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I grin broadly, only too happy to feed him his own words. “I domyhomework.”
His eyes lighten, then he drops a kiss to the tip of my nose. I sit up straighter, palming his cheeks and willing him to hear the truth in my next words. “And in doing that homework, it’s just confirmed what I already knew.”
“What’s that?” His voice is rough. Raw. And it physically pains my heart that he sees himself as some big, bad villain, undeserving of anything meaningful that life might offer him.
“That you are agoodman.”
I press my hand over his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath my palm. “To the world, you’re Vaughn Burton. Owner of notorious sex club, Rogue. Billionaire recluse. Prickly cactus…”
He narrows his eyes at the last, and my lips twitch as I increase the pressure of my palm over his heart. “But I know the man you are inhere. The man you let me see when we’re alone.”
His brows pucker as I softly brush my lips across his, my words escaping on a low breath. “And I love you in all your forms.”
CHAPTER27
VAUGHN
“No! Please, don’t hurt me.”
My eyes fly open as the woman in my arms sobs uncontrollably. Her eyes are closed, sweat drips from her furrowed brow as she shudders.
I smooth her hair back from her face, gently attempting to soothe her. “You’re safe, Wren. No one can hurt you.”
I press a kiss on her forehead. “I will never let anything happen to you. I swear.”
Her body softens at my voice, her breathing becoming less erratic before she curls closer to me.
Those nightmares have been recurring more and more in the week since her exhibition, with this one marking the third one in as many days.
My jaw clenches, feeling helpless as I hold her until her breathing evens out and her pulse returns to normal, my mind racing with possible ways shemightbe in danger. And despite the wheels in motion to see Nolan Fritz finally pay for his hand in Lorenzo’s death, there’s the whole issue with Sara and the intruder that needs resolving.
Easing out of the bed, careful not to disturb Wren, I slip into the ensuite, flicking on the light as I dial Ford’s number. He answers sleepily on the fourth ring, right as I’m cursing him under my breath.
“It’s four-thirty in the goddamn morning, Vaughn. What the fuck?”
“I need you to get me an in with Elliott Porter’s brother, Lennon. I need to get to the bottom of this thing with Wren’s mother once and for all, and he’s all we’ve got.”
“This could have waited. You realize I didn’t get to bed until three, thanks to some rich punk getting handsy with the girls inRapture.”
“Boo-fucking-hoo. You’ll survive.” He snorts before I continue. “Has there been any movement regarding that Prince Charming communication?”
Ford perks up, and I can hear him moving around his apartment. Papers rustle loudly.
“Okay, here it is.” He clears his throat. “Now, my software keeps coming up against dead ends when I try tracking the IP,butI did note something in one of the letters that was a bit odd. The writer refers to being at a birthday party with Wren. A little digging told me that it was her friend Elodie’s party, and it was invite-only. I’m working on getting a guest list.”
“So he knows her, or at least moves in the same circles as her.”
Ford hums his agreement. “I’ll let you know what I find, and once I’ve been able to find a way for you to get into Lennon Porter’s presence. He’s declined my request. But maybe a meeting is too formal.Maybewe need to corner him at an event.”
I nod quickly, fully on board with Ford’s lightbulb moment. “Yes, that’s ideal. Go through his schedule, and then get me an invite to blindside him. ASAP, Ford.”
I hang up as I swallow harshly, the smallest pinch of worry leaving the knot in my chest now that there’s a plan in motion. Walking back to the bed, I perch on the side as I watch Wren sleep softly.
My eyes track each and every perfect curve of her face, committing them to memory before I slip back in beside her, tugging her close. I bury my nose in her citrus-scented hair, the soothing fragrance lulling me back to sleep in the space of a heartbeat.
* * *
“It’s a comedy club, Ford. I can manage myself.”
