by J. A. Owenby
Zayne rubbed his hand on his T-shirt as we began walking out of the studio and gym. “Good question. I would assume that Vaughn explained this place is a fortress. I’ve known Pierce for a long time, and what he’s not saying is how terrified he is that something will happen to you again …” Zayne’s words trailed off while we walked together through the house. “If we have eyes on you, then you can’t run or take off on your own. He’s trying to do everything he can to make sure you’re safe. Take every precaution humanly possible.”
We stopped at the foot of the stairs. “He’s a good guy. I’m lucky to have him in my family.” I tugged at my bottom lip with my teeth. “Zayne, how hard is Pierce going to take the news about Vaughn and me?”
Zayne hesitated, rubbing the day-old stubble on his chin. “He’s not going to be happy, but eventually, he’ll have to get over it. Try to give him and Sutton some time to let it soak in. Plus they’re used to seeing Vaughn as a noncommittal player. They’ve not seen what I have this last week. You turned my man inside out.”
A shy smile spread across my face. “Yeah, well he’s done the same to me.”
Silence hung over us while we ascended the stairs. Zayne opened my bedroom door and took a look around. The sound of the shower reached my ears, and I glanced in that direction. I wondered how busted up he would look. My attention returned to Zayne and the bruises beginning to form on his arms and cheek.
“You need some ice.”
“Yeah, I know, but you’re stuck with me until Vaughn’s out of the bathroom.” He leaned against the far wall and crossed his arms over his thick chest.
“I’d join him, but I suspect he needs some time to unwind. Besides, I bet his brain is churning a million miles an hour, trying to figure out how to take Dillon Montgomery down.” Those words sat in my gut like sour milk.
“He’s the FBI’s most-wanted man, and he’s eluded them so far. Apparently you’re pissing him off, which is good for us. Not so much for you.”
The bathroom door swung open, and Vaughn stepped out. My breath hitched. His low-slung black basketball shorts were the only piece of clothing he had on, and it was just enough to tease me. A bead of water trickled over his pec and down his stomach.
“Hey.” He approached me and planted a gentle kiss on my mouth.
“Your face …” I gently touched the area above his busted and swollen cheek. Another gash had opened above his eyebrow. “At least Zayne looks worse.” It wasn’t funny, but it was my lame attempt at a joke.
“Always.” Vaughn shot us a crooked grin.
“All right, guys. I’m off to the kitchen.” Zayne left the room, closing the door behind him.
“Are you doing better?” I sat on the bed and patted the space next to me.
“Yeah. Sometimes I just have to get it out. If not, the anger could take me over and cloud my head. I can’t let that happen.” He took my hand in his, rubbing the back of it with the pad of his thumb. “Are you ready to talk?”
My gaze traveled up to his. “Were you serious about running, or was it the intensity of the moment?”
“Both. Dillon Montgomery isn’t someone we want to play with. This is way grimmer than Saul coming after you.”
“I …” I sighed. “I’m not sure I’m ready to run, but I’d like to keep it on the table as an option. Leaving Sutton, Mom, and Dad would be really hard. Plus I don’t want someone else controlling my life anymore. So I’m taking it back. You gave me a choice, and for today, I’m staying here with everyone that I love. Tomorrow, I might choose differently. I don’t know, but at least you’ve provided a choice for me. For us.”
Vaughn’s expression softened. “You have my complete support, babe. It would be a huge change if we took off, and you need to be sure it’s what you want. It would be hard to leave my mom and everyone here, but I’d do it to keep you safe.”
I leaned against his shoulder, and he slipped his arm around me.
“There’s one more thing,” I whispered.
“What’s that?” His fingers traced my jaw, reducing my anxiety over the shitshow called my life.
“I need more time. I can’t deal with Sutton and Pierce’s reactions about us, Vaughn. I’m barely holding on to any sanity now, and that’s because of you. What if they tried to step in between us? I can’t stand not having you next to me at night, even if it means we’re sneaking around. I can’t… I can’t lose you.” A messy lump of emotion clogged my throat, and tears pricked my eyes.
Vaughn picked me up and placed me on his lap. I straddled him, our gazes connecting.
“They can’t stop us from being together, but we will give it some more time. You’re right—Pierce won’t let me guard you at night if he knows. Not only are you his sister-in-law, but he’s my boss. And technically, I’m involved with a client. In his opinion, my feelings will muddle my work. If you need me next to you, then let’s keep us quiet for a little bit longer.”
“Thank you.” I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his. “It’s our last night together before Pierce and Sutton get home. I say we make the best of it.”
He cupped my face, peering deep into my eyes, his features determined and sincere. “I’m all yours.”
Vaughn leaned back on the mattress, pulling me with him. He lifted my shirt as his thumbs drew circles on my spine. His mouth shadowed mine, inhaling my raw desire for him.
“I love you, Claire.” He placed his lips on mine, dominating my mouth. He flipped me over and pinned me on the bed, sliding my hands over my head while his scruffy jaw glided over my sensitive skin.
A soft moan escaped me as he claimed every part of me, wrapping me up in the safety of his touch.
Vaughn was the fire that ignited me, the man who guarded my dreams and cared about my hopes. In our last hours alone, I surrendered the final pieces of my heart and allowed the flames of his love to consume me.
The absence of Vaughn’s body heat jarred me awake. I sat up, searching the room for him, then flopped back onto the bed, relief flooding through me.
“Good morning, beautiful.” His voice was low, still carrying hints of our lovemaking from last night. He’d changed into jeans that hugged his muscular legs, and a black Westbrook Security polo shirt.
I scooted up on the mattress and leaned against the headboard. “Are they home?” I asked in a hushed tone. “And when did you bring a chair into the room?”
Vaughn leaned forward, placing his forearms on his thighs. “I need it to not look like I sleep with you in your bed, so I ran downstairs and grabbed it this morning.”
“What if Pierce had caught you?” The weight of the situation crashed down on my chest, and I struggled to maintain my breathing.
“I was careful, babe. I swear.” He stood and stretched, exposing the dark hair that disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants. Vaughn crawled up the bed. “No one was awake last I checked, but I locked the door anyway.” He placed a gentle kiss on my collarbone, then another on my mouth. “I want you so bad right now, but no matter what time Pierce and Sutton get home at night, they’re up by nine, and it’s…” He glanced at the digital clock on my nightstand. “Eight fifty now. We’d be cutting it too close.”
I rolled my eyes. “They can wait to see me,” I responded, pulling him down on top of me. I slid my hands beneath his shirt and ran my fingers up and down his back, his corded muscles flexing beneath my fingertips.
“I know they can, but I’m guessing Sutton will come up and knock on your door.” Vaughn’s tongue darted out of his mouth and across the seam of my lips.
“You’re cheating. We don’t have time, but you’re teasing the hell out of me.”
Vaughn’s low chuckle sent shivers through my body. “We’ll have plenty of stolen moments. I promise.”
Would we?
“We’ve been reduced to quickies in the coat closet.” I stuck out my bottom lip.
“We can’t fit in the coat closet.” He laughed softly. “They will leave the house eventually, and
we have our nights together.”
A soft rap on my door sent us scurrying in opposite directions. Vaughn adjusted his growing hard-on then unlocked and opened the door in one motion. I hadn’t even heard the click of the lock release. Hopefully, whoever was on the other side of the door hadn’t, either.
Vaughn opened it slowly, blocking anyone from entering with his body.
“Is she awake?” Sutton whispered.
“Welcome home.” Vaughn grinned and stepped out of the way.
“Hey, I didn’t wake you, did I?” Sutton walked around to the vacant side of the bed and crawled in with me. Although she appeared exhausted, she looked gorgeous in her light teal tank top and denim shorts. Her toned and tan legs were one of her best features, aside from her hair.
I couldn’t resist a huge smile. We’d spent plenty of Saturday mornings snuggled up together, talking and watching cartoons. My heart longed for the easier times.
“Did you get any sleep?” She fluffed a pillow and held it against her stomach as she crossed her ankles, her full attention landing on me.
“A little.” It wasn’t a lie. Vaughn had kept me up until two in the morning. Not that I was complaining.
Sutton grabbed my hand. “We’re going to take the son of a bitch down, Claire. Pierce is working with the FBI, and they have a lead on Dillon already. He’s been in the states for a few months under an alias.”
“Was that meant to make me feel better?” I asked, my heart thundering. I glanced at Vaughn, who remained in the room but stood silently near the door.
“Well, fuck.” I covered my face with my hands, then dropped them into my lap. “What do we know so far?”
“Not much. I wish the files weren’t encrypted so well. Chaz, the guy the FBI hired, is working as fast as he can. We went over to help piece anything together that we could, but I’ve not seen encryption like this before. In a nutshell, we know he’s in the States, and he has an inside connection in the MC. We think it’s Saul, but it’s speculation at this point. Whoever it is, Dillon wanted to make damned sure their messages were buried deep.”
“That can’t be good.” I chewed a hangnail on my thumb, a nervous habit I’d had since I was little girl. “What do we do now?”
“We hang tight and make sure you’re protected at all times. I know you’ll need to get out of the house some, but one of the guys will go with you, drive you. And no public outings like the mall.”
“Then he’s won. I’m a prisoner already, Sutton.” I realized she was protecting me, but it still sucked.
“You have Gemma and Mac. You can hang out with them and they can come over. We’ll rent movies …”
I held up my finger. “For how long?” I’d had more freedom in Portland right under the MC’s noses.
“Until he’s caught or killed, the only option we have is to keep you safe and alive, no matter how long it takes.” Sutton stared at me, compassion in her expression.
“No shit,” Vaughn muttered.
I peeked at Vaughn quickly, pretending I didn’t give a rat’s ass that he was in my room, listening to our conversation. But I was glad he was here.
I swallowed hard, shoving the emotions down. Fear. Anger. Longing for a new life. Freedom from hiding.
“Why don’t we get some coffee and breakfast?” Sutton suggested and replaced the pillow before she stood.
I flung the covers off me, grateful I’d dressed in my pajamas before falling asleep last night. “I’m going to change clothes, then I’ll meet you down there.” I walked to my dresser and selected a clean shirt and shorts. “Actually, I need to shower.”
“That works. It will give me some time to see what Vaughn and Zayne left in the fridge to cook.”
Vaughn feigned shock at her words. She gave him a quick hug. “Thanks for keeping her safe.”
“You bet.”
“I’ll see you in a bit, Claire.” Sutton flashed me a sad smile before she left the room.
I blew out a breath I’d been holding, and my shoulders slumped forward. Vaughn peered down the hall, then shut the door softly. He strolled toward me purposefully.
“It’s going to be all okay.” He wrapped me in his arms, and I melted against him, hoping like hell he was right.
19
I didn’t see Vaughn for the rest of the day. Pierce had called him into his office earlier in the morning, and that was the last I’d seen him. Sutton, too. It was approaching five in the evening, and I was struggling to keep my anxiety at bay. Were they just working and talking about cases, or had they suspected something between us?
Zayne had suggested some fresh air and took me on a walk along the far side of the property. Most of it was forested, so it allowed the cover I needed. Although I was attempting to be brave with Dillon Montgomery now hunting me like an animal, I was failing miserably, and more than once, I’d contemplated running away with Vaughn.
Finally, everyone reappeared for dinner, but by that time I was a fucked-up mess. My instinct to run into Vaughn’s arms was almost more than I could manage. From the tension in his jaw and shoulders, he was having difficulty, too. With everyone wound up and on edge, they wouldn’t receive the news of our relationship well. It would fuel more worry and anger. We already had enough to deal with.
“There she is,” Pierce said, strolling toward me.
“Hey,” I replied, smiling at him.
Pierce wrapped me up in a big hug and kissed the top of my head. “How are you holding up?”
“I’d love to tell you okay, but I’d be lying.”
He dropped his arms, his eyes searching mine. “I wouldn’t expect any different. We’re all here now, though. Let’s get some drinks. I think it’s a great night to grill some beef.” He patted his chest, and a huge grin split his face.
“Oh, hell yeah,” I said. Although Vaughn was the chef in the group, Sutton had told me Pierce could grill some melt-in-your-mouth steaks.
“I’ll grab some wine,” Vaughn volunteered.
I kept my attention on my brother-in-law, afraid of giving myself away if I glanced at Vaughn.
“Why don’t you help Sutton with the side dishes?” Pierce squeezed my shoulder before he headed toward the fridge.
“Babe, what else do you want other than a salad?” Sutton asked Pierce, then winked at me. “You know that won’t feed the bottomless pit you refer to as your stomach.”
“Or mine,” Vaughn interjected as he entered the kitchen with several bottles from the bar. “But in our defense, Sutton can keep up with us when she’s famished.”
“You take that back!” Sutton placed her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing dangerously at her best friend.
It was fun to see the camaraderie between them all. I hoped like hell that I wouldn’t be responsible for tearing it all to pieces.
Vaughn put the bottles on the island and began popping the corks. I collected glasses and set them on the opposite side of the counter, where Pierce was unloading all the contents of the refrigerator.
“Do we have any food left in there?” I asked, laughing.
“No, but we have enough for tonight.” Pierce chuckled with me. “I’ll have to bring in some meat from the freezer in the garage to replace it. We’ll put in an order for a grocery delivery tomorrow. Why don’t you get with Sutton and help her with the list? That way you can have some food that you like.”
“Cottage cheese!” I rubbed my hands together and grinned.
Vaughn slid a full glass toward me, and I thanked him. The light conversation continued, which was a nice change. I needed normal. We all did.
An hour later, we all sat outside at the table. I managed to sit next to Vaughn without it looking odd. After all, he was my bodyguard, so it seemed justifiable.
Laughter filled the air around us, and the wine thinned out the tightness in my neck and shoulders. Jeffrey joined us as well. I’d almost forgotten he worked for Pierce, but he’d also been on the East Coast with them, so he’d been out of sight.
; At ten-thirty, I decided to call it a night. I stifled a yawn and announced I was turning in. Vaughn stood and gathered our plates while I grabbed the utensils and glasses.
“Thank you for cooking, Pierce. I needed this tonight.”
“I’m happy to hear it. It’s nice to be home.” He squeezed his wife’s hand and smiled. “I think we’re not far behind you. I could use a good night’s sleep.”
I bit my lip in order not to bark out a laugh from the expression on his face. That was not what was on Pierce’s mind.
“I’ll see everyone in the morning.” I walked across the patio and entered the kitchen, on Vaughn’s heels.
We rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher in silence. It was fucking killing me.
I turned on my heel and calmly headed toward my room. The minute we were inside, I locked the door and threw my arms around his neck.
He responded with a passionate kiss. My mouth melted into his, moaning as his hot tongue caressed mine.
“I … I don’t know if I can do this,” I said in a hushed voice. “This is torture.” I flipped open his jeans and unzipped his zipper.
Our kisses became frantic as we undressed each other. Vaughn parted with me long enough to grab a condom. Once he was wrapped up, he sat on the end of the bed, and I straddled him, sinking slowly onto his cock.
My eyes widened, and his mouth greedily sucked on my tit. I rocked against him, hands digging into his shoulders and hanging on to him with everything inside me.
“Baby,” I whimpered. “I missed you so much today.”
“God, you, too.” He peppered my chest with little kisses while his fingers dug into my ass cheeks. “Not being able to touch you all day,” he panted, “fucked me up.”
I lifted myself and slammed down on his dick.
“Jesus.” He leaned back while I continued to ride him as though it were our last minutes together.
I placed my hands on his chest for balance while he grabbed my hips and thrust deep inside me. Leaning down, I gently sucked on his hard nipple, giving it a little nip. He arched off the bed and moaned quietly, sending waves of ecstasy over me.