Chapter 61 *
Damon's POV
I watched her shrug like she hadn't just beaten the shit out of my cousin in my own building.
"I already hit him." Her tone was casual. Too casual. "What else is there to say?"
She was trying to act like it was nothing.
I could see it though. The way her shoulders were just slightly tense. The way she wasn't quite meeting my eyes.
"Scarlett."
She finally looked at me.
I stepped closer. Kept my voice low.
"Stay away from him. He's dangerous and vindictive." I paused. "Let me handle this."
Her mouth opened slightly. Then closed.
She just stared at me.
I'd never used that tone with her before. The one I used on people who worked for me. The one that meant I wasn't asking.
I was telling.
My phone started ringing.
I glanced at the screen.
Peregrine Wolfe.
Of course.
I should've known the old man would call the second he heard what I'd done to his favorite nephew.
I answered. Put it on speaker.
"Damon." His voice came through sharp. Angry. "What the hell is going on?"
"Grandfather."
"Did you lock Rocco in his own apartment? With four men watching him twenty-four seven?"
I didn't answer. Just waited.
"And you froze all his accounts? His credit cards?"
Still waiting.
"He's family, Damon!" Peregrine's voice got louder. "You can't just lock him up like a prisoner!"
I felt my jaw tighten.
Of course. That's all he cared about. Poor Rocco, locked in his luxury penthouse.
Not the women he'd harassed. Not the employees he'd cornered in break rooms.
Just Rocco.
"I also seized all his dividends and allowances for the year," I said. My voice was flat. Cold.
"You what?"
"That money's going to the women he harassed. The ones who work for us."
Silence.
"I'm giving each of them a settlement. Severance packages. NDAs to sign."
"Damonâ€""
"I knew Rocco was useless." I cut him off. "I knew he was living off family money and doing nothing with his life. I didn't care."
I walked to the window. Looked out at the city lights.
"But this? Sexual harassment? Multiple employees?" My voice dropped. "If Scarlett hadn't beaten him up, if those women hadn't finally come forward... we wouldn't have known."
"That's notâ€""
"The family's reputation is everything." I turned back around. "You taught me that. Remember?"
Peregrine went quiet.
"We can't have this kind of scandal getting out. One employee files a lawsuit? Goes public?" I shook my head even though he couldn't see me. "It would destroy us."
"I understand that, but freezing his accountsâ€""
"He harassed Scarlett."
The words came out flat. Final.
Dead silence on the other end.
I could picture him. Standing in his study. Probably gripping his desk.
Trying to figure out what to say.
Because there was nothing to say.
Scarlett wasn't just some random woman. She was carrying my child. The next generation of the Wolfe family.
Peregrine finally spoke. His voice had changed completely.
"He... he bothered Scarlett?"
"Yes."
"Jesus Christ." He sounded strangled. "That idiot. That absolute idiot."
I almost smiled. Almost.
"Keep him locked up." Peregrine's voice was hard now. "As long as you need to. Teach him a lesson."
Not because he cared about Scarlett. Not because harassment was wrong.
Because she was carrying his great-grandchild.
"Make sure he understands the consequences," Peregrine added.
"I will."
I hung up.
Looked at Scarlett. She was watching me. Eyes wide.
I pulled out my phone again. Dialed Arthur.
He picked up on the first ring.
"Yes, sir?"
"After we release Rocco..." I kept my eyes on Scarlett. "Send someone to pay him a visit."
"What kind of visit?"
"I want his hands broken. Both of them."
"The right one especially," I continued. "Make sure it's completely useless for at least a year."
"Understood."
"And Arthurâ€""
"Yes?"
"Make sure he knows exactly why it's happening."
I hung up.
Turned to look at Scarlett fully.
She was frozen. Staring at me.
Then she moved. Fast.
Dove onto the bed. Buried her face in the pillows.
She needed to understand. This world wasn't safe. People like Rocco didn't just go away because you asked nicely.
They had to be dealt with.
I watched her for a moment. She'd pulled the blanket up over her head.
Like that would protect her from what she'd just heard.
I walked over to the bed. Sat down on the edge.
"Scarlett."
No response. Just a very small, very quiet sound from under the blanket.
I almost laughed.
I reached out. Pulled the blanket back slightly.
"Get some sleep."
She didn't look at me. Just nodded into the pillow.
I stood up. Headed toward my office.
The next morning, breakfast was quiet.
Scarlett sat across from me. Picking at her eggs. Not really eating.
I reached into my jacket pocket. Pulled out the small pink box I'd had prepared last night.
Slid it across the table toward her.
She looked up. Eyes wide.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
She hesitated. Then slowly reached for the box.
Her fingers fumbled with the ribbon. Finally got it untied.
She lifted the lid.
The morning light caught the diamonds immediately. Brilliant flashes of white fire.
Scarlett froze.
Just stared into the box.
Her mouth opened slightly. No words came out.
I watched her face. Watched the shock register.
"Damonâ€"" Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "Thisâ€""
She looked up at me. Then back down at the box.
Then back at me again.
Like she couldn't quite process what she was seeing.
I picked up my coffee. Took a sip.
"Do you like it?"