have with him.
I blow dry my hair and wonder if I can get Vaughn to finish what we started before his phone started going off. The reminder of the call has me moving faster to get ready. He wouldn't have answered it unless it was important. Crap. I drop my brush and dart into the living area. Vaughn has his elbows on his knees with his head down. It snaps up at me rushing into the room.
“Is Collins okay?” I blurt out.
“Yeah, sweet thing. Collins is fine.”
I let out a sigh of relief as he stands up and comes over to me. He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear and it’s so sweet and intimate, it’s like he’s done it a million times.
“Can you do me a solid?” His voice is level and not as playful as he usually is.
“Anything,” I say instantly.
He gives me one of those smirks that I used to want to smack, but right now it’s making me feel better because something is wrong. It’s not Collins, but I can feel it’s something.
“Put on some clothes.”
I look down to see I’m completely naked. “Oops.” It’s silly to be shy because of all the things we’ve done together. The man has already seen me naked.
I worry my lip between my teeth, wondering what might be wrong. Why does Vaughn look so solemn? It’s unlike him and it makes my stomach knot. I slip on some loose wide-leg pants and tie the belt before grabbing a shirt and bra. I dig around in a box I packed to find my slip-on shoes and then go into the living room.
Vaughn has moved to the kitchen and my coffee is there waiting where he always puts it. I won’t have this in two days and the thought makes me pause. I’m not supposed to go there, but it’s the truth. I’ve already packed up most of my stuff but it’s not as though I had a ton to box up. Half of it needs to go since I don’t have the option to renew my lease even if I wanted to. It’s not really an option with some unknown bad guy out there. The plan is for me to go back to the island, at least for now.
“Is this about whoever is trying to hurt the Warsaw family?” I pick up my coffee and then I stop right before it gets to my mouth. Before now I’d only really thought about Kade being a Warsaw. I know these people will try and hurt anyone around Kade to get to him, but the Warsaw family thing really hits me. I’m not one of them. Kade, X, Vaughn and now my sister are Warsaws. I know she’s still my family, but I’m a Tramble and alone in this.
Vaughn removes the pan from the stove and turns to look at me. My face must show some kind of reaction because he moves to me and takes the coffee from my hand.
“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.” He mistakes my expression for fear, which it totally should be since some scary man is trying to kill us. But the reality is that I can't wrap my mind around it. It sounds like something out of a movie and can’t possibly be a real threat.
“I know.” I place my hands on his chest. “I’m not worried about that.” Not with him here because I know he’ll keep me safe.
“We have to be more careful.” There he goes with that solemn face again.
“We don’t have to have sex,” I tease, knowing that’s not what he’s talking about but Vaughn being solemn kind of freaks me out.
He’s always so calm and cool but right now he’s on edge. Him being on edge is going to make me on edge too. I think his presence has made me think the threat wasn’t so bad but I should know better. Calm is often how he plays things down.
“Pass your exams and maybe I’ll give it up,” he jokes, and I smile because I know he can’t help himself. Maybe he’s seeing me start to get worked up with him and that’s not good either.
“You’re holding sex against me?” I laugh, and I don’t know why I enjoy this game of him not giving in and me trying to get him to. There’s this thrill to it and I like playing with him.
“Fuck, I love that sound,” he says before his lips drop down on