46. Vaughn
Vaughn
The fear. The terror. I wouldn’t forget the emotions that crossed Penelope’s face as I approached her. I knew she’d turn and run, and that’s exactly why I’d put Keith next to the front door.
Vows were sacred. How people held to their word spoke to the foundation of their character. Putting Keith in Penelope’s way was more of a test than she knew. I wanted to see how she’d react when faced with her vow. One captivity for another. Would she fight? Run? Both?
I knew the moment she left the signing room, either were an option. What I didn’t expect was for her to make Marian stay. I thought they’d both leave and we’d get them in the hall.
I took the back way out, heading to let the men know to get ready. What I didn’t expect was to see a couple dragging Marian through the back door… right in the exact path my men were.
The man pulled out a needle, pushing something into her neck as she fought.
“Hey, who the fuck are you?”
The woman holding the door’s voice drew out two of my guards who came through the door just behind me. She immediately pulled out her gun, but she wasn’t fast enough.
Shots.
They rang out next to me, muffled from the silencer.
It had the man running with Marian in his arms, ducking as he raced for the elevator.
He wasn’t fast enough. Dale, Bastian’s guard, wore a black balaclava, different than my own movie-themed mask that covered my entire face.
He stepped from a room, a few doors down, making the man jerk to a stop as he leveled the gun at his face.
“If you pull that gun out of the back of your waistband, you’re dead.” Dale stepped in closer. “Put the girl down and slide over the weapon. Then, walk back the way you came.”
“Fuck you. You’re not taking Marian anywhere.”
Doors from multiple rooms opened, and my tactically dressed men moved in, all pointing weapons at the stranger. I approached from behind, leveling my gun even with his forehead as I headed around to face him. With every step I took, the circle of men got closer to him and Marian.
“Very interesting…” I took in his build and size.
Then, his face. He was tall, like me. Easily a few inches over six feet.
And he was lean but muscular. “You’re not the woman’s guard.
We killed him yesterday. You’re not Bastian.
” My head cocked to the side. “Yet…here you are, a stranger to me, trying to escape to save her.” I paused.
“Or are you kidnapping her? Who are you?”
“I work for Bastian—”
“Lie.” Dale stepped forward, jerking his gun up to the man to emphasize the truth. “You’re not one of Allard’s men. Who are you?”
“Who the fuck are both of you?”
Dale looked at me, his lids narrowing. “We don’t have time for this. Let’s kill him and leave.”
He gripped tighter to Marian, taking a step back, only stopping as a muzzle pushed into the back of his head.
“Last chance. Answer the question. Who are you?” I opened my jacket, holstering my gun.
“Last time,” he repeated. “Fuck all of you.”
I paused, trying to place his voice. It was familiar. Surely, it couldn’t be… Or maybe it was…
“Brave. I like that. You’re not like Bastian at all.” I shrugged to Dale. “He’s got a mouth, but he’s not a threat. Maybe he’ll make my day and prove me wrong. … We’ll see.” I stepped closer. “She seems important to you, one way or another. I hope you come for her. I really hope you do.”
I made a small circle with my finger, and the guard behind him brought the butt of the gun down hard against his head. The man holding Marian’s knees buckled, and my guards dove in, taking her limp body from his grasp as he hit the ground.
“Let’s go. Money will be in your account shortly.
” I nodded Dale away, and we split up, keeping a steady pace to the elevator.
I didn’t give the man a second glance as we headed down the hallway at a fast pace, turning right.
I didn’t have to hit the button. One of my men was already holding the doors to the elevator open and ready for us.
When the doors shut us inside, I breathed in a deep inhale.
“Great job, men. Take her with you. I’ll see you on the plane.
The door opened and all three SUVs were waiting in a line, ready to go. I went to the first and opened the back passenger door, feeling myself pause as I came face to face with Penelope in my seat.
“Wrong side,” she bit out.
When she didn’t move, I cursed, heading around the damn SUV. I did not have time to wrestle her over. I got in, slamming the door as I cut my gaze to her. She wasn’t even looking at me. She kept her stare to the window, and her arms over her chest. I turned to Keith.
“Which was it? Did she run or fight?”
He glanced at her. “Neither, Sire. She wasn’t happy, but she followed me out. She kept her vow.”
My pulse hit hard into my chest. I wanted to kiss her, to pull her onto my lap. Penelope’s words doused the thought.
“Tell me I didn’t see your men carrying Marian into their SUV.”
“Oh, you saw correctly.”
She finally looked over, the anger replaced by fear.
“What are you planning to do? Marian wasn’t part of this. She helped me.”
“She kept you from me. She pays.”
Her mouth opened, only to close as she took in the men in the front and back. A good minute passed, and I couldn’t stop staring at her. I took in the black, loose dress, laughing under my breath.
“Some things never change.”
Her lids narrowed as her gaze came back to me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re still hiding behind your clothes. I’m not opposed. I just much more preferred the blue one you wore yesterday.”
“You—Of course you saw me. How did you know I was here?”
“I know everything, Penelope.”
“I have no doubt.”
Her tone was clipped as she went back to staring out the window. We had so much to discuss, but now wasn’t the time. She was pissed at me, and until I got to the bottom of what the hell happened almost six months ago, I was going to stay furious as well.
“Do you normally go for drinks with men? That’s where you were headed before Bastian—”
“Do not even go there.” Her glare was back but at least she was looking at me. “You lost all right to have an opinion over what I do or who I have drinks with.”
I was across the seat so fast, trapping Penelope against the window and door. She couldn’t move. But she did have her hand right on my chest. She applied pressure, not backing down from the murder written in my eyes.
“Your rights are mine. You don’t drink with anyone but me. If you even try—”
“You’ll kill them?”
An evil smile appeared just as slowly as my own vow left me. “I will kill them.”
“Is this how it’s going to be? You smashing me into the ground or doors whenever I stand up to you? I’d like to know so I can mentally note how big of an asshole I can expect you to be.”
My gaze dropped to her lips long enough to have her pushing harder into my chest.
“Vaughn.”
Her tone deepened, but I couldn’t stop from inching towards her lips.
“Alright. Asshole. Noted.”
“I hope you wrote it in permanent marker. This asshole isn’t ever going anywhere. You tortured me for six months. You’re going to pay for that in your lessons.”
“You’re wasting your time. I will not be undergoing anymore lessons.”
“Oh yes you are.”
Blue eyes grew almost vibrant in her fury. The SUV took a turn, sending me leaning even more into her. Our lips brushed and she pushed against my chest, hard, putting space between us. I could have fought her, but I didn’t. I was too surprised by her force.
“I’m not going to be your queen, Vaughn. You’re wasting your time. You have to choose someone else.”
“Never.”
“There’s plenty of available women with titles.”
“No.”
Silence thickened in the SUV. Men shifted uncomfortably. Penelope didn’t seem to notice or care as she turned away again.
As the miles passed, the man who’d been robbed of a year from his obsession clawed to break free. He wanted to jerk Penelope up and force her to straddle him so he could stare into her eyes. So he could implant himself inside to live there within her again. To exist only for her.
He didn’t.
To allow that weakness to show was to sign mine or Penelope’s death warrant.
I couldn’t risk it. Let The Order and all who saw her believe we hated each other.
Behind closed doors, I would suffocate her with my love until she couldn’t breathe.
No one would ever take that away from me again. Not even her.
Until Penelope was convinced that she was my very existence, I’d continued to force myself into her any way I could. Before it was over with, there wouldn’t be a single part of her where I wouldn’t exist.
I was meant to be king. Penelope Taylor would be my queen, and if she thought pushing me away would get me to choose someone else, she’d find out just how unmovable I was. I lost her once. Nothing would take her away from me again.
“I’m worried about Marian. I would like to negotiate terms.”
I laughed under my breath, slowly turning to her.
“Anything I want from you, I will take. Marian LaRoe will pay, and nothing you say or do will change that. You’re lucky we need her. She’ll live. That’s a gift. Katia Marchase will not be so lucky.”
“Katia?”
I knew the pain I held was written all over my face, but I couldn’t disguise an ache that still felt raw. My pain was undeserved, unlike her fate.
“Death comes in many forms, Penelope. I’ve mourned for the last six months. She killed my queen. She took her away from me. For that, she dies a slow, painful death … You better believe I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”