Page 111 of Legacy of Danger
Chapter 32
Vaughn woke with a start, his temples throbbing, and immediately scanned the living room. "Christ." When had he fallen asleep?
A noise came from her bedroom. Danger. Mariah.
He flew from the couch to her bedroom door, following the pulse of fear that sent his power dials to eleven. Easing the door open, he readied for a fight.
She thrashed on the bed, mumbling, her hair sticking to the sweaty skin of her face. He scanned the room and used the light from his cell phone to check under the bed and in the closet.Nothing that could hurt her.
Except him, of course.
He turned to go but couldn't do it. He could not leave her here, alone, scared.
Fuck him. Fuck everything.
He padded in socked feet to the side of the bed and knelt. "Mariah?" He rocked her shoulder until her eyes fluttered open.
"Vaughn?" Her voice cracked. "You're here." The words came from her lips like a prayer, and she clamped her hand down on his wrist. "Please."
"Anything, sweetheart. Please what? I'll do whatever you need me to." Except leave her vulnerable to attack by that creature.
As if she knew exactly how to break him, she whispered, "Stay with me."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Yes." She guided his hand to her cheek and nuzzled it.
Damp. Her skin wasn't sweaty. Those were goddamned tears. Guilt flayed him alive.
"You... you really want me here? After everything?"
Even with the midnight shadows, he spied her frown. "Unless you're not comfortable being around me..."
"Oh, hell no," he said. "I want to be here more than anywhere in the world."
"Then yes. Please." She tugged on his arm until he crawled over her and slid under the blankets. He rested on his side, head propped on a hand, other arm making a triangle over her torso.
In the low light, the glow of the smooth skin of her chest and neck turned his tongue to sand. How the hell would he get through this night? Damn it, didn't matter. He'd keep his hands off and watch over her if that was required of him.
She sat halfway up, a tank top-covered breast brushing against his arm and making him rethink that vow to maintain his distance. "Vaughn. I need..."
"What? Anything."
"I—" She pressed her lips to his.
For the dumbest second of his life, he froze. He wanted to rip off her clothes and bury himself deep, pushing her over the edge time and again. Nothing tender about the way he wanted her.
But tonight, he needed to be different. He needed to make love to her. Temper his hunger and focus it in a different way. Stroking her mouth with his, he poured gentle care into the kisses.
So the guy who walked right into the fists of opponents and didn't give a crap, the guy who would rather leave town than destroy his brother's life, the guy who wanted to go guns-a-blazing to destroy that demon whatever-it-was... that guy dialed the burner back from boil to simmer.
Her tiny gasps as he worshipped her with his mouth made him want to tithe at the Church of Mariah for the rest of his godforsaken life.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd cut her loose.
Tonight was hers.
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