My face crumples.
“I apologize on behalf of my father, Monsieur d’Auvrelle.”
He smiles blandly. “No need. A few years ago, I managed to purchase the car anyway. In fact, I drove it here this very evening, knowing I would meet you.”
Xavier exhales, sitting back in his chair. “I think mefucking youover the hood of that car and sending photos to your father would be suitable payback,non?”
My mouth falls open as I stare in horror at the Frenchman.
“I think the expression in English istwo birds, one stone.” He smiles darkly. “I pay your father back for his insult. And the youngMarquishere, who wishes to do business with me, pays his respects by granting memy right,” he growls.
Bile rises in my throat.
I snap my head around to stare at Vaughn, waiting for him to flip the fuck out andkillXavier right in front of me.
He remains stock-still in the silent room.
My throat tightens as I whip back around to stare in horror at Xavier. He merely smiles at me. Then my gaze darts to Cerise, expecting her to chastise her father for his disgusting and hopefully just drunk behavior.
But she looks equally unbothered as she gazes right at me.
What the fuck.
I whirl to stare at Vaughn again. He’s still just sitting there.
Jesus Christ, is he seriously fuckingconsidering this?!
I’m seconds away from jumping to my feet and throwing my goddamn wine into Xavier’s face when Vaughn finally breaks his silence. He casually clears his throat andsmilesas he turns to Cerise.
“Mademoiselle d’Auvrelle,” he murmurs, “would you mind excusing yourself a moment? I need to discuss certaindetailsof this arrangement with your father.”
Ice water churns through my veins. Cerise glances at me and stands. “Of course, Monsieur Bancroft.”
I decide right there that I nolongerlike this fucking cunt.
Vaughn is silent as she crosses the room and slips out the door. Then he stands, casually walking over to the dusty bottle of wine sitting on the little table between Xavier’s chair and the couch with his three advisors.
“Wonderful vintage, the ’61,” he murmurs before calmly pouring another splash into his glass and swirling it in the light.
Xavier smiles like a shark. “I’ll throw in another bottle if my three friends here can have a turn at her, too.”
I choke back more bile as Vaughn smiles down at Xavier.
“You know what I think, Monsieur d’Auvrelle?” he grins.
Xavier chuckles. “That this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship?”
Vaughn’s eyes glint. His hand tightens on the neck of the bottle.
“No…not that.”
It all happens incredibly fast. One moment, he’s just standing there, smiling at our host and swirling the obscenely expensive wine in his glass.
The next, it's purechaos.
Vaughn’s arm jerks back, and with one clean swing brings the wine bottle crashing against the side of Bertrand’s head. The man grunts, his eyes rolling back as he slumps to the floor. Vaughn is already swinging again, this time catching Jean in the face and smashing his nose with the bottom of the bottle. Blood pours down the man’s face as he screams. Vaughn merely hits him again and then smashes the bottle against Pierre’s head so hard that it shatters.
I stare, frozen, as Vaughn lunges at Xavier. He grabs the Frenchman by the throat, yanks him from his chair, and then shoves him onto his knees so Vaughn is looming right over him. He brandishes the smashed bottle, still dripping drops of red wine like blood, then calmly presses the jagged edge to Xavier’s jugular.
