His hair’s pushed back neatly, every strand in place. His jaw is carved and tight, and those eyes…hell, those eyes don’t just look—they fucking burn.
His gaze lands on me, steady, unreadable, but there’s a flicker of that tension that always hums in the air whenever we’re in the same place.
God, Ihatethe bastard.
Doesn’t make me want him any less, though.
This week’s only made me long for him more, not less.
Sue me.
It pisses me off how good he looks. How collected he is. How effortless it is for him to just breathe normally around me. Meanwhile, I’m fighting for my life over here, pretending I’m not boiling with hunger.
His woodsy smell saturates my senses, bringing back memories of his body pressed against mine, his lips wrapped around my cock, his huge, beautiful dick down my throat?—
Down, boy.
“I almost pulled the trigger.” I try to sound casual as I lower the gun to my side but don’t hide it. “Can’t call my name like a normal human being?”
“Not sure you would’ve listened, considering you pretended not to see me earlier.”
I narrow my eyes.
What’s with the accusatory tone?
“Hurts like a motherfucker to be ignored, doesn’t it? Welcome to the club.” I start to leave, but he steps in front of me.
So I do it again. This time, he shoves me back against the wall with his forearm against my throat. I swallow a wince as the bruises on my back burst in pain.
Vaughn stares me down with unveiled rage. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going? I’m not done talking.”
“I don’t give a fuck.” I point the gun at his temple. “Move before I spill your goddamn brains.”
“Do it,” he speaks close to my mouth, and a rush of his minty breath licks my skin and spears itself beneath it. “Could you evenhurtme, Yulian?”
My whole body’s vibrating with tension, and having his equally tense, taut body flush against mine doesn’t help. “You want to die, motherfucker? Step aside and stop provoking me.”
“Or what?” He tilts his head to the side. “Because we both know you won’t pull that trigger. You like me too much to inflict any harm.”
I draw my hand back and punch him in the chest, making him stumble. “Who the fuck do you think you are that I wouldn’t hurt you? Do I like you? Sure, I did. But I can unlike you just as fast. I change out guys like you in the blink of an eye. You’re not that special.”
Lies, lies, and more fucking lies.
But I’ll be damned if I allow myself to fall under Vaughn’s spell again. He’d devour me alive and leave no crumbs.
I’m about to step out when it happens so fast, I don’t even get the chance to blink.
Vaughn’s hand clamps around my throat as his mouth crashes against mine. The kiss is brutal, merciless, thick with rage and hunger.
No, it’s not a kiss—it’s war, a violent clash of lips and teeth, tongues battling as his fingers tangle in my hair, yanking my head back so he can devour me, suck the breathfrom my lungs, bite me, to consume me like he could drink the blood straight from my veins.
Fuck. He’s an absolute ravenous beast.
Just how I like him.
My fingers wrap around that neck I’ve been fantasizing about, all my resolve crumbling to smithereens as I kiss him with the same frenzy. My hand with the gun wraps around the back of his head, shoving him against me.
I need him closer, his hard muscles molded further into mine. Doesn’t matter if it hurts. I love the pain. It means he’s right here.
