I nod. “I mean, Iwasthinking about getting it on my throat, like someone else I know, but alas,” I sigh, “it would ruin my whole princess in a tower aesthetic.”
He cups my face and forces my gaze to meet his.
“You were never a princess in a tower,” he growls. “You were a Queen waiting for her throne.”
Then he kisses me, and I’m pretty sure my feet leave the ground.
An hour later,the party is still going strong, but Vaughn pulls me into his arms, whispering that he has to go take care of something. After he promises to “fill my slutty cunt with his cum later and then fuck my ass until it leaks down my thighs”—that's a direct quote—and kisses me, he leaves to deal with his whatever, and I go back to dancing with Gabby.
…Who is one hundred percent either getting eye-fucked or eye-murderedby Carson from across the room.
Eventually, my energy is depleted.
“I have to go,” I groan as I hug her.
“Same,” she sighs. “Shall we bounce?”
I nod.
We collect our things and leave the club, waiting at the curb for our Ubers. Gabby’s comes first.
“Love ya,” she blurts, clearly feeling her drinks as she hugs me tightly and then kisses my cheek. “Get home safe!”
I scrutinize her Uber driver. The woman assures me she’ll make sure Gabby gets inside her place safely before taking off.
My phone dings, letting me know my own car is waiting around the corner.
I exhale, taking off at a brisk pace. All I want is to get into bed. I mean, at least until Vaughn comes home and makes me scream.
I spot my Uber and wave at the elderly driver. He waves back as I start to jog over to the waiting SUV.
I don’t make it.
Something heavy slams into my head. I scream a shocked, choked cry as lights cascade through my vision and pain explodes in my skull. Another wave of agony slashes through myknees as they hit the pavement before another blow to the head sends me sprawling face-first across the sidewalk.
Cold, sharp metal presses to my neck and cuts into my skin..
“You’re ruining everything.”
Pure fear ripples over my skin as the rasping male voice snarls into my ear, pressing the knife to my throat.
“Stay the fuck away from Vaughn and stay the fuck away from the Syndicate.”
Another blow to my head sends fireworks through my senses before I hear footsteps rushing off. My vision swims as I see my Uber driver running over.
Then I black out.
39
VAUGHN
Where am I.
Consciousness fades and returns, my senses muddied as if underwater.
My vision cuts in and out.
Where am I?
