Love & Seduction: A Forbidden Love Suspenseful Standalone Romance: A Love & Ruin Novel (The Love & Ruin Series Book 7)

by J. A. Owenby

  Twenty minutes later, my giggles filled the house as we raced each other down the stairs and into the kitchen. “I almost beat you. I would have if you hadn’t arm-blocked me!” I leaned against the counter and flipped my wet hair behind my shoulder. Vaughn’s had already dried. I needed half an hour with a hairdryer when all he had to do was run his hand over it a few times, flicking water in every direction.

  “I did no such thing.” Vaughn threw his head back and laughed.

  My heart swelled with emotion. I loved seeing him have fun.

  Vaughn opened the refrigerator and poked the upper part of his torso inside, leaving his gorgeous jeaned ass on full display. “What are you hungry for?” He looked at me, then placed his hand over his butt. “Are you ogling my ass?” He asked, feigning horror. “I feel like such a … sex object.”

  “Oh, my God!” A fit of laughter bubbled up inside of me and shook my entire body. I reached for the barstool so I wouldn’t collapse on the floor, clutching my stomach. I hadn’t giggled so hard in years. Gasping for air, I pulled myself onto my seat and grinned at him.

  “How about some chicken parmesan?” He began pulling ingredients out of the fridge and set them on the counter before I even responded.

  “Sure?” I asked, catching the giggles again.

  Vaughn closed the door, sauntered toward me, and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “I love to hear you laugh. You should do it more often.”

  I flashed him a grin as he returned to the food and began cooking for us.

  “Shit. I’ll be right back. I need to call Gemma and tell her I used her.” My stomach plummeted to my toes. We were just forming a friendship. I couldn’t ask her to cover for me. A prickle of fear rippled over my body.

  Vaughn faced me, his expression growing serious. “Don’t. I don’t want you to lie anymore. We’ll talk to Pierce and Sutton as soon as they get home. There’s no need to ask her to do that for you.”

  I nodded as reality crashed down on me again.

  “Hey.” He wiped his hands on a dishtowel and approached me. “We’re going to be all right. I promise.”

  “Okay,” I whispered. “I still need to get my phone in case anyone has tried to call me. I don’t want to set off unnecessary alarms again.”

  “Good idea. I think we've caused enough excitement for a while.”

  I hopped off the barstool and ran up the stairs. My muscles were screaming for a thorough dance workout, but it would have to wait until later. All the sex had made me hungry.

  The rest of the afternoon passed without incident. While Vaughn and Zayne worked out, I slipped on my pointe shoes and began to break them in. My toes would be pissed at me, but I loved every turn, leap, and leg extension. This time, I wasn’t surprised to see Vaughn standing at the door I’d once again left open.

  “You’re so damned good. It’s like you float on air.”

  “Did you ever do any lifts?” I asked, wiping off my forehead with my hand. I would need another shower after this.

  “Oh yeah. Mom had me in the middle of all of that.” He chuckled as he scratched his stubbled chin.

  “Do you think it would come back to you? I know you’re strong enough to lift me, but hand placement is everything. I don’t want to go flying across the room.”

  “If you got hurt, Sutton would kick my ass, and when she was finished, she’d turn me over to Pierce.”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Zayne asked, strolling into the studio.

  “Lifts. Since my man was trained in ballroom dancing, I wondered if we could try a few together.”

  Zayne barked out a laugh that echoed through the room. He slapped Vaughn on the back and shook his head in amazement. “Ballroom? Dude, you never said shit about it all these years.”

  Uh-oh. I bit my lip, waiting for the camaraderie to kick in.

  “Fuck you. Do you know what a good view you have when you’re under a girl?” Vaughn winked at me.

  I rolled my eyes at him.

  “Zayne, you can heckle him later. I’d like to try this while my muscles are still loose.”

  Zayne arched an eyebrow at me.

  “Don’t even make a smart-ass comment about it,” I warned.

  He gave me a salute as Vaughn sauntered toward me on the dance floor. “What do you want to try, beautiful?”

  “Just a basic lift over your head.” I narrowed my eyes, thinking this through. “Zayne, can you spot me on the other side? If I start falling, I’ll need someone to catch me, or at least cushion my fall.” I grinned at him. “Seriously, it would help. It will probably take us a few times to nail this. I’d like to stay intact.”

  “Sure.” Zayne jogged across the room and stood behind Vaughn.

  My nerves hummed. It had been a long time since either of us had attempted this.

  “Ready?”

  The guys nodded, and I took off running toward Vaughn, mentally counting my paces. I jumped, and Vaughn effortlessly lifted me over his head. I hadn’t calculated how much momentum I needed, though, and I went sailing over him, straight at Zayne.

  Zayne stepped backward, his arms in the air as though he were catching a football. My eyes widened while I barreled into him. We tumbled to the floor and the oxygen whooshed out of both of us. I lay there, blinking rapidly, willing myself to breathe.

  Zayne groaned beneath me, but when I glanced down at him to see if he was all right, I realized he had a handful of my boob. He jerked his hands away. “It just happened that way. I swear.”

  I giggled as his cheeks burned bright red.

  I hopped up, shook myself out, and grinned at Vaughn. Zayne could help himself up. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Are you? That was kind of nuts.” Vaughn raised an eyebrow, eyeing Zayne.

  “Right?” The corner of my mouth quirked up. “Sometimes I like crazy.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him. “Are you up for trying this again?”

  Vaughn’s hand patted his chest. “Girl, what you’re doing to me. I love crazy.” His eyes sparkled. “ZW, shake it off, man. I’d hate to see such a petite young lady make you look like a loser. She didn’t hit you that hard.” Vaughn chuckled, and Zayne flipped him off.

  I laughed and shook my head. “I’m ready.”

  After several more attempts and bungles, we finally got it right. I let out a loud whoop. Vaughn's hands supported me while he held me over his head and circled slowly.

  He set me down gently, and I grinned at him like an idiot. “That was fucking amazing.” I pushed up onto pointe and pressed my lips against his.

  Zayne clapped, grinning widely. I’d never seen him smile so big before. He should do it more often. It would make ladies cream their panties.

  “You fucking rock, Zayne! Thanks for catching me on the fumbles. You have no idea how exhilarating that was.”

  A phone chimed from the workout room, and Zayne hustled to answer it. “Yeah. You got it, boss.” He leaned into the dance studio again. “We gotta go. All of us. Boss wants to FaceTime in his office.”

  My face fell, and my stomach churned. Something was wrong. My instincts were rarely mistaken. I’d just not ever listened to them. That changed the day I was released from an industrial container.

  Vaughn must have thought the same, because his expression clouded with concern.

  We made our way to the office and gathered in front of Pierce’s large cherrywood executive desk. Zayne swiveled the Mac screen around, and I sank into a chair. Vaughn stood behind me as the call came through. Zayne tapped the button.

  Pierce’s handsome face filled the computer. “Everyone here?”

  We all answered in unison.

  “I’m here,” Sutton said, sitting in an armchair next to her husband.

  “First, I wanted to check in and see how everything was going,” Pierce began.

  Zayne folded his arms and walked around me to stand next to Vaughn. “All has been calm since you left. I’ve not seen any unusual activity.”

  Pierce’s gaz
e fell on Vaughn, and my pulse spiked. Could he and Sutton tell that anything was different between us?

  “Same. We’ve left the house a few times, but I’ve not let Claire out of my sight,” Vaughn added.

  That was an understatement.

  “Claire, how are you adjusting? I meant to ask you this morning.” Sutton tucked her hair behind her ear, her brows knitting together.

  “Good. I’ve seen a little bit of Spokane, which has been nice.” The Davenport, Vaughn’s house, Vaughn’s bed.

  Sutton’s eye twitched. If someone didn’t know her, they would never spot her telltale sign. My gut had been right—something was wrong. I wrung my fingers together to stop myself from grabbing Vaughn’s arm.

  Pierce cleared his throat and leaned on the table he and Sutton were sitting at. “Claire …”

  My heart pounded. A panic attack creeping up to the edge of my unstable emotions, I closed my eyes and took a big breath.

  “We know who the man is that attacked you at the party.” Pierce folded his hands together while he continued. “When Franklin Harrington hired me to protect Gemma and Hendrix, I was also working on a case with the FBI. Gemma was a victim of The Dark Circle Society. It was a group of men across the world that organized the rape of underaged girls. Most of the members offered their daughters or nieces in exchange for another man’s.”

  A jolt of anger shot through me. Hell wouldn’t be good enough for those sick fucks.

  “What does this have to do with me?” I chewed my bottom lip nervously.

  “Hon, the files you downloaded for the FBI are encrypted communication between Dillon Montgomery, the head of the society, to someone in the MC. He has a man on the inside, working for him, which would make sense. The society also deals with human trafficking,” Sutton said.

  My lips pursed together in disgust. “Fucking pedophiles,” I spat. I gripped the arms of my chair, digging my nails into the hardwood.

  Sutton inhaled sharply. “When Brandon Montgomery went to jail, Dillon fled. We never caught him. He’s been in the United States a few times, but he’s slippery.”

  Pierce took Sutton’s hand in his. “What all this means is that you turned evidence on much bigger criminals than Saul and the MC. Unfortunately, Dillon realized this before Saul did. He was the one that sent Vladimir Pavlov to kill you. Not only does Saul know where you are, but so does Dillon.”

  I attempted to disappear into my seat, my eyes growing wide as a full-on panic attack consumed me. I bent over, putting my head between my legs, and gasped for air.

  Vaughn hurried around the chair and dropped to his knees. “Babe, I’m right here,” he whispered in my ear.

  “Claire! Vaughn …”

  “She’s going to be okay. Give us just a minute,” Vaughn answered Sutton. “Listen, we can run away. We can leave the country. I have plenty of money saved up. We can buy an island if we want to. You have my fucking word. I’ll keep you safe.”

  I raised my head, peering into his eyes. My body trembled violently. “Are you sure?” Everything inside me needed an escape. I couldn’t live like this anymore. I was at the end of my rope.

  “Yes.” The struggle to restrain himself from touching me was evident in his expression. “Let’s talk after we’re done here.”

  “Okay,” I choked out.

  I sat up slowly, Vaughn’s beautiful eyes searching my face for evidence that I would be all right.

  “I’m going to stand behind you again,” Vaughn said.

  I nodded, then he stood slowly and walked around my chair.

  “Claire, we’re fueling the jet. We’d hoped to continue to work with the guy deciphering the encryption, but we need to be with you. We will work from Washington. We won’t arrive until approximately three in the morning, so go to bed and get some rest,” Pierce stated.

  As much as I wanted the time with Vaughn, I needed my sister.

  “Mom and Dad,” I croaked out.

  “They’re good. We’ve not told them anything yet. We just received the information ourselves and called immediately,” Sutton said.

  “Zayne, you and Vaughn keep eyes on her at all times. Even in the house. I would prefer you all to stay home tonight.” Pierce squeezed his wife’s hand.

  “Yes, sir.” Vaughn nodded.

  “Claire, Gemma has experience with these men in particular. Dillon Montgomery ordered the hit on Gemma and Mac during August Clover’s tour. He’s highly dangerous,” Sutton added.

  “Gemma and Mac told me a little about it, but they didn’t talk about Dillon, just about Brandon,” I replied.

  “I have a call into Franklin Harrington, Hendrix’s father. Do you remember him from the wedding?” Pierce asked.

  “Yeah. His wife, Janice, is Mac’s mom and super sweet. I liked them.” I sat on my hands in order to control the trembling.

  “They’re good people. Family. Gemma, Hendrix, Mac, and Cade will need bodyguards as well. I’m assigning my top guys to them.” A deep frown etched itself into Pierce’s forehead. “We’re going to take this son of a bitch down this time. I swear to you. Men, I’m trusting you with the continued care of my little sister. She’s been through enough, and she deserves not to have to run for the rest of her life. Let’s make this happen.”

  “Thank you.” I swallowed over the tightness in my throat.

  “We will see you in the morning, but if you need to talk, call me,” Sutton said. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Both of you.” I blew a kiss at the screen.

  “Oh, I almost forgot. I will ask Franklin to have Gemma call you after they learn the news. I just want you to have someone else besides me to talk to, and I trust her to help you through this. Help each other,” Sutton added.

  “That would be nice. I appreciate it.”

  “We need to pack and prepare to fly home. We will see you all in the morning.” Pierce nodded, then disconnected the FaceTime.

  I shifted in my chair and glanced up at Vaughn. His features were tight and expressionless. At least he’d managed to keep his emotions under control in front of Pierce and Sutton. His gaze dropped, looking at his feet, and I waited for a few moments. I suspected his brain was scrambling for the best answer to my situation.

  “Vaughn?” Zayne asked, standing. “You good, man? We’re going to take this fucker down finally. We’ve got this.”

  Vaughn’s head snapped up, his eyes blazing with anger. “Dillon Montgomery put out a hit on my girlfriend.” The sound of his breathing filled the otherwise silent room.

  “Babe,” I stood in the chair, towering over him. “Let Zayne take you to workout. I’ll come with you. You need to spar or hit something. If you’re not clear-headed, you can’t protect anyone.”

  Vaughn gave me a terse nod, then left.

  “I’ve got this, but you have to stick close. Maybe put your headphones on and hang out in your studio. This is going to get ugly,” Zayne said.

  My brows knitted together. “What do you mean ugly?”

  “When we’re in a dark place, we don’t play around. We fight. Hard. He’s going to be banged up when we’re done, but so will I.”

  Zayne didn’t have to say anything else. The guys at the MC club beat each other to a bloody pulp when they fought. I’d seen it all before, but now my heart belonged to one of the men, which made it completely different.

  “I know Pierce wants one of you with me at all times, but I swear I’ll hurry. Please let me help. I’ll have drinks and the first aid kit ready.” I was grateful for something to distract me for a while. If I didn’t direct my thoughts in another direction, I would lose my shit. I would deal with a plan later. I needed Vaughn by my side to talk things through and see what he was thinking. If there had been any question in my mind concerning his level of commitment to me, it was gone now.

  “I’ll meet you there. I have to grab some headphones. Please wait until I’m in the studio.” I sprang out of the chair and hauled ass to my bedroom before Zayne had a chance to follo
w me. A pang of sadness stabbed my heart while I entered the room. I wasn’t ready to leave yet, but if Vaughn was serious … I brushed away the thought. Later. I wanted to revel in my last few minutes of sanity.

  On my way to the gym, I took a brief detour and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer, along with the first aid kit next to the fridge. My bare feet slapped the wood floors as I jogged through the house and toward the guys. I flung open the heavy door and placed the items down near the wall. Vaughn didn’t even look at me while he paced the room, swearing a blue streak. I instinctively knew better than to touch him right then, but I would be ready for him when he needed me.

  I sat down in the middle of the studio and slipped the earbuds in my ears, selecting “Break My Baby” by Kaleo. I allowed the music to distract me as I lay back and closed my eyes, giving my mind permission to wonder what life would be like with Vaughn on an island. Was I strong enough to leave Sutton and my family here and go into hiding?

  18

  An hour later, Zayne stuck his head into the studio.

  I removed my headphones and stood, staring at a dot of blood on his swollen bottom lip.

  “Apparently we had a few other things to work through, as well.” Zayne offered a lopsided grin. “Your boy is doing better. He took off to shower.”

  “Thank you. I suppose.” A deep frown creased my forehead. “I mean beating the shit out of my guy isn’t something I’m typically grateful for.”

  Zayne chuckled. “He tagged me pretty damned good. It was a two-way street.”

  I strolled across the studio toward him. “I guess you can’t let me run upstairs to my bedroom, huh?”

  Zayne ran his hand over his brown hair, his green eyes flashing with protectiveness. “You heard the boss, but Vaughn’s up there, so I’ll take you, then I’ll make myself scarce. He didn’t go into details, but it sounds like you two have some shit to discuss.”

  I nodded, unsure of what Vaughn had shared with Zayne, and I didn’t want to say too much.

  “If the house is so well protected … why would Pierce want one of you with me all the time?”