“Careful, princess,” Vaughn murmurs darkly as he walks slowly over to the bed, making my pulse skip and my thighs clench. “Might I remind you of our deal?”
I nod mutely.
“Say it out loud,” he rumbles, a dark glint in his eyes.
I swallow.
“Me not saying my word is implied consent,” I mumble, shivering.
Vaughn's gaze is steady. “And is there anything you’d like to say right now?”
My mouth twists as another blush creeps over my face. I shake my head.
“Use your words, Evelina,” he says sternly.
Dammit. Why the hell is that authoritative tone so hot?
My lip catches between my teeth. “No,” I say quietly. “There’s nothing.”
“Nospecificword?” he says with a devilish grin. It both annoys me and makes me bite my lip while trying not to squirm.
I shake my head again, smiling through my caught lower lip. “No,” I whisper.
Vaughn nods as he looms over me. He leans down and cups my jaw.
“That’s my good girl,” he murmurs.
Fuck.
I remember the rules. But when he’sthisclose, and saying things likethatafter what happened last night?
I’m going to break one.
I grab his face, and before he can stop me, I close the distance between us andkiss him.
Andoh my God, have I wanted to do this. I don’t even think I realized how badlynotkissing him was getting to me before just now. But when our lips sear together, and that spark ignites in my chest, I don’t think there’s anything I want to domorethan kiss him.
I melt against his mouth, whimpering…
…Until his hand wraps around my throat like iron.
He shoves me toppling back into the bedsheets, making my breath catch sharply and fear curdle in my chest as his cold eyes stab lethally into me.
“Wait, Vaughn, I?—”
I whimper, trembling as his hand tightens, pinning me against the sheets as he looms over me with venom in his eyes.
“There’s a reason you woke up in a guest bedroom and not mine.”
His voice hits like a cold slap.
“There are fuckingrules, Evelina,” he hisses. “You know that.”
He abruptly lets go of my throat and steps away.
“Break them again, and this isdone.”
His eyes narrow, and I break a little when he turns and walks toward the door.
