Page 106 of Rebel Obsession

I didn’t want or need a babysitter. “Last I checked, I wasn’t a child, Fang isn’t my dad, and he doesn’t control you. I’ll be fine.” I gave him a little shove. “Go back inside.”

But he caught my hands again and pulled them around his waist so they rested on the small of his back. He stared down at me, his brown-eyed gaze holding mine so tight I couldn’t turn away. “What I meant to say is, I don’t want to let you out of my sight. I don’t want to go in that house without you. I don’t want to be anywhere without you.”

Some of the ice that had crusted around my heart melted. “You hate me though.”

He chuckled. “I think we both know that’s never been true.” He brushed his lips over my forehead. “My wife in there, on the other hand, I kinda hate her right now. I’m so sorry about all of that. She was totally out of line. I would have never brought you if I’d known she was going to be here. I don’t know what my mom was thinking, inviting her.”

“Your mom doesn’t know me. Brooke is her family.”

“Only until the divorce is final.”

“Brooke doesn’t seem to agree with that.”

He sighed heavily. “She’s not the only one. My father’s business partner is making all sorts of threats if I don’t sort things out with her.”

“What sorts of threats?”

Vaughn shook his head. “Nothing I want you worrying about. Let’s go home.”

I would have normally argued with him some more, but after the night we’d had, I just couldn’t.

“Vaughn!” Brooked screeched, coming out onto the porch, and stomping across the grass to us. “If you’re done saying goodbye to your whore mistress, your family is waiting for you.”

“Excuse me?” I had been nice so far. More than nice. I’d put up with Karmichael’s judgmental looks and Brooke’s catty attitude. But fuck her calling me someone’s mistress. Fuck her putting that shame on me when I’d done nothing to deserve it.

A low grumble of a growl started up in Vaughn’s chest. “Turn around and walk inside, Brooke. I can’t even look at you right now. I’ve told you before, and I’m telling you again. We’re over. We were over the minute you lied and stole from me. You’re a spoiled princess, and I fed into that for way too long. I can’t do it anymore.”

She stormed closer, grabbing at him, trying to get him to face her. When he wouldn’t, she shoved her way between us. “So what? You’re just going to let them kill me? Have you seen what they did to my hair!”

Brooke’s hair was a short, stylish pixie cut that suited her high cheekbones and prominent jawline. I couldn’t see anything wrong with it.

“They caught me walking alone at night—which I was only doing because you weren’t there, might I add. Do you know how scary it is to have some strange man snatch you and shear your ponytail off with a knife the size of my arm?”

As much as I didn’t like the woman, that sounded terrifying. A tiny amount of sympathy for her crept in.

Vaughn shook her off. “I can’t keep doing this with you! You lie and cheat and steal. How am I even supposed to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?”

Her mouth dropped open in outrage. “You think I would willingly choose a haircut like this? You think I want to look like your little slut friend there?”

Sympathy gone.

Not that Brooke noticed. “They’re going to keep sending you threatening notes on white cards, and chopped up body parts, Vaughn. They told me they were going to, and they followed through, didn’t they? You got the cards and the hair?”

Vaughn nodded tightly, grudgingly replying, “Yes.”

“You see why I need the money! These aren’t idle threats. They aren’t messing around!”

“Then get it from your father.”

“You know I can’t go to him. He’d disown me if he knew.”

Vaughn shook his head, his laugh dark. “Yeah, well, same.”

Her hand cracked across his face, the slap so sharp it rang in my ears. “You asshole! You will do this, Vaughn. I know all your dirty little secrets. Does your whore know about all the dirty, disgusting things you’ve done in the past?”

He snorted. “Like what? That I was in love with a man? Yeah. She knows.”

“She thinks it’s pretty hot actually,” I added in, not that anyone was paying me any attention.

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