Page 59 of Rogue Villain

When my feelings moved from lustful thoughts to something deeper. Something I am clearly willing to go to extreme measures to get back.

His presence alone gives me a strength I’ve never felt before, and a sense of peace, of safety that I could have never imagined I’d long for.

And despite his rules, I feel freer here than I ever have in my life. I feel safe to explore the woman Iwantto be, not the woman my life back in South Brook made me think I wassupposedto be.

Whether or not Elodie is right, that he looks at me in a certain way, I know I can’t continue to have him pretend I don’t exist. Not when I’ve come to depend on him in a way that I’m unsure I can be without.

I open my eyes as I blow out a breath, mentally preparing myself for what’s to come, when the elevator doors slide open to admit Vaughn.

And Ford.

I freeze when they don’t immediately see me, glancing around in an attempt to find a hole in the ground that just might swallow me whole.

“I’ll keep digging, Vaughn. I’m meticulous when…”

Ford trails off when he spots me first, his eyes blowing wide before he gives me his back. “Umm,maybeI should come back later.”

Vaughn follows his companion’s line of sight, shooting me a venomous look before crossing the distance between us. The slightly greenish tinge to his teeth almost makes me laugh when he grits, “Give me a moment to take care of thispest.”

Then he scoops me into his arms, and despite the fury emanating from his body, I relax into his hold as his strides take us to my room. I close my eyes to soak up the feeling of his warm embrace, of his skin so close to mine, and howrightit feels to be in his arms.

He tosses me onto the bed, and images of the last time he did that exact same thing dance between us as his eyes devour me.

I’m pinned in place under the intensity held within those ebony orbs. And something about the almost feral way he’s watching me gives me the confidence to open my legs ever so slightly. His nostrils flare when I trail my index finger along my inner thigh as his eyes remain glued to my movements.

I smirk darkly as I feed him his own words from that morning in his home gym.

“Like what you see?”

His face closes off at my words, walls slamming into place even as my smirk widens atfinallyhaving found a way to breach them. He raises stormy eyes to mine, and my mirth dies on my face at his next words.

“It’s mediocre at best, little bird.”

Then he’s gone, closing my bedroom door with a resounding slam, leaving me to my short-lived win and ongoing frustration.

* * *

“I have a sister now, Wren.”

Matt’s voice fills my ears, though I can’t see him. All I see is pitch black.

I glance around as he continues to speak.

“Sloane had the baby yesterday. They called her Colbie.”

My eyes widen as I spot a pinprick of light in the distance, and I walk toward it, my feet moving soundlessly despite feeling gravel beneath the soles of my shoes.

“He asked me to come. I thought it might help…until—until he said Colbie has Marcus's nose. Then I fucking lost it.”

I’m almost there when my own voice fills my ears, and I falter, realizing that I’ve spoken these same words before.

“Oh, Matt. I’m so sorry. Do you want me to cancel with Mom?”

My heart is beating so fast, I’m sure it’s on the cusp of cracking through my breastbone. My feet jolt into action, running the rest of the way through the darkness.

Just as I reach the light, a man appears on my left. His face is shrouded in shadows as he advances rapidly with wildness in his bright blue eyes.

My scream pierces the darkness when he reaches me, tackling me to the ground and pinning me in place. I scream and struggle to kick him off, desperate to escape into the light…

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