“Perhaps.” He shrugs. “Or maybe I knew the woman of my dreams was about to walk into my life.”
My heart does a backflip, then beats away inside my chest.
He sits on the floor by the foot of his bed with guitar in hand, then points at the edge of the mattress. “Come closer.”
“What song are you going to play?”
He smirks. “Maybe I should continue with the Disney theme and sing theBeauty and the Beastsong?”
“If that’s what you want to sing?” I sit down.
He shakes his head but keeps his grin in place, showing his adorable dimples. “No, I wanted to sing one of my favorite tunes. The lyrics are special to me.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’ve always wished to find someone who would make me feel like the lyrics of this song. You have to listen to understand what I mean.”
“All right. What’s the name of it?”
“‘Iris.’”
“Let’s hear it, then.”
He closes his eyes and strikes the first chord, hooking me in an instant. The intro is like a delicate dance between fire and ice, with each strum of the guitar igniting a fiery passion within me. And that’s before he starts to sing in a raspy, sexy voice.
His eyes connect with mine, and I understand now what he meant. My heart overflows with emotion, bringing tears to my eyes. I never thought it was possible to love someone as fiercely and completely as I love Vaughn. It’s like our love was preordained by the stars.
When he finishes the song, I’m a sobbing mess. He sets the guitar down and pulls me into his arms. “I love you, Soph.”
“I love you too, Vaughn.”
He smiles from ear to ear, and it lights up his face, but it’s the tears in his eyes that seal the deal for me. I’m certain I’ll forever be safe in his arms.
Forty-Four
LUCCA
I’m out of bed before nightfall. Vivi is still asleep, so I slip out of the room and head to the training facility. I need to break a sweat or I’ll go crazy. At this hour, I’d usually find Ronan training. He’s religious about his workouts. The empty gym is a painful reminder that he’s gone, and I don’t know if I will ever see him again.
No. You can’t think like that, Lucca. Ronan will return with Manu, Cheryl, and Karl.
The pep talk doesn’t ease the weight crushing my chest. I’m frustrated as hell that I can’t do anything but wait. I pull off my shirt, lobbing it to the side. I know exactly what to do first. A few swings at the punching bag won’t solve my problems, but it might release some of the tension.
I don’t bother with gloves and start attacking the leather surface, pretending I’m punching my enemies. I picture every single asshole who hurt me or my loved ones, starting with Queen Maewe. She’s the bitch I want to end first. Then comes Jacques Tellier. Vaughn being involved with his daughter presents a complication. I don’t know how loyal she still is to her father, even though she helped us. Some bonds are hard to break.
Vaughn is in love, so he won’t be able to see a betrayal before it’s too late. Vivi has the tendency to believe in the good in people, thus giving the girl the benefit of the doubt. I don’t have that luxury.
I pound the punching bag, rejoicing in the pain each time my knuckles strike the tough surface. I lose track of how long I keep at it, but when my monopoly of the gym ends, I’m covered in sweat. I don’t need to look to see that Dean and Connor are watching me.
“Lucca, we need to talk,” Dean says.
I punch the bag one more time before I turn to the duo. “Yeah, no kidding.”
“Is Sophie here?” Connor asks.
“Yes, plus her familiar and Igor.”
“I’m shocked that Ronan didn’t try to chop off his head,” Connor jokes.
