Chapter 20 Yulian #2
Shut the fuck up, me. I’m just sizing up the enemy. You know, for research purposes.
When my father’s distracted, I slip into the hall and release a breath once I’m away from the constant overstimulation.
The wallpaper-covered walls extend before me as I walk down it. Maybe I should look for Alya. Yes, I know I said I’d let her get on with it, but I’m worried about her—
A hand wraps around my nape, and I swing around, reaching for my gun as I’m pulled in one swift movement.
My back hits a wall and I point the gun at the chin of my assaulter, my finger on the trigger, only to be greeted by disapproving pools of hazel and a furrowed brow.
Vaughn.
Well, fuck me sideways.
The place he dragged me into looks like a conference room whose biggest feature is a massive mahogany table lined with padded chairs.
He steps back, creating some distance, while I stand with my arm extended, the gun steady between us.
I try, you know. I really, really fucking try not to check him out. But listen, withdrawals are little sons of bitches, and I’ve been through at least three a day for the past week, opening the chat between us every few hours just to close it again.
Because, contrary to popular belief, aka Cy’s, I actually do have pride, and I won’t go crawling back to Vaughn just because he graced me with his presence.
Well, that resolve is almost impossible to maintain now.
Because fuck all things unholy, no man should be this mouthwatering in a tuxedo.
Vaughn has always looked so well put together, but it’s tenfold worse tonight. Black tux, sharp lapels, that stiff collar hugging his neck where my hand should be—just saying, or suggesting, whatever fits the bill.
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, I hate the 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 even hurt me, 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 breath from 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.
Kissing me.
It means I’m also here, alive, and this isn’t a dream.
His cock bulges against my thigh, his tongue dancing with mine to a fucked-up symphony.
Vaughn pulls his head back, a trail of saliva forming between us as we breathe harshly, the sound reverberating off the walls.
“Don’t you dare say I’m not that special again,” he growls against my lips, his voice low and raw. “I’m nothing like the guys you’ve known, Yulian. I’ll fuck you the hell up before you consider me a stop on your whorish path.”
Something in my chest lights up, which probably shouldn’t happen since he’s threatening me. But I don’t give a fuck, because he said something I can use to my advantage.
“If you don’t want to be a stop…” I trail off, feeling apprehensive all of a sudden. Fuck it. “Don’t run away.”
He frowns.
“Or I will just replace you,” I add with a shrug to hide my wounded pride.
Vaughn shoves his leg between my knees, and I groan when he puts pressure on my cock. “I told you to stop saying shit like that.”
“Then stop running away.”
“You’re the one who did after the last time, Yulian!” He raises his voice the slightest bit, which isn’t like him.
“Well, you were ignoring me and staring at the ceiling. I can take only so many hits to my ego before I’ve had enough.”
He looks stunned for a few seconds. “You…left because I was ignoring you?”
“That’s what I said.”
“I was just thinking. Jesus Christ, God forbid I have a mini existential crisis because of my first gay sex experience. I don’t suck guys’ cocks every day, you know.”
Oh.
“Ohhh. So you were thinking about that? Was it, like, a bad existential crisis or a Holy shit, I love this. How can I get more? crisis? Don’t tell me if it’s the former, and I can totally help if it’s the latter. I’ll consider you my charity project.”
“Fuck you,” he says, but he’s chuckling low, his shoulders vibrating as if a weight has been shoved off of them. “I thought…you were disappointed.”
“Disappointed in what?”
He clears his throat, looking almost bashful, if I’m not imagining things. “My performance or something.”
It takes everything in me not to burst into flames. He’s so fucking adorable when he’s not a grumpy little shit.
“Baby, I’d never be disappointed by anything you do. Besides, everyone starts somewhere—no one is born sucking cock. You had spectacular skills for a novice, but then again, you had a fucking VIP-level teacher, so it tracks. That’s me, by the way.”
“Shut it, Yulian.”
“Make me.” I lick his lower lip, then bite it, falling back into my bad habits headfirst.
He groans, kissing me with less urgency than earlier, but deeper.
“You’ll be the fucking death of me,” he whispers against my lips.
“Famous last words.” I grin. “Admit it, you always wanted to kiss me.”
“I said.” Kiss. “Shut.” Lick. “The fuck.” Bite. “Up.”
“Mmm, keep making me.” I reach between us, cupping him through his pants, and we grunt as he grows thicker in my palm. “You’re so fucking hard for me, baby.”
“Fuck…” He growls when I loop my leg around his and rub my cock against his thigh as I stroke his through the pants.
“You feel so good.” I kiss his lips, his chin, his jaw, his throat. “I’m always so fucking feral for your taste, the way you feel, I want to devour you whole.”
He bites my jaw, moving his thigh, pressing it until my cock hurts with both pent-up pleasure and pain. “Now, stop. We’re not doing this here, where anyone can walk in.”
“We can lock the door.” I chase his lips, rubbing his cock until it’s so hard, he’s struggling to speak.
“I said no.” He shoves me against the wall and steps back, his hand grabbing my arm. “This is about the last and most dangerous place we could be hooking up in. Seriously, stop thinking with your dick.”
I wince, pain exploding across my back, but I force a grin. “Tell that to your hard cock.”
Vaughn doesn’t get the joke, his brow furrowing. “What’s wrong?”
“Blue balls. Want to kiss it better?” I start to unbuckle my belt.
Vaughn steps toward me and I expect him to stop me, but he pulls my shirt up, and his eyes harden when he sees the purple bruises on my abdomen.
Well, fuck me sideways, I didn’t actually want him to see those.
The last thing I want is for Vaughn to realize how insignificant I am or that I’m a complete fuckup in Dad’s eyes. Maybe he’ll see me differently—as a weakling.
I try to pull the shirt down, but he shoves my hand away and lifts it higher, his eyes further narrowing and darkening the more marks he sees.
“Who did this?”
“Doesn’t matter.” I push him away, tucking my shirt into my pants, all my libido kind of disappearing at the reminder of Yaroslav’s heavy hand.
“No one would be able to hurt you like that, not even in your silly fights,” Vaughn says calmly. “Your dad still hits you.”
My fist tightens as I put my gun back in its holster. “How do you know that?”
“Know what?”
“How do you know my dad hit me, let alone still?”
He swallows. “It’s not important.”
“Don’t fuck with me.” I stand toe-to-toe with him, grabbing him by the hair. “Do you pity me, is that it? Am I one of your recent charity projects?”
“That’s not—”
Whatever he has to say is cut off as the sound of gunshots blares from the event hall.
My heart surges as I grab my gun and run, only one thought filling my head.
Alina.