I think for a moment, then smirk at him. “You’re going to do something you don’t do.”
Vaughn’s icy eyes cut into me as I try not to visibly shudder. It feels like I’m staring down the barrel of a gun, or trying to negotiate with a wild animal that already has the taste of blood on its tongue.
I take a shaky breath. “If this”…I wave a finger between us…“is going to continue, then we’re a we.”
Vaughn frowns. “It’s not exactlycondonedthat an Adeptdatetheir Acolyte?—”
“Then I’ll quit,” I snap. “I’ll take myself out of consideration to join the Syndicate.”
“And your father?” he says with an amused edge to his voice.
“Don’t,” I snap, holding a finger up to his face. “Don’t youdaretry and hold that over my head. I’ll walk away and I’ll find some other way to help him.” My lip curls. “Some otherone.”
Vaughn’s face and gorgeous eyes darken lethally.
The seconds tick by agonizingly slowly.
“Fine.”
Wait.
“What?” I blurt, my brow knitting.
“I saidfine,” he growls, his eyes piercing into mine. “We’re a fuckingwe.”
Delight flickers and jumps inside me.
“And what does that mean?” I murmur.
“How thefuckshould I know?” he grunts. “You tell me.”
I bite down on my bottom lip, trying not to grin.
“It means we’re together. Like, together-together.”
He rolls his eyes. “Jesus Christ. So, a couple?”
“Yes,” I mutter. “If I’m going to be having sex with you?—”
“Which you are.”
Heat bubbles inside me.
“Well, then yes, we’re a couple.”
His jaw sets. “And that means…?”
It's my turn to roll my eyes. “You need me to define what a couple is?”
“I told you,” he growls. “I don’tdo‘we’. I don’t do couple, either.”
“If you’re with me, you’rewithme,” I say.
Vaughn cocks a brow. “Elaborate.”
“Firstly, it means we’re exclusive.”
“Says the girl who was just out on a date with her fucking ex-boyfriend.”
