Chapter 11 - THE REVELATION OF THE SCAR
Ru finished bandaging the guard and rushed toward the rear staircase.
She pushed open the heavy metal door leading to the upper office overlooking the river.
Inside the dimly lit office, Harland had Victor Vance pinned against the glass window.
Vance was bruised, bleeding, and gasping for air.
“You can’t kill me, Voss!” Vance spat blood onto the glass.
“The federal indictments are already on their way to the prosecutor!”
Harland’s grip on Vance’s collar tightened until the fabric tore.
“I don't need to kill you, Vance,” Harland said coldly.
“The police are already outside.”
“You’re going to spend the rest of your natural life in a federal penitentiary.”
Vance sneered, his eyes darting toward Ru standing in the doorway.
“And what about your little nurse friend?” Vance laughed.
“You think a mob boss can keep a normal girl around?”
“Look at your face, Voss!”
“Look at what your life does to everyone you touch!”
Harland froze.
His hand slowly relaxed its grip on Vance’s collar.
Ru stepped forward into the room.
She looked at the harsh white scar tracing Harland’s jawline.
The scar she had wondered about since the first moment she met him in the garage.
“Did Vance do that?” Ru asked softly.
Harland didn't answer immediately.
He let Vance drop to the floor.
“Ten years ago,” Harland said, his voice barely audible.
“Vance tried to kill my family.”
“I took a knife to the face protecting Elena.”
“That’s why I built walls around myself, Ru.”
“Because everyone I let close to me ends up in the crossfire.”
Ru walked across the room until she stood only inches away from him.
She reached out, her fingers gently brushing the edge of his scar.
Harland flinched slightly, then leaned into her touch.
“I’m not in the crossfire, Harland,” Ru whispered.
May you like
“I walked right into it.”
“And I’m not planning on leaving.”
