by J. A. Owenby
“You scared the shit out of me tonight when I thought we were over. Claire, if there’s even a little bit of doubt, and you don’t want to be with me or you’re not sure, I need to know now.” Worry lines etched in his forehead.
“Baby, I’m … I’m so sorry. I didn’t do it because I don’t love you. I did it because I do. There’s nothing I want more than to be with you. I won’t ever try to make a decision for you again, either. I messed up. All I could think about was saving you from a life of pain without your friends and family. I was wrong. I’m yours, Vaughn.”
His head dropped to my lap, and he blew out a big sigh. “Okay.” He waited for a second before he spoke again. He lifted his gaze, his penetrating stare locking with mine. “Because I can see myself with you for the rest of my life.”
His confession stole my breath. “Are you sure?” If the events of the evening had just fucked with him so bad, he was saying this out of fear. That was not what I wanted.
“Very.”
I fisted his shirt and tugged him to me, parting my legs and wrapping them around his waist. “If you change your mind, you’re shit out of luck. After tonight, you’re stuck with me.”
“I better be.” Vaughn brushed his lips against mine, and I sighed contentedly.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.” I pulled the back of his shirt up, running my nails over the slope of his muscles.
“What’s that?” He lifted my top and planted kisses on my stomach directly above the waistband of my jeans.
“I’m on the pill. Also, I get tested monthly for any STDs, AIDs, and everything else you can have. I know we’ve been using condoms, but we didn’t in the shower.” I tugged on my bottom lip with my teeth while he flipped open the button on my pants. The sound of the zipper filled the otherwise-quiet room.
“I’m clean. I get tested once a month, too. I played pretty hard for a while. I think it’s a good idea for both of us,” he agreed.
I raised my hips as he tugged my jeans down my legs and over my feet. He lifted my right leg and placed it on the arm of the chair. His heated gaze landed on my G-string. Vaughn groaned, moving the material to the side, exposing my wet core.
“I wondered …”
He lowered his mouth, his tongue running over my slit. “If you’d …” My back arched while he sucked on my clit and slid two fingers inside me. “Oh God. If you’d be okay not using a condom.”
A growl escaped Vaughn while he continued to suck and lick me with greater intensity. My nails dug into his shoulders, my hips bucking. Somehow, I had the frame of mind to tug off my shirt and release the clasp on my bra. I leaned back in the chair while my focus trained on him as he peered up at me. He moaned and cupped my tit, rolling my taut nipple between his fingers. I arched into his hand, losing myself in his expert touch.
I was going to come, and I didn’t want to yet. His mouth felt so good. My body tensed, the sweet familiar feeling pooling deep inside me.
“Not yet.” Vaughn stood.
My core ached and throbbed, begging for him to return to me. I’d been on the edge when he stopped me. My attention raked over him greedily as he removed his clothes. His hard cock bobbed free and I immediately licked my lips.
Vaughn pulled me out of the seat, then picked me up effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist.
“Are you sure about the condom?” He searched my eyes for confirmation.
“Yeah.”
Vaughn moved me slightly, then slid his long shaft inside me. I gasped and dug my fingernails into his back. Holding me easily, he walked us to the wall and placed me against it. “Are you comfortable?”
I blinked at him as though he were an alien. There wasn’t a single time any guy had ever asked me that. He shifted, pushing deeper. A low moan escaped me. “I’m really good.”
“Hang on to me.” He placed his hands on either side of my head, nearly pulled out of me, then thrust hard. He bent his legs, gaining more leverage while he continued to make love to me.
“Promise me you’re mine,” he said, his hot breath grazing my ear.
“I promise, Vaughn.” My breasts rubbed against his broad chest while he slid his cock in and out.
“I love you. Don’t you ever doubt it, baby.” He dug his fingers into the sensitive flesh of my ass cheeks.
“I love you, too. So much.”
Vaughn took me to the bed and laid me down. He pulled out of me and stood. “Bend over the bed.”
I did as he asked and spread my legs, my wet pussy pulsating with heated desire.
“God, I could come just looking at you.” He ran a finger up and down my slit, and I whimpered. He dropped to his knees, licking and sucking my sensitive flesh again. I pushed against him, wishing I had his dick in my mouth.
“Vaughn. I need to suck your cock.” Before I realized it, he’d crawled on the bed, turned me around and sat me on his face. I leaned over, my breasts grazing his stomach while I wrapped my lips around his shaft.
“Mmm.” I ran my tongue up and down the length of him while I rocked against him. In one quick move, I slid him between my teeth and to my throat. Picking up a rhythm, I stroked him as my saliva slickened his skin. His hips bucked, and I sucked harder, returning the same intensity he was eating my pussy with.
I popped him out of my mouth and focused on his balls. His body tightened. My baby was close, but so was I. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out. He must have thought the same, because he pulled away from me and gently pushed on my hip. I faced him and eased him inside me again.
“Does it feel better without a condom?” I leaned over and licked my juices off his lips.
“You have no idea, but I don’t think I’m going to last much longer. You’re so hot and so goddammed wet.”
I bent down and nipped his ear. “That’s what you do to me.”
Vaughn dug his fingers into my hips, and with a few more thrusts, he poured himself into me, triggering my orgasm. My eyes slammed shut as my body tensed.
I collapsed on top of him, his arms immediately circling around me.
“I could stay this way forever,” he whispered, smoothing my hair.
“Me, too.”
24
October arrived along with freezing temperatures in the morning. Vaughn and I walked the property several times a day, holding hands when we knew prying eyes weren’t watching. Sneaking kisses and giggling like teenagers in love kept my spirits up.
Sutton spent more time with me as well, asking questions about my relationship with Vaughn. It was easy to discuss it with her, and the more I shared, she continued to soften. From what I could tell, her concern was fading.
Zayne had even volunteered to handle some additional responsibilities so that Vaughn could focus on me. I owed him. He’d turned into a good friend who believed in Vaughn and me. Once Pierce knew, then I could share with Mac and Gemma that we were officially out in the open. I wanted to spend more time with my friends, but at this point, I was afraid another slipup would happen, and we couldn’t afford it.
Once a week, Vaughn would check on his house, taking me with him. We decided I should either wear a hoodie or hat and glasses to protect my identity. Once the front door was closed and his alarm was set again, we took full advantage of the privacy. We made love on every piece of furniture and walked around naked. Vaughn even cooked us dinner in the buff. I loved those lazy days. They were stolen moments, and I would cherish them forever. On occasion, we would open an expensive bottle of wine, lie down in the middle of his bed, and talk about our future. I’d never planned a life with anyone, but Vaughn had brought up the conversation a few times. It reminded me that as soon as Dillon Montgomery was taken down, we could really begin a life together. Those were my favorite afternoons. My heart was allowed to love and breathe without any worries. We were safely tucked away into a world that only existed between the two of us.
One Sunday, while we were hiding at his place, Vaughn brought up a surprising topic
.
“I was thinking …” He popped the tip of his finger into the white cream sauce he was cooking for lunch and licked it. “Mm, not quite right.” He reached for a container of spice. “Anyway, I was thinking about selling my house.”
“What? Why? I love your place.” I tapped my fingernails against my wineglass full of a crisp Riesling.
“It’s been good.” He stirred the sauce, then placed the wooden spoon down on the counter. “I thought maybe we could pick out a house together—something you love. We can decorate it. Plus, I’d like some more bedrooms …” A flush crept over his cheeks. “Ya know, for the kids.”
My mouth gaped open, and I stared at him, speechless.
He backed up quickly, running into the kitchen island. “Too soon, huh?”
I tossed my head back and barked out a laugh.
“We’ve just never talked about it. I thought you were going to say more bedrooms so my parents could visit.”
A big grin eased across my face.
“I didn’t know you wanted kids.” Shit, did I want any? Other than Vaughn, I lived in hell, and babies would be an easy target for anyone else I ever pissed off.
“Yeah, but not now. I mean, there’s plenty of time, right? I’d love to travel, take you to Paris, Italy, and Germany to start,” Vaughn explained.
“That would be amazing,” I said softly. “I have to be honest with you, babe. I don’t know how I feel about kids. Maybe someday, but I was kidnapped and almost sold as a sex slave. Your line of work puts you in constant danger, and being a single mom doesn’t sound like fun to me. I’d be a fucking mess if anything ever happened to you.” I hopped off the barstool and strolled over to him. “Is this a must-have for you? Kids?” My heart rate spiked. This was something I wasn’t sure if I could give him.
“No. Not at all. I can have a happy life if it’s just the two of us.” He slid his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. “Besides, when Pierce and Sutton have kids, we can help with them. That might be all the responsibility we want.” A crooked grin graced his gorgeous face.
“We would have beautiful babies, Vaughn Reddington. Let’s just see how it plays out.”
“Done.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “I still want to talk about a different place to live, though.”
I patted his chest with the flat of my hand. “Oh, I’m in. You had me at decorating. Maybe we can find a house with space for a good-sized dance studio. I’d love to choreograph and dance for August Clover.”
“I’m all in as long as I’m your bodyguard. I can’t risk you touring and guys pawing at you. I’d have to break the little fuckers in half.”
I giggled. I loved the protective side of him. He had never stifled me or told me I wasn’t allowed to do something. He just wanted to make sure no one messed with me.
“Well, for us to move on, we need to put an end to Dillon Montgomery and Saul. I realize there will be people to take their places, but hopefully the FBI can dismantle the entire Dark Circle Society once and for all.”
“I need to check the food.” He leaned down to kiss the corner of my mouth, then returned to the stove.
His phone buzzed on the countertop next to him. Picking it up, he flipped it over, staring at the screen. “We’ll have to finish cooking later. The boss wants a meeting with everyone.”
I sighed heavily. “Those messages always make me nervous. I know Sutton would tell me if Pierce knew, but I can’t help it.”
“Nah. Don’t worry. It’s normal.”
I helped Vaughn cover the food until we could return in the evening. In the meantime, my mind happily drifted to the idea of buying a house with Vaughn. I wasn’t sure what I would get paid for working with August Clover, but at least I would have my own income and contribute funds again. I was so ready to move forward in my life.
“Hey, guys, have a seat. You, too, Claire.” Pierce waved to the three black leather chairs in front of his large cherrywood executive desk. Even though I’d lived with them for several months, I’d not ever spent any significant time in the room he worked from. The wooden blind was down, blocking out the early afternoon sunshine. Books filled two bookshelves, and pictures of him and Sutton decorated one of the walls. Their wedding had been stunning. Pierce hadn’t held back on spending money as he paid for over a hundred guests to attend a vineyard in Italy. Funny enough, it had also been the beginning for Vaughn and me.
Sutton joined us and leaned against the window ledge behind her husband, sipping a cup of coffee. She tugged on the sleeve of her plum-colored sweater and smoothed her light-wash skinny jeans. She was calm, which helped settle my rattled nerves.
Leaning back in my seat, I rubbed my sweaty palms along my thighs. Although I wore a sweater, a shiver traveled down my spine. These meetings scared the shit out of me.
“I spoke with my FBI contact, Brian Donovan, a little while ago. Claire, they feel they have a good handle on the situation with Dillon. They tracked him to Southern California this morning and will move in on him today. Also, the files have all been deciphered. There’s enough evidence to convict Dillon and his top men in the organization for the rest of their lives. Depending on which state they’re apprehended in, the death penalty might be an option, but we’ll see.” He steepled his fingers together, his eyes flickering with relief. Even though the men weren’t assigned to clients today, they all wore matching black company polo shirts.
“Death would be too good for him, but I don’t trust him or his goons sitting in prison. They could still run the organization from there. That shit happens all of the time.” I tapped my fingers nervously on the arm of the chair.
“It does. Right now, the FBI doesn’t feel you’re in danger, and you should be safe to move on with your life. I don’t recommend going back to Portland for now, though. Saul’s MC will be dismantled soon, along with the Dark Circle Society, but we still don’t know who’s on the inside communicating with Dillon.”
I frowned and glanced at Vaughn. Most of this was excellent news, but I knew what activities Saul and the MC were into. I leaned forward, propping my elbows on my knees. “What if I testify against Saul and the MC. Would that help?”
“Claire,” Vaughn said, “it’s too dangerous. Let’s take this win, babe.”
My eyes popped open wide. Shit. Vaughn had slipped up. What should I do? Ignore it? Pretend it didn’t just happen in front of his boss?
Vaughn’s head hung down, then he took my hand in his. My pulse pounded in my ears. There was no turning back now. This was it.
I dared a peek at Pierce, who was grinding his teeth. “You want to explain this?” he asked, his voice deathly quiet.
Zayne attempted to get out of his chair, but Pierce stopped him cold. “Sit. Down!”
“I seduced him,” I blurted. Fucking nerves. “I …”
“Vaughn can speak for himself, but thank you for the clarification.” Pierce stood and planted his fists on top of his desk. “You better talk fast, Redd.”
I squeezed Vaughn’s hand, hoping he had more courage than I did when it came to standing up to my brother-in-law. Pierce’s intentions were good, but he could be scary as hell when he was angry, and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was definitely pissed.
“It started last year, Pierce,” Vaughn said, his leg bouncing.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Pierce’s gaze narrowed, and his attention bounced between Vaughn and me. “And you didn’t think to tell me when I assigned you to protect her? Guard her life with your own?”
“It wasn’t like that. We met at your penthouse and also talked at your wedding. When she moved up here, things just took off between us.”
“How long?”
“Three months.” The color drained from Vaughn’s face as Pierce nearly flew over the desk at him.
“What part of off-limits do you not get? She’s not even healed after an abduction. She’s vulnerable! Did you not think this through, or was your goddamn dick leading you around like usual?”
I cringed, and so did Sutton.
“It’s not like that, Pierce. I love her. Yes, I thought it all through and tried to stay away from her, but when she was attacked at the party … I couldn’t stand that something had happened to her. I lost my shit and came clean to her about my feelings. I just hadn’t been aware that she was trying to fight how she felt about me, as well.”
Pierce planted his hands on his hips and shook his head. “You’re one of my best men, Vaughn, not to mention my best friend. You snuck around behind my back and lied to me. You could have compromised this entire case for her. You’re making emotional decisions instead of thinking logically about what’s best for her. I can’t have that.”
A stunned silence hovered over us.
“Babe, let’s take a few minutes to calm down, then we can talk.” Sutton placed a hand on his shoulder.
Pierce slowly turned, glaring at Sutton. “How long have you known?”
“A little over a month,” Sutton admitted.
“Now my wife is lying to me?” Pierce’s jaw clenched.
“No.” Sutton tipped her chin up and stood in front of him, toe-to-toe. “I told them not to tell you, so if you want to be pissed at someone … here I am.”
Oh shit. She just went there.
“Sutton, you can’t do that.” I jumped up and approached the desk. “Pierce, I love you, but Vaughn’s feelings for me have kept me safe in more ways than I could ever express. Last month when we were in Seattle, there was a slip-up, and I ended up talking to Sutton that night. We weren’t sure how to talk to you. She said to give it a few days and that you were stressed about Dillon Montgomery. We were just waiting for the right time. And …” I swallowed. “You’re my brother-in-law, but you’re not my father, and you can’t tell me who I can and can’t be in a relationship with. I love him. He loves me. I’m sorry if we disappointed you, but it’s not going to change the fact that we’re together.”
Pierce’s expression softened, and a heavy hush settled over the room. “I love you, too, Claire. If anything ever happened to you again, I’d be personally responsible. Vaughn is my employee, and his feelings for you put your life in jeopardy. His emotions are clouding his judgement.”