Chapter 21
The air between us was thick, heated, and charged with something more than just lust. Vaughn’s grip tightened around my throat as he took me from behind, his movements controlled and possessive.
In his other hand, he held the vibrator against me, teasing and torturing my body with overstimulation.
It was too much—every nerve ending ignited, pushing me past my limits.
I’d been in this position before with Colson, but Vaughn was different. He was bigger, taller, his thrusts deeper, more demanding. There was an edge to the discomfort I felt, a sensation I might have complained about if he wasn’t hitting that perfect spot inside me.
His hand clenched tighter around my throat, forcing me to arch my back against his chest, making me gasp for air as he growled into my ear. “Why haven’t you signed the papers, Josephine?”
I blinked, disoriented. He was bringing this up now?
The moment was far too intense for conversation, but the question lingered in the air, demanding an answer.
Simone’s words echoed in the back of my mind.
I’d delayed the transfer after our talk, needing time to think, but Vaughn wasn’t one to wait.
“My attorney… hasn’t sent the papers yet,” I managed to choke out, my voice strained under his grip.
Without warning, Vaughn sank his teeth into the soft skin of my ear, the sharp sting making me yelp.
The brutality of the action sent a fresh wave of pain coursing through me, but instead of backing off, he rammed himself deeper inside, making me clench my teeth.
The vibrator was now on full speed, pressing relentlessly against my sensitive clit, pushing me toward the edge of no return.
“You’re mine,” he growled, his voice low and rough. “I don’t see what the issue is. We’ll be married in a year or two.”
The words were meant to reassure, but they mingled with the fierce control he had over me, his actions not quite matching the promise.
Despite the pain, despite everything, my body betrayed me.
Pleasure shot through me in waves, a powerful orgasm overtaking me without warning.
My legs trembled, body shaking as I came hard in his arms.
Vaughn dropped the vibrator to the floor, its hum still lingering as he pulled out of me, leaving me weak and trembling.
He didn’t give me time to recover. His hands gripped my waist, and with one quick motion, he tossed me onto the bed.
I barely had time to catch my breath before he turned me onto my side and entered me again, this time even more relentless.
His pace was furious, punishing, driving into me over and over until he finally groaned, his release spilling inside me. The intensity of it left me breathless, my body aching and sore, but before I could even process it all, Vaughn leaned close, his voice suddenly soft, almost tender.
“Maybe I should get you pregnant. Would you like that, Josephine? A baby?”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a second, I couldn’t speak. The idea of a baby was something I’d longed for, but after what happened the year before, the fear of loss lingered.
“I… I prefer to be married first,” I whispered, my voice fragile, uncertain.
He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.
“And we will be. I promise. Just sign the papers, and this home will be ours. We’ll raise our children here, just like I was raised.
” His tone softened further, a gentleness creeping into his words.
“But it’ll be different for them. They’ll be free to love whoever they want. ”
A part of me believed him in that moment.
Maybe he was sincere. Maybe the love he spoke of wasn’t just a game or a power play.
The thought of raising our children without the burdens of wealth and status like we’d faced made me want to believe him.
I nodded slowly. "Monday," I whispered, feeling the decision solidify in my mind. "I'll sign on Monday."
I had plenty of other properties, plenty of wealth. What was one house, really? And Vaughn… Vaughn was being truthful, wasn’t he? I wanted to trust him. I needed to believe in us.
Without another word, he rolled me onto my back and kissed me deeply, his earlier brutality replaced by tenderness. This time, when he made love to me, it was slow, sweet, and full of promises I desperately wanted to be real.
Xander Wilder couriered the documents to my office, and I stared at them for a long moment before signing.
The ink felt heavier than it should as I scrawled my name across the lines, officially transferring the mansion to Vaughn—a true Ashworth.
A wave of unease washed over me, but I pushed it aside.
This was a good thing, I told myself, a logical step.
Once the papers were signed, I had them couriered back without delay. The deed was done. The house, a piece of Ashworth legacy, now belonged to Vaughn.
I buzzed his office, pressing the intercom button with more force than necessary. “It’s done.”
There was a brief pause before Vaughn’s smooth voice came through. “Thank you, Joey. My father would be proud of you.”
I swallowed hard, a tightness forming in my chest. “I hope so.”
“I have a conference call with Eltech in fifteen minutes,” Vaughn continued, his tone casual, as if we weren’t discussing the finality of what had just happened. “I need to prepare. Your place tonight? Or... there’s this new club I’ve been hearing about. We could check it out.”
The shift in conversation caught me off guard. I cleared my throat. “You want to go out? In public?”
He chuckled softly. “I think it’s time, don’t you? We’ve been together for three months. We can’t stay in the shadows forever. Besides, do you really care what people say?”
I hesitated, gripping the edge of my desk.
Did I care? The truth was, I did. I’d spent most of my life as an outsider, ridiculed and ignored.
Then, with two simple words—“I do”—my marriage had thrust me into the elite circles of wealth and power.
But no matter how high I climbed, I never forgot how it felt to be on the other side, to be an outcast.
And I couldn’t shake the fear that if we went public, I’d find myself there again. “I... I just don’t want the scrutiny,” I said carefully, choosing my words with precision.
Vaughn’s voice softened. “You’re not going to be a pariah, Joey. You’re with me now. That changes things.”
But did it? The weight of my past pressed down on me, the memories of whispers and pointed stares never too far away. Could I really trust that being with Vaughn would be enough to shield me from that?
The dimly lit alley outside the club was quiet, save for the distant thrum of music from the upper floors.
Vaughn led me by the hand, his grip firm but not reassuring.
As we approached a heavy steel door, he nodded to a bouncer who gave us a knowing look before unlocking it.
We slipped inside, bypassing the front entrance entirely.
“This way,” Vaughn murmured, his voice low and smooth, but something about it set me on edge.
The hall was narrow and lit with red lights that cast eerie shadows. My heels clicked against the concrete floor as Vaughn guided me further into the depths of the building. I could hear faint music above us—an actual dance club, by the sound of it—but this wasn’t where we were headed.
We entered a spacious underground lounge that looked nothing like the dance club I imagined. The air was thick with a heavy scent—something between sweat, sex, and expensive cologne. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized why. This wasn’t a club for dancing.
Everywhere I looked, there were bodies. People were lounging on velvet sofas, some completely naked, others in various states of undress.
Couples, and even groups, engaged in open, unapologetic sex, their moans mixing with the soft beats of the music that pulsed through the space.
The dim lighting played tricks on my mind, but there was no mistaking the blatant eroticism around me.
I froze, wide-eyed and speechless.
“What... what is this place?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Vaughn smirked, pulling me close. “It’s exclusive. Private. For people with... certain tastes.”
I jerked back, eyes scanning the room. “You brought me here?”
His smirk widened. “You wanted to go out, didn’t you?”
“This isn’t what I had in mind,” I said, my voice trembling as I looked around, feeling eyes on me—hungry, leering eyes. I wanted to leave, but Vaughn tightened his grip on my waist, his lips brushing against my ear.
“Relax, Joey. You’re with me. No one will touch you unless I say so.”
I stiffened at his words, my skin crawling. Vaughn had always been possessive, but this felt different. There was something darker in his tone, something I hadn’t noticed before.
Before I could respond, Vaughn’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, his expression unreadable, then leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Wait—Vaughn—” But he was already gone, disappearing into the shadows of the club.
I stood there, feeling vulnerable and out of place. I clutched my purse, my heart racing as I scanned the room for an exit. How could Vaughn just leave me here? The idea of walking out alone, through that maze of people, felt terrifying. But staying here felt worse.
I moved toward the far wall, trying to stay out of sight, when suddenly a loud commotion broke out near the entrance.
Blue and red lights flashed outside the windows, illuminating the club like a surreal, grotesque scene.
Panic spread through the crowd as uniformed officers stormed in, shouting orders.
“Police! Everybody down!”
I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. People scattered, scrambling for clothes, some bolting for hidden exits. I tried to make myself small, but before I could move, rough hands grabbed me from behind.
“No!” I gasped, struggling. “Wait, this is a mistake!”
The officer’s grip tightened. “You're under arrest.”
“No! You don’t understand!” I pleaded, but it was too late. My wrists were yanked behind me, cold metal cuffs clicking into place.
I was dragged through the club, my heels slipping on the floor as I tried to protest, but the officer’s grip was unrelenting.
As I was hauled outside, the bright flash of cameras nearly blinded me.
Paparazzi. They were everywhere, snapping photos, yelling my name, calling me Colson Ashworth’s widow.
“Josephine! Josephine! Look this way!”
I turned my face away, tears stinging my eyes as I was shoved into the back of a police car. The door slammed shut, the reality of the situation crashing down on me. Vaughn was nowhere in sight. I’d been set up.
Simone and Logan bailed me out immediately. I was so embarrassed, feeling stupid that I let Vaughn do this to me. Simone was right but she didn’t say a word, comforting me as I was brought to my penthouse where I could hide.
The headlines were everywhere the next morning.
"Widow of Colson Ashworth Arrested in Seedy Underground Club Raid."
"CEO of Ashworth Financial Scandal—Caught in Police Raid!"
It didn’t take long for the board to call an emergency meeting two days later. I walked into the conference room, my head held high, but the tension was palpable. They didn’t even bother with pleasantries.
“Josephine,” one of the board members said, her voice tight. “Given the... recent events, we’ve decided it’s in the company’s best interest to relieve you of your duties as CEO.”
I sat there, numb, as they spoke about the company’s morality clause and the irreparable damage to the Ashworth name. The words blurred together, my mind struggling to keep up. The decision was final. I was out.
Vaughn didn’t even have the decency to come to the office. He was working from an unspecified location. Easton, Simone and Logan were behind me but there was nothing they could do. It made no sense for me to even stay at AFC in another position. I wanted to hide away from everyone.
That night, Vaughn came to my apartment. He looked... satisfied, a smug smile tugging at his lips as he leaned against the doorframe.
“Why, Vaughn?” I demanded, my voice shaking with fury. “Why did you do this?”
He sauntered inside, hands in his pockets. “I told you before. Control of Ashworth Financial didn’t belong to you. You had no right to it.”
I stared at him, disbelief turning into rage. “This was all a setup. The club, the raid... you wanted this to happen.”
He nodded slowly. “Of course. You’re not as naive as you look.”
Tears burned in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “So this was all a game to you? Making me believe you wanted to marry me, convincing me to sign the house over?”
“Exactly,” Vaughn said coldly. “You were just a pawn, Joey. My father’s little experiment. But now, I have the house, and soon, I’ll have the company.”
I staggered back, my heart shattering. “Simone was right about you.”
His expression didn’t change, the cruelty in his eyes unmistakable. “She usually is.”