chapter 37

**Inside the Room**Scar Boss awoke to a dull ache in his head. The remnants of a heavy night lingered in his mind, clouding his thoughts. He shifted in the bed, reaching out to the space beside him with a groggy hand, expecting to find Amaira there, as he had been dreaming of her all night. But instead, his fingers brushed against something cold and unfamiliar.His eyes snapped open, confusion setting in as he turned to look at the figure beside him. The soft light of the morning filtered through the curtains, and in its glow, Selena lay there, her head resting comfortably on the pillow, as though she had been there all night.A rush of disbelief washed over him.Selena?His mind felt heavy, groggy from the alcohol still coursing through his veins. The memories of last night were hazy at best, but he was certain he hadn’t asked for this. This wasn’t how he’d imagined waking up. He had thought—no, hoped—that Amaira would be there, beside him, that their night together had meant something.But instead, here she was, Selena, the woman he had kept at arm's length for so long, the woman who had tried to claim him as hers for years. The same woman who had never seemed to understand the word "no."His throat tightened with frustration."Selena," he rasped, his voice rough, though his words came out sharp. "What the hell are you doing here?"Selena stirred slightly at the sound of his voice, opening her eyes slowly. A lazy smile spread across her face as she met his gaze."Good morning, Scar Boss," she purred, her voice smooth and calculated. "I thought we were past formalities."He blinked, sitting up quickly, the sheets falling away from his chest. His head spun a little, but he forced himself to focus on her. He tried to recall the events of last night, but nothing came clearly to him. His mind felt foggy, like a storm had passed through it, leaving only scattered fragments of memories behind."What the hell happened last night?" he demanded, his tone colder than usual. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, or the shock of seeing Selena here, but something in him snapped.Selena, noticing his increasing agitation, sat up as well, stretching her arms lazily. Her smirk deepened as she leaned back against the headboard."We had a good time," she said, her voice soft but laced with mock sweetness. "You were drunk, Scar Boss. You wanted company, and I was here." She let the words hang in the air, as though they were completely innocent, even though the implication made his blood run cold.The frustration boiled within him, mixing with the residual anger he felt from last night. He was still too disoriented to think clearly, but one thing was certain—he hadn’t wanted this."I don’t remember asking for you," he muttered, shaking his head as if trying to clear the fog from his brain. "I wanted Amaira."At the mention of her name, Selena’s expression faltered for a brief moment, her lips twitching with a mix of amusement and irritation. She leaned forward, her voice lowering with a more serious tone."You’re still obsessed with her, aren’t you?"Scar Boss’s heart skipped a beat at her words, and the weight of the situation hit him like a brick wall. He was still obsessed with Amaira. Even now, after everything that had happened, after everything that had changed, he couldn’t let go of her.Selena’s smile faded, and she reached out, resting her hand on his arm. "You know" she began, her voice honeyed and dangerous, "Amaira is gone. She left you. She doesn’t need you anymore, Scar Boss."The words sliced through him like a knife, and for a moment, he felt the cold sting of rejection in his chest. But then, just as quickly, anger replaced it."I didn’t ask for your opinion, Selena," he snapped, pulling his arm away from her. "Now, get out."The words were sharper than he intended, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.Selena’s expression darkened, the playful mask slipping away as she looked at him, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "You’re making a mistake, Scar Boss. You think you can just push me away like this, but you can’t. Not after everything that’s happened between us."Scar Boss stood up from the bed, his muscles tense, his heart racing. He didn’t have time for this. He didn’t have the patience for her games, not when his mind was still reeling from last night and the emptiness of waking up without Amaira beside him."I don’t want you, Selena," he growled, his voice low and threatening. "You were a mistake. A distraction."Selena’s eyes widened, and for the first time, she seemed to realize the depth of his words. But instead of backing down, she smirked, standing up to face him."We’ll see about that," she said, her tone cold and final. "But don’t forget, Scar Boss, I hold the cards now."Without waiting for his response, Selena turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving him standing there, seething in frustration and confusion.The silence that followed was deafening. Scar Boss remained still for a moment, his mind spinning. He had no answers. He had no idea what he had expected when he woke up, but this—this was the last thing he had wanted.He was lost in a sea of emotions, and the one person who had the power to make it all clear was the one person he couldn’t have. Amaira.And now, more than ever, he realized just how much he needed her.