to eye. “I let it happen,” he said, speaking slowly. “I have regretted it every day for fifteen years, but it changes nothing. Do you agree? Wouldn’t you agree that my regret doesn’t do a damn thing?”

“I can’t believe this,” I whispered, ignoring the tears streaming down my face and dripping onto my chest. “What are the odds Dominic and I would end up together? You’re making it up!” Though I never did know the name of the person she was with, did I? They never named the second person.

“Believe it.” His gaze was cold but level, unflinching. “And that is all you’d have to look forward to with me. That’s what I come from. Best friends smiling in each other’s faces and stabbing each other in the back. Thoughtless violence, danger, darkness. I’m doing you a favor… be smart enough to accept it.”

As I sputtered, he concluded, “Your mother died, and your life was destroyed because I didn’t stop what was happening. I can turn my back on that life, but I’ll never be fully free. I’ll only ever hurt you. Do you understand?”

I was starting to because he was crushing my heart. My chest hurt too much. It would kill me. Touching a shaking hand to it, I croaked, “You win. Go. Please.” Because I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t keep trying, fighting against his dark side. Even looking at him was too much. Closing my eyes was all I could do as sobs began taking hold.

He didn’t say another word, not that he needed to. I’d heard everything I needed to hear. The only sound in the suite beyond my broken weeping was the opening and closing of the door, signaling his exit from my life.

19

GRAYSON

“Idon’t think I’ve ever been in your office.” Aiden leaned back in one of Vaughn’s chairs, sipping his drink, looking around the room with an eyebrow arched. “It’s nice. Maybe a little dated.”

“Do you have an opinion about everything?” Jackson asked with a snicker from the window, where he’d been gazing down at the lights on the Strip.

“Everybody has opinions,” Aiden pointed out.

“Not everybody has to express them constantly.” Jackson chuckled, along with Vaughn and Sebastian. Even Aiden had to laugh at himself a little, one thing he was always able to do.

I didn’t find it so easy to laugh. Not when I knew the woman whose heart I had broken was downstairs in her suite, probably still weeping. Alone. The way she had been for so long. And here I was, one floor up, having a drink in Vaughn’s office, knowing what was about to happen, battling the desire to go down there and throw myself at her feet, begging for mercy, begging for her love. That wouldn’t do her any good. I would only hurt her in the end.

The only way to love her was to let her go.

I had to be strong.

“Thank you for going out of your way to meet up here.” I finished off my bourbon, savoring its smoothness, willing myself to focus on that and not on what I had done to Scarlet. I didn’t mean to tell her that way, but it was the only way to make her understand how completely wrong I was and always would be. I had to get through to her.

If I ever again considered darkening her doorstep, all I had to do was remember the pain that leaked into her eyes when I told her the truth and know that was all I could ever offer. She would understand this was for the best. She would look back one day and thank me for what I was about to do.

“What’s with all the secrecy over why we had to meet up here tonight instead of downstairs in the lounge?” Sebastian asked me. Suddenly, four pairs of eyes turned my way, full of curiosity. Vaughn knew the basics of Scarlet’s situation if only because I owed him the truth after asking him to shelter her. Otherwise, my friends were almost salivating for details.

“Maybe I wanted you guys all to myself,” I suggested. The less they knew, the better.

Even Vaughn didn’t have any specifics on what was happening tonight. Only Dad knew about that. Checking my phone, I confirmed I had around half an hour before the meet-up he’d scheduled.

“Are you sure everything's okay with you?” For once, Aiden wasn’t fucking around. In fact, he looked downright concerned as he set his glass aside. “Do you need help with something?”

“It’s all business. After tonight, everything will be settled. I’ll be able to tell you more about it then,” I promised. “And I’ll be able to catch up on everything I’ve missed lately. I’m sure Jackson has fired at least five dancers by now,” I added, smirking his way.

“It’s only been two,” he retorted. “It’s not my fault everybody is full of promises of how hard they’ll work until the time comes to put the sweat in.”

“I remember back when you used to be fun,” Aiden grumbled, inspiring Jackson to give him the finger while we all laughed. He had a point, though, but I couldn’t bring myself to care very much at the moment. Later. Maybe when it was all over.

And no matter how things turned out, it would be over. One way or another.

“Speaking of fun.” Jackson checked his phone, scowling. “I’m having a late dinner with my mother. Don’t start,” he warned Aiden, who held up his hands in mock surrender.

“Give her my love.” Aiden made kissing noises, ducking a playful punch from Jackson as he passed on his way to the door.

Sebastian made a move to follow Jackson’s lead. “I’d better go too. The restaurant calls.” He eyed Aiden in passing, then jerked his head toward the door. “Come on. I’ll see if I can dig up something for you over there.”

“Since when am I the homeless dog that wanders around getting little scraps from people?” Aiden asked as he stood, returning his glass to the bar in the corner of the office.

Sebastian stopped dead in his tracks. “You consider my food scraps?”