Page 98 of Rogue Villain

The room swims into focus around me until I fixate on the beauty before me, her eyes glistening with tears as she palms my cheeks.

Wren closes the gap between us to press a soft kiss to my brow, pulling back enough to engulf me with her gray gaze. “I’ve never been as scared in my life, Vaughn.” Her voice cracks. “I thought you were dead.”

I huff a laugh, wincing in pain when my ribs protest harshly. “The devil can’t have me quite yet, my little bird.”

She regards me with a quizzical brow for a beat before Jules’s voice breaks the moment.

“I can’t believe your luck, boss.”

My eyes shift past Wren as she straightens, landing on my smirking employee.

“You callthisluck?”

His lips twitch at the clear incredulity in my tone. “A concussion, three stitches in your hairline, and a handful of cuts and bruises in the wake of being attacked by four assholes…um,yeah, I do call that luck.”

I shrug gingerly as my own lips lift slightly. “When you put it like that…”

Jules chuckles as he steps closer. “You’re being kept in for observation for the next twenty-four hours, but rest assured, Ford has Rogue running smoothly in your absence.”

“What happened?”

Jules flicks a glance at Wren, unsure whether to speak plainly in her presence, and I nod almost imperceptibly, indicating he can say what he needs to say.

“All four men are in custody at present. But not before…” He clears his throat uncomfortably as Wren regards him with innocent eyes. “Umm, not before Ford and Joquestionedthem separately.”

Wren’s eyes widen, her brows almost hitting her hairline when the innuendo in his words becomes clear.

“And what did they gauge? Itcouldn’thave been Fritz. He’s under surveillance.”

“You’re right. It wasn’t Fritz. Those guys were sent by Oliver fucking Creswell…” He trails off with a grimace before murmuring, “And Lucia.”

I grit my jaw tightly enough that my ribs ache. “That toxicbitch.”

A soft gasp sees me shift my gaze back to Wren’s distressed face. “I—I trusted her.” She raises her eyes to mine. “She meant to have youkilled, Vaughn. Whodoessomething like that? I—I don’t understand…”

I reach out a hand, clasping hers in mine and squeezing lightly. “I don’t either, but once I’m back on my feet, we’ll get to the bottom of everything.”

My eyelids feel heavy, and I blink slowly, attempting to pull her closer, but my strength seems to have waned suddenly.

I blink, trying to dispel the onset of weariness before Wren sits on the bedside, holding my hand between both of hers. She draws her thumb back and forth, soothing me as I try to fight sleep.

“The doctors said you need to rest. Sleepiness is common.” She raises my hand to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles as she smiles gently.

“Let go, Vaughn. Rest. I’m not going anywhere.”

* * *

WREN

I take one last look at the beautiful man sleeping peacefully in his own bed before I drop my heavier-than-usual bag over my head and walk to the elevator.

Vaughn had been discharged from the hospital earlier this morning, but as the concussion wears off, he’s mostly sleeping.

It was during one of those times of half-awareness that I’d asked if meeting Elodie for lunch would be okay. Vaughn had looked a little wary, but he’d gone along with it, stipulating Jules must accompany me at all times and that, for my own safety, I wasnotto deviate from the plan.

To the restaurant and back.

No stop-offs. No detours.

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