“And then you pullthat!” I scream, jabbing a thumb at the door. “Here I am, having dinner with afriend?—”
“Don’t,” he growls, the smug look on his face dropping like a stone. He sets the wine glass down, and my breath hitches as he steps close, looming over me. “Don’t tell me he’s afriend.”
I bark out a cold laugh. “What, are youjealousof a perfectly nice guy I went on a few dates with? It wasyearsago! And I didn’t even sleep with him, not that it’sanyof your fucking business!”
Vaughn’s jaw tightens. “And yet, he seems to be a fixture in your dreams.”
I stare at him before a puzzle piece clicks softly into place.
“Wooooow,” I spit bitterly. “The audacity to get mad at me for having a dream—which, obviously, I cantotallycontrol the content of—about a guy besides you, while reminding me that we’re not in a relationship, all in the same breath.” I bark out a mirthless laugh. “Oh, and a dream you only knew I had in the first place because youbroke into my houseto grope me in my sleep like a fucking psychopath!”
“Careful, princess.”
I snort. “You’re deranged. And not that I owe you an explanation, but I’ll say it anyway because I hope it makes you feel like a dickhead: I was dreaming aboutyouthat night, asshole,” I spit. “If I said Ethan’s name, it’s because I was annoyed that he wasinterruptingthat dream.”
I glare at him, hoping forsomethingthat would suggest he’s human andmaybecapable of remorse.
Nothing. I getnothingfor my efforts.
My gaze drops to the folded paper on the table.
“Did you seriously buy the goddamn restaurant?” I snatch up the contract and scan it, my jaw dropping. “For…seven MILLION dollars?!” My eyes are wide as they dart to his.
Vaughn lifts a shoulder.
“That’sinsane!” I spit at him. “I mean that is legit psychotic behavior!”
“You don’t know the half of it,” he murmurs.
“Oh, you mean like drugging Ethan?!”
He rolls his eyes. “It was sodium pentothal. He’s being dramatic.”
I stare at him. “You gave my ex-boyfriendtruth serum?” I shriek. “And then grilled him about our relationship? Vaughn, what thefuck?—”
Adrenaline spikes in my system as he wraps his fingers around my throat.
“Would you rather I tied him to a rusty chair in a basement and cut pieces of him off while I asked him those same questions? Or perhaps I couldfuck youin front of him just so he’s clear onwhose you are.”
“No!” I snap, grabbing his wrist and tearing his hand away from my throat. “You don’t get to just keep fucking me whenever you want.”
He sighs. “We both knownoisn’t a word that will stop me?—”
“I’ll use it.”
He goes still at the coldness in my tone.
“I’ll fuckinguse it,” I say tightly. “I’ll use the safe word. Justtry me.”
Vaughn’s eyes turn dark. Finally he exhales slowly, a low growl rumbling in his throat. “Fine. What are they.”
I frown. “What are what?”
“Your demands.”
“Demands?”
“You just made a threat, Evelina,” he says patiently. “Therefore, you have demands you want met or you’ll make good on said threat. So what. The fuck.Arethey.”
