Chapter 25
The morning light filtered through the curtains as I padded down the hallway, the soft hum of the heating system the only sound in the quiet house.
Vaughn had settled into one of the guest rooms, his presence still foreign, even though he’d been here a few days now.
He set up shop in my office, running Ashworth Financial like it was just another day in the city.
But this wasn’t the city, and he wasn’t just another houseguest.
I had to admit, it was nice to have the house to myself for the most part.
Vaughn was quiet, leaving me to go about my business, and I spent most of my time working on the nursery.
The soft, muted colors of the walls were soothing, a delicate contrast to the tension that simmered under the surface between us.
As I arranged a stack of baby clothes in the drawers, I tried not to think about the fact that Vaughn was just a few rooms away, undoubtedly scheming how to win me over.
The distant sound of a phone ringing pulled me from my thoughts. Vaughn’s voice, muffled but stern, carried from my office. He was in work mode—sharp, calculated, and probably barking orders at some poor underling who’d screwed something up. I rolled my eyes and returned to folding onesies.
A while later, I made my way downstairs, the scent of simmering stew filling the air.
I was almost enjoying this, the sense of normalcy, of reclaiming my space, even if Vaughn was part of it.
I heard him moving around, his heavy footsteps echoing off the hardwood floors.
He appeared in the kitchen doorway, his sleeves rolled up, a slight shadow of exhaustion under his eyes.
It didn’t escape me that he was making an effort, even if I wasn’t sure what his endgame was.
"Smells good," he remarked, leaning against the doorframe. His gaze slid over me, but there was a distance in it, as if he knew better than to push.
I stirred the pot, glancing at him over my shoulder. "It's beef stew again. We have leftovers. I’m sure you’re used to something fancier.”
He shrugged, a small smile playing at his lips. "I’ll take what I can get."
There was tension in his voice, something softer than before. He wasn’t trying to bulldoze me today, and that only made me more cautious. Vaughn didn’t do anything without a reason.
“Are you planning on camping out here indefinitely?” I asked, my tone light but laced with an edge. I ladled some stew into a bowl and set it on the table, avoiding his gaze.
He crossed the room, pulling out a chair. “You haven’t thrown me out yet.”
“I could.” I sat across from him, arms folded. “You’ve taken over my office. What exactly is the plan here, Vaughn? You show up, rake some leaves, act all domestic, and then what?”
He paused, his spoon hovering over the bowl as he met my eyes. “I’m not here to act. I’m here because this is where I want to be.”
I scoffed, pushing back from the table, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “You think you can just show up and expect everything to be fine? You can’t undo the past with a few good deeds.”
His jaw tightened, the tension between us building, but he remained calm. “I don’t expect everything to be fine. But I’m trying. That’s more than I’ve done before.”
I shook my head, stepping away from the table, my hand instinctively resting on my belly. “Trying isn’t enough, Vaughn. You hurt me, and that doesn’t just disappear because you decide you’re ready to be a part of this.”
He stood, slowly, watching me with those piercing eyes of his. "I know I’ve made mistakes, Joey. I’ve spent every damn day thinking about them. But I’m here now, and I’m not walking away."
I pressed my lips together, feeling the familiar ache in my chest. “You always had an out before. I don’t trust that you won’t take it again.”
His expression softened, and he took a step closer, though he didn’t touch me. “You’re right. I’ve taken the easy way out too many times. But this—" he gestured to my belly, “—this is different. I’m not running from my son. Or from you.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and raw, and I wasn’t sure how to respond. I wanted to believe him. But the scars from the past weren’t so easily erased.
Before I could say anything, his phone buzzed from the counter, breaking the tension. He hesitated for a moment, glancing at the screen, then turned back to me. “I have to take this. It’s work.”
I nodded, grateful for the interruption. He picked up his phone and left the kitchen, his voice growing distant as he stepped into the other room.
I stood there, staring at the empty space where he’d been, my thoughts a tangled mess. I had spent so long imagining what it would feel like to have Vaughn back in my life. And now that he was here, I wasn’t sure if I could handle it.
Not when everything was so complicated.
The tabloids were relentless. The headlines screamed at me from every corner — Ashworth Widow’s Love Nest?
Pictures of Vaughn stepping out of his Mercedes in my driveway, unloading groceries like any other normal day, splashed across the internet and plastered on the front pages of gossip rags at every newsstand.
Speculation was wild, and the vultures camped outside, snapping photos from across the street in the park, their lenses trained on my every move.
I peeked through the curtains, my fingers gripping the fabric tightly.
The reporters were waiting, parked on public property where I had no power to chase them away.
Their cameras glinted in the afternoon sun, ready to capture whatever scandalous tidbit they could exploit.
My pulse quickened as I watched, the weight of their intrusion pressing down on me.
With a huff, I turned away from the window and stormed into Vaughn’s makeshift office, my phone already open to the offending photos. He sat behind my desk, typing away as if nothing in the world could bother him.
“Have you seen these?” I thrust the phone in front of him, my voice sharp with frustration.
Vaughn glanced at the screen, pausing for only a second before continuing his work, unfazed. “Joey, why does it bother you so much?” His tone was maddeningly calm, like none of this chaos even mattered.
My jaw clenched. “Because it does!” I snapped, pacing in front of him. “We’re not together, Vaughn, and it’s only a matter of time before they figure out I’m pregnant. I’m not sure I can hide it much longer. Right now they think I gained weight.”
His hands stilled on the keyboard, and he finally looked up, eyes meeting mine. “Then don’t hide it. Marry me.” He said it so casually, as though proposing marriage was the simplest solution to all our problems. “We can elope, make it official.”
I blinked, stunned by his nonchalance. “I... we’re not even close to doing that. We’re not together.”
Vaughn leaned back in his chair, a slow smirk curling at his lips. “But we could be.” His gaze was unrelenting, and he lowered his voice. “You don’t need to keep using your toy. I can help you.”
My cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuckled softly, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Oh, Joey... I’m not deaf. I hear the buzzing... your soft cries late at night.”
I wanted to disappear. “Vaughn, stop. I don’t want to discuss this with you.”
“But you do.” He stood, stepping closer, the heat of his body radiating toward me. His eyes darkened with intent. “I’m a much better alternative than silicone.”
Memories of our past together—his hands on my skin, the way he knew every inch of my body—flashed in my mind, tempting me in ways I hated to admit. But I couldn’t go there again, not with him. Not after everything.
“You might be,” I said, my voice barely a whisper, “but I can’t go there again.”
Vaughn’s expression softened, but his eyes never lost that determined glint. “Yet.”
I frowned, crossing my arms defensively. “Excuse me?”
“Yet,” he repeated, a hint of amusement in his tone. He leaned against the edge of the desk, watching me closely. “My plans haven’t changed.”
I stepped back, the tension thick in the air. “Vaughn, need I remind you that you tried to steal my house out from under me? You took me to that... sex club to humiliate me, to get me removed from Ashworth. Did you forget that?”
He let out a low laugh, scrubbing a hand over his face. “And you got me back for that one, didn’t you? Canceling the deed filing. Damn, Joey, did you have your attorney on speed dial?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite the tension. “Xander gave me his personal cell. It’s nice to have people who actually care.”
Vaughn’s expression shifted, something more vulnerable flickering across his features. “I care. I was just so angry... angry that my father would give you what I thought was mine.”
My voice softened, and I stepped closer. “And now?”
He exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly. “You can have it all. Take the job, keep the house... just give me you and our son.”
I stared at him, heart twisting. He said it with such sincerity, but I knew better. “You wouldn’t be happy without your position, Vaughn. You’ve spent your whole life chasing power and control. But I understand wanting to give it up if you think that’s what will bring us back together.”
He straightened, eyes locked on mine. “And it won’t?”
I shook my head, the words catching in my throat. “No. It won’t.”
For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of our past pressing down on us. Vaughn watched me with a mixture of frustration and longing, but he didn’t argue. He didn’t fight. And that, more than anything, made me feel like I had already won a battle I wasn’t sure I wanted to fight anymore.
We settled into a slightly uneasy existence. After months of being alone, I couldn’t bear to throw Vaughn out of my home. He rarely left, only flying to the city if he had a meeting he needed to conduct in person and he was back by evening.
He showed me consideration and that he was thinking of me by picking up a cheesecake from Junior’s or pastries from Little Italy. I craved sweets now that I was in the final trimester. Unlike my first pregnancy, things were going great. The baby was growing and healthy.
But I was always on alert for any changes. Our son loved to kick in late afternoon and mid evening. I was happy he was quiet later in the evening when I wanted to sleep. But it all came crashing down when I was almost eight months pregnant.
I woke to a horrible pain in my stomach.
I rose from the bed and walked around, holding my stomach but the pain increased.
I had no choice but to wake Vaughn and I was happy he was here.
I pushed into his room without knocking.
He was asleep on his side and when I softly called his name, he bolted up.
“Joey, what’s wrong.”
“The baby. Something isn’t right. It hurts.”
He jumped out of bed, naked. It had been months since I saw him in this state, but he was still as God like as I remembered. He hurried around, pulling on clothing, then hustled me down the stairs and into my coat. Vaughn drove like a man possessed.
“Hold on, Joey,” he said, squeezing my hand.
I was trying not to panic but I was bordering on hysterical. I couldn’t lose another child. If I did, it would break me.
“Please, Vaughn,” I whimpered.
He knew what I was thinking as he pressed the accelerator to go faster.
“You’re not losing our son. Don’t think that way.”
He slammed on the horn as he pulled up to the emergency room, jumping out of the car to grab one of the wheelchairs in the vestibule. A nurse came out to assist and while Vaughn parked the car, they quickly took my information. He was back beside me as they took me upstairs.