Page 90 of Poison Vows

“Well, welcome to the world of a woman, where we have to dissect every detail, word, and action of a man for our own safety!”

This makes Vaughn muffle his laughter, but he’s still smiling.

“I promise, I mean you no harm with my compliments,” he says gently, but his eyes darken as he stares intently into my eyes. “There’s something undeniably compelling about you, Ivy, that I can’t…”

I wait for him to finish as goosebumps grace my arms, but he falls silent.

“Are you nervous?” Vaughn questions when he sees me.

“Do I look it?”

“No, which is why I’m asking,” Vaughn says with a smile. “I can never tell what you’re thinking.”

I glance at him, feeling strange about that comment.

“What?” he asks quietly as he leads me into the house, following where everyone is heading to.

“That’s new.”

“What is?”

“The comment you just made,” I say with a sigh. “Everyone in my life says I’m an open book. What you see is what you get.”

“Everyone in your life?”

“My family.”

“No friends?” he asks, looking at me with a strange expression.

“My friendsaremy family.”

“You mean the kids you grew up with in Westbrook Blues?”

I pause, my hackles rising.

“You’ve really done your research on my life and must already know of everyone connected to me in Westbrook Blues, huh?” I say, watching him.

He nods slightly with a smile. “I have to say, you and my cousin have an extremely enviable friend group.”

A chill goes down my spine when I hear the strangeness of his words, coupled with the glint in his eye.

“Vaughn?” I start softly.

“Yes, sweetheart,” he says with a charming smile that would make anyone fall in love.

“We’ve been getting to know each other lately, but I feel maybe now is the best time to give you some advice.”

“Oh? Are we now at that stage?” he teases, but seeing the look on my face, he grows serious. “I’m listening.”

I make sure to hold his gaze as I say this. I want him to know for certain that I mean it.

“Never touch, think of, or attempt anything in regard to Westbrook Blues or the people therein,” I state, each word feeling like it’s laced with frosty steel. “I don’t care what schemes you have or don’t have now or in the future, but I promise you before God in Heaven, I will make sure to destroy you in ways you haven’t even thought possible if you or anyone else connected to you touches my family.”

The look in Vaughn’s eyes shifts as shock and wariness flush through them.

But I just smile and say one last thing.

“I might look like someone who can be manipulated but I assure you, if you go after my bottom line, I’ll design a kind of hell specifically for you that you will feel every step of the way.”

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