Page 81 of Uncrowned

“You’re doing this on purpose. You want to fight.”

“What I want⁠—”

Vaughn grabbed my ankles jerking me down on the bed. The sheet was torn off as he pressed his weight back on me.

“You want my cock so bad? More than waiting for marriage? Dammit, Penelope. You wanted special. Do you know how hard it is for me to see you and not touch you? To not cum inside your pussy so I can have the one thing I want and need more than anything—an heir? I need that to secure my line. I need it right now. Nothing is more important than that. But you said special. That’s what you wanted, and I ruined that by taking you with me. I ruined that. You got hurt because of me. You could have been killed. And I’m supposed to act like that didn’t happen? I’m supposed to ignore your wishes of marriage because you’re hurting and you’re dying to forget? I want to forget too. I want to look at you and feel like I didn’t destroy the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. Penelope, I don’t even recognize you anymore.”

Tears raced down my face, and all fight melted away. How did you find a part of yourself that wasn’t there anymore? How did one become a person who was dead and gone?

“I have to go. There’s a party tonight. Redmond’s attending, so I’ll be at The Order. I should be back in the morning.” He got up, grabbing his clothes and putting them back on. “I think tomorrow we should talk. There’s a lot to discuss and tonight is not the time.”

Ringing had him cursing as he grabbed his phone.

“Redmond, I’m on my⁠—”

Vaughn grabbed his keys, a mass of emotions sweeping his face. His feet shifted, and he paused before shaking his head.

“Slow down.”

But his words kicked him into gear and only made him go faster. And me, I was getting used to the constant emergencies that had him racing from the room. Vaughn took the stairs two at a time, and I closed my eyes at the door shutting. I let myself fade into the sea of hate and rage I lived in. It was the only place I felt safe, and I needed that if I was going to not break into pieces. If… If…

I sat up, slowly looking towards the stairs. All thoughts left me as I waited.

And waited…

Silence.

Time drug out in torturous seconds.

My pulse spiked.

I waited.

Still nothing.

I scrambled from the bed, pulling on my dress.

Still nothing.

Still.

Nothing.

I raced up the stairs. Counting.

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