Page 88 of Poison Vows

“Yeah, some of it was rebuilt thirty or so years ago, after a fire.”

“A fire?” I look at him.

“Yes, not sure of the source, but it’s believed to be linked to the war for New York.”

“What war?”

“Well, there’s always a turf war going on, you know,” he says with a smirk.

“How cliché.”

Vaughn chuckles, then he offers me his arm, helping me up the few stairs leading to the front doors.

Melissa rushes forward with a flirty smile to greet Vaughn and offers her hand to him as well.

Vaughn only nods, leaving her hanging as she leads me in the house, leaving my little sister standing there, shocked.

“Come, Mel,” I call to her, with a sugary smile on my face. “Mom and Dad are already inside.”

Vaughn glances at me with a raised eyebrow, while Melissa huffs and angrily goes up the stairs, then she blazes past us and follows after her parents.

“What’s going on? Are you two now on good terms?” he questions after Melissa is gone.

“Mr. Consigliere, please do your best to mind your own business,” I say with a polite smile to which he only smiles.

“I have to say, I like these claws,” he whispers flirtatiously.

“You like them until they tear you apart,” I whisper back with a smile, and he glances at me then we walk in, but he remains silent.

“May I take your coat?” Vaughn asks gently. I nod then start taking off my coat, only to feel him freeze behind me.

“Is everything okay?” I ask sweetly but receive no answer.

I turn around to face him, only to see him breathing deeply, his eyes glued on me.

“Vaughn?”

He shakes his head, his eyes snapping to mine. “You look…” He trails off.

“Bad? Ugly?”

“Jesus, you’re anything but!” Vaughn says immediately, taking a step closer. “I’m just trying to find the right words without sounding disrespectful and crass.”

“Oh?” I say coyly, knowing damn well what I’m doing. I don’t know how to bat my eyelashes but tonight, I will pretend like I’m a master flirt. “What’s the disrespectful version?”

“You look absolutely ravaging! The way you’re wearing the hell out of this dress…”

Vaughn’s Italian accent becomes thicker, his voice dropping to a raspy tone that tells me everything I need to know.

Princess Di’s revenge dress.

Queen Bey’s freakum dress.

When in doubt, when at war, when breaking lose from unrequited love… find your own war dress that does the job and Scarlet came through with the backless, high slit, Balmain emerald suede dress poured over my curves, accentuating them to a degree where even I applaud myself.

I make a mental note to thank Scar for the dress when I see her next.

Vaughn stares for what feels like a long minute, then he shakes his head again and quickly passes my coat to one of the waiting attendants.

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