Chapter 26 Vaughn
VAUGHN
“Hear me out, we go to round two, and I beat the shit out of Yulian again!” Nikolai punches the air, his nostrils flaring as he jumps up.
He’s still half naked, and dried blood trails from the corner of his mouth to where it splashes across his heavily tattooed torso. Nikolai is the biggest of all of us with muscles that he religiously built—like a certain someone.
Someone I don’t want to think about.
But I couldn’t exactly keep from thinking about him when Niko wouldn’t stop talking about attacking the Serpents’ mansion, pitching the idea to Killian and Gareth after telling them all about his victory.
“I’m just saying, we have the momentum.” Nikolai paces, his eyes too blown up and jittery, as if he’s on drugs. He’s not. It’s probably one of his manic episodes exploding in real time.
“You winning against Yulian is not momentum, Niko.” Jeremy types on his phone as he sits on the sofa next to me, looking too focused on whoever he’s texting.
“Of course it is. You saw me kick the shit out of him.” Niko wraps an arm around Killian’s shoulders. “I’m telling you, Satan’s heir, you missed out on watching me in what was possibly my best fight of the year. Don’t you feel sad?”
“Sad?” Kill raises a brow. “More like relieved. Hate to break it to you, but watching you fight isn’t exactly on my priority list.”
“You’re just jealous. Go die.” Niko shoves him away, then stalks toward Gareth, who’s lounging on a chair with a notebook in hand.
Killian and Gareth are brothers, but they couldn’t be more different.
Kill has dark hair, blue eyes, and a personality that thrives on being threatening and provocative.
Gareth, on the other hand, has always seemed like the prince of our group—blond, sleek hair, deep-green eyes, and a mild demeanor wrapped around sharp strategy.
At least, that’s what I believed until our Reddit conversation. Turns out, Gareth is unhinged, petty, and completely unfiltered. He’s also a total brat, especially when it comes to his professor.
It’s our secret, though. Although I doubt he knows who he’s messaging, judging by the updates he keeps sending me about Yulian as Gareth himself—mostly when he believed Yulian was messing with his beloved professor.
“My favorite nerd.” Nikolai slings an arm over Gareth’s shoulders. “Surely, you know this is our best shot at a surprise attack? We even have Vaughn today, so we’ll kick those Serpents’ asses so hard, they’ll never be able to recover.”
“It’s true that we have a good chance for a surprise. They wouldn’t suspect we’d attack them after Niko fought Yulian,” Gareth says with a little evil smile as he looks up at me. “And we do have Vaughn tonight, so the gang is complete.”
I narrow my eyes but say nothing. Why is everyone trying to get a reaction out of me tonight?
First, it was Yulian fighting and bleeding out in that ring as if he had no self-preservation, then he jumped out and tried to touch me—in fucking public.
I don’t think he was even aware of what he was doing, the idiot. Otherwise, why would he hold me and Jeremy by our shoulders?
I instinctively had the urge to break his hand that he put on Jeremy. I made myself believe it was because I was protecting Jeremy, but who am I kidding? I just didn’t like Yulian touching him.
I simply don’t.
He needs to stop throwing his hands around on people all the time.
“Exactly.” Nikolai hugs Gareth close. “I knew you were my favorite, Gaz. You’re the only one who gets my vision.”
“It’s not going to work,” Kill says. “They’ve strengthened their security, so it’s virtually impossible to attack, even with the element of surprise.”
“Shut up, Kill. Don’t ruin my fucking vibes.” Niko jumps up to a standing position. “The only one who can stop us is Yulian, and I beat him the fuck up, so we shouldn’t have much resistance.”
“There’s also Cyrus,” Gareth says. “Just because he barely talks doesn’t mean you can walk all over him.”
I remain still, looking relaxed, with my elbow on the armrest and my head leaning against my fist, but my eye twitches.
Throughout the week, I tried to ignore the obstacle that is Cyrus. But I just couldn’t, not when he’s by Yulian’s side while I’m not.
So I might have talked to Gareth—the Reddit alter ego—about it to vent.
I’ve had a dream where I just held his head underwater and watched him drown.
Not sure why.
I’m fully aware of how important Cyrus is to Yulian, and I meant it when I said I wouldn’t hurt his best friend. But I guess my subconscious still wants to kill him in cold blood.
“Heard he’s like Yulian’s watchdog,” Gareth continues.
“Nah, he’s not that strong.” Niko throws a dismissive hand in the air. “I say we go for it. What do you think, Jer?”
“No,” Jeremy says without lifting his head.
“Come oooon!” Niko kicks the foot of a chair. “I’m revoking friendship rights if you don’t have my back on this. I already did the hardest part by weakening Yulian.”
“You didn’t weaken anyone.” Jeremy finally pockets his phone. “You only knocked him out because he was distracted, and he jumped back from that as if nothing happened.”
“No, I won fair and square. Whose side are you on, motherfucker? I thought we were bros!” He swings his head in my direction. “You saw me knock him out, right?”
I release an affirmative sound, not really saying anything as I steal a look at Jeremy. He’s not Nikolai, who’s mostly oblivious to his surroundings, so it makes sense that he noticed Yulian got distracted, but does he know by what? Or whom?
That damn prick is too much…too in your face and readable.
I’m wondering if Jeremy saw the way he looked at me when he came within touching distance and reached out for me.
Did Jeremy notice the awe and the joy and the brightening in Yulian’s mismatched eyes?
Because for a second, I could see my reflection in his brown one.
Even with his face bloodied, swollen, and bruised, the entirety of his attention was on me.
That used to be suffocating, unsettling, really, as I didn’t know what to do with that ball of energy.
But earlier tonight, I was physically struggling not to walk to him or let him touch me.
For a moment, the world around us seemed to disappear and he was right in the middle of it, under the lights, hogging the spotlight and my attention.
It’s strange to be this attuned to one person, to be so into them and focused on them that I forget about reality.
I only snapped out of it when the world crashed back in, so I moved out of his way at the last second.
Now, my muscles tighten at the thought that Jeremy saw all of that, including quite possibly the way I looked at Yulian. I have an impressive poker face, mostly by design. I’m not that expressive by nature, so I’m probably safe from Jeremy’s scrutiny.
I hope.
“See?” Nikolai snaps his fingers in my direction. “Vaughn agrees that I was a total badass beating Yulian to a pulp and taking him off the map.”
“You didn’t beat him to a pulp,” I say, half annoyed, then purse my lips.
Jesus Christ. Am I offended on Yulian’s behalf right now?
“Yeah, he was completely fine,” Jeremy says, apparently not picking up on my tone.
“You should’ve tried harder to pummel the prick,” Gareth says, not looking up from his notebook.
Reminder to give him an identity crisis about his feelings for his professor when we speak later.
Yes. It seems, I am, in fact, not happy with all this violence talk directed at Yulian.
“I still inflicted damage,” Niko argues. “I basically did all the work.”
“How about we do more work on your ED situation?” Killian asks with a grin.
“You motherfucking Satan’s heir, how many times have I told you it’s not ED?” Niko grabs the waistband of his shorts and pulls them down, terrorizing us with the view of his pierced cock.
“Nikolai!” Gareth jumps. “Put your fucking dick away, man.”
“I’m just proving a point to your stupid brother.”
“Point proven,” Jeremy says. “Just stop stripping, Niko.”
“I assure you that no one here wants to see that.” Gareth points in his general direction with a look of disgust.
“That is called Kolya.” Niko pulls his shorts up. “Put some respect on my dick’s name.”
“Still not convinced,” Killian says.
“Killian!” Jeremy says. “Stop it or we’ll be seeing him naked all night.”
“Good idea,” Niko says. “Clothes are overrated anyway.”
“Stop it, seriously,” Gareth says. “We don’t even get Vaughn to come around often, and you’re terrorizing him.”
“He doesn’t mind,” Niko says.
I just lift a shoulder.
It’s true. I don’t mind.
Mostly because I don’t really care.
I’ve seen many men naked. Women as well. I don’t really notice them much. When I was with Danika, I used to think it was because my entire attention and dedication were aimed at her, so I didn’t have time to think of others.
That’s true, in a sense. I’m probably pathologically monogamous, but still, even with Danika, I stopped noticing her body early on and just learned how to please her.
Even during the first few weeks we got together, after the first time I fucked her, I never fantasized about her.
Not at all like how I’ve been jerking off like a goddamn teen in the shower at thoughts of Yulian’s tongue, lips, and cock.
It’s a sickness at this point. A dangerous fucking obsession that’s eating me alive like acid.
And a part of me, the reckless part, doesn’t want this to stop.
That part is ravenous, coiling and demanding another taste of him.
I’ve had to stop myself countless times from hopping on a plane and seeking him out.
“See?” Niko laughs. “All you bitches can go die! Vaughn is my man and will totally join me to attack the Serpents.”
“No, Niko. It’s not a good idea,” I say.
“It’s better we don’t clash with the Chicago mafia, especially after the DC incident.
Too many things are still unknown, and the situation is volatile, so it’s best to let things cool down.
You don’t want to get in the way of Aunt Rai and Uncle Kyle, do you? ”