Page 54 of Entwined
"—until my father showed an interest in you." Simone finished my sentence, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Vaughn knows how to play the long game. He said Colson would ruin you, but Colson made you stronger. Vaughn... Vaughn will tear you down."
I swallowed hard, the memory of Colson's love—his strength—filling the room. "I think he gave me the house because I was pregnant with his child," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Simone’s eyes widened, but she quickly composed herself. “You should’ve told him, Joey. Even sick, he could’ve handled it.”
Tears pricked my eyes, the weight of regret crashing down. "I didn’t want to burden him."
Before Simone could respond, a sharp knock interrupted us. Vaughn strolled into the room without waiting for an invitation, his presence immediately commanding attention. His gaze shifted between Simone and me, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
"What’s going on in here?" he asked, his voice hard, but laced with curiosity.
"Wedding discussion," I blurted quickly, forcing a smile. "Simone can’t decide on flowers. You’re welcome to help if you’d like," I added, trying to diffuse the tension.
Vaughn narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced. "Seriously? What about that stupid book you've been adding to for years? You have every detail planned already."
Simone stood abruptly, brushing past him with a final glance. "We’ll talk later, Joey. Lunch this week?" she asked, her tone leaving no room for refusal before she exited without waiting for a response.
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Vaughn and me alone, the tension between us hanging heavy.
Chapter 21
The air between us was thick, heated, and charged with something more than just lust. Vaughn’s grip tightened around my throat as he took me from behind, his movements controlled and possessive. In his other hand, he held the vibrator against me, teasing and torturing my body with overstimulation. It was too much—every nerve ending ignited, pushing me past my limits.
I’d been in this position before with Colson, but Vaughn was different. He was bigger, taller, his thrusts deeper, more demanding. There was an edge to the discomfort I felt, a sensation I might have complained about if he wasn’t hitting that perfect spot inside me.
His hand clenched tighter around my throat, forcing me to arch my back against his chest, making me gasp for air as he growled into my ear. “Why haven’t you signed the papers, Josephine?”
I blinked, disoriented. He was bringing this up now? The moment was far too intense for conversation, but the question lingered in the air, demanding an answer. Simone’s wordsechoed in the back of my mind. I’d delayed the transfer after our talk, needing time to think, but Vaughn wasn’t one to wait.
“My attorney… hasn’t sent the papers yet,” I managed to choke out, my voice strained under his grip.
Without warning, Vaughn sank his teeth into the soft skin of my ear, the sharp sting making me yelp. The brutality of the action sent a fresh wave of pain coursing through me, but instead of backing off, he rammed himself deeper inside, making me clench my teeth. The vibrator was now on full speed, pressing relentlessly against my sensitive clit, pushing me toward the edge of no return.
“You’re mine,” he growled, his voice low and rough. “I don’t see what the issue is. We’ll be married in a year or two.”
The words were meant to reassure, but they mingled with the fierce control he had over me, his actions not quite matching the promise. Despite the pain, despite everything, my body betrayed me. Pleasure shot through me in waves, a powerful orgasm overtaking me without warning. My legs trembled, body shaking as I came hard in his arms.
Vaughn dropped the vibrator to the floor, its hum still lingering as he pulled out of me, leaving me weak and trembling. He didn’t give me time to recover. His hands gripped my waist, and with one quick motion, he tossed me onto the bed. I barely had time to catch my breath before he turned me onto my side and entered me again, this time even more relentless.
His pace was furious, punishing, driving into me over and over until he finally groaned, his release spilling inside me. The intensity of it left me breathless, my body aching and sore, butbefore I could even process it all, Vaughn leaned close, his voice suddenly soft, almost tender.
“Maybe I should get you pregnant. Would you like that, Josephine? A baby?”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a second, I couldn’t speak. The idea of a baby was something I’d longed for, but after what happened the year before, the fear of loss lingered.
“I… I prefer to be married first,” I whispered, my voice fragile, uncertain.
He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “And we will be. I promise. Just sign the papers, and this home will be ours. We’ll raise our children here, just like I was raised.” His tone softened further, a gentleness creeping into his words. “But it’ll be different for them. They’ll be free to love whoever they want.”
A part of me believed him in that moment. Maybe he was sincere. Maybe the love he spoke of wasn’t just a game or a power play. The thought of raising our children without the burdens of wealth and status like we’d faced made me want to believe him. I nodded slowly. "Monday," I whispered, feeling the decision solidify in my mind. "I'll sign on Monday."
I had plenty of other properties, plenty of wealth. What was one house, really? And Vaughn… Vaughn was being truthful, wasn’t he? I wanted to trust him. I needed to believe in us.
Without another word, he rolled me onto my back and kissed me deeply, his earlier brutality replaced by tenderness. This time, when he made love to me, it was slow, sweet, and full of promises I desperately wanted to be real.
Xander Wilder couriered the documents to my office, and I stared at them for a long moment before signing. The ink felt heavier than it should as I scrawled my name across the lines, officially transferring the mansion to Vaughn—a true Ashworth. A wave of unease washed over me, but I pushed it aside. This was a good thing, I told myself, a logical step.
Once the papers were signed, I had them couriered back without delay. The deed was done. The house, a piece of Ashworth legacy, now belonged to Vaughn.
