Page 83 of Marc

I walk around my car to inspect the other two tires. Anger builds in my chest as I see they match the two on the other side of the car.

The slashes are several inches wide and look perfectly cut from a knife.

“If Jared ruined my rims, I’m going to be pissed.”

More like livid because I am already way past pissed.

Marc scoffs. “Going to be? Hell, you should already be there. I know I am.”

Marc’s hands are balled into tight fists. Reaching out, I open his hands and link my fingers with his.

“From now on, when it comes to Jared, there is no point in either of us getting angry. It’s not healthy and in the end, we are the only ones that suffer.”

Marc turns towards me. “Wha-”

I lightly squeeze his hands to get him to stop talking and look at me.

“There is no use in us wasting the energy being mad because Jared is going to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and consequences be damned. Maybe if we ignore him, he will get bored and move on with his life.”

Even I don’t believe that for one second, but I can still hope it will happen.

I had one year without him, but now that he’s found me, he’s not going to leave quietly. At least not without causing another dozen more destructions.

Marc pulls his hand away from mine and jabs his finger to my tires as his breathing gets heavier from the anger coursing through his veins.

“There will be consequences for this, believe me. He may have gotten away with coming here to try to intimidate you, breaking in and trashing your house, and smashing your window this morning, but I’m not going to stand here and let this shit continue.”

Marc pulls out his phone, scrolls through his contact list, and calls someone.

After a few moments, I hear that the person he called is a friend that works for a tow company and Marc is getting my car towed to the local garage.

I guess it’s a good thing he is here with me because I probably wouldn’t have thought to have my car towed to a garage. It would have sat back here in the alley until I could have bought new tires and hired someone to come put them on.

At least the garage can lift the car up so the rims aren't ruined because they were resting on the ground because four new tires are going to cost me an arm and a leg.

Marc ends the call and shoves his phone into his shorts pocket.

“He will be here in ten minutes to get your car. Once he loads it up, he will bring it to the garage. I’ll call them in a few to give them a heads up.”

“I’m glad it was just my car and not yours. It’s one thing to destroy my stuff, but you don’t deserve this, especially since you weren’t involved in our past. Speaking of your car, where did you park?”

Marc grabs my hands and stares at me like there’s a million things he wants to say.

After a few silent moments, he takes a deep breath and says, “Staci, you don’t deserve this either. No one does, but you, especially. It doesn't matter that you two have a past. What he is doing is unacceptable. Not to mention dangerous and illegal.”

“I know that, and I wish there was a way tomake him stop, but there isn’t, unless I close the studio, move far away, and change my name.”

“That’s not going to happen. I won’t let you give up your dreams. I’ll help you get that bastard thrown in jail one way or another.”

I sigh and wipe the drop of sweat that’s running down the side of my face. “Where did you park? I want to make sure your car isn’t damaged.”

“Around the corner.”

I’m glad he parked around the corner, but I didn’t expect Jared would so brazenly come here and slash my tires. Especially with the hired security up front.

Speaking of security, where the fuck was he when this happened?

“Smart thinking, or else we would both be stranded here without a car.”

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