He smirks. Typical. I want to smack the expression off those perfect lips of his but nothing gets to him. He’s always calm, cool, and collected. I saw him get in a straight-up fist fight with his brothers with blood dripping from his mouth and still he smirked.
“This place doesn't look like you,” he comments, glancing around my empty bedroom.
He’s parked himself in the chair in the corner of the room. It’s where I always throw my crap when I’m getting dressed and now I see all my stuff that was in the chair is folded nicely and sitting on the floor. He looks ridiculous in the tiny chair with his giant frame. If my heart wasn't still racing and irritation creeping up my spine I might laugh. But I can’t break because that’s not how Vaughn and I play. He annoys me just to get a rise out of me and I always give it to him for some reason. I don’t know why he can get to me so easily, even when I try to ignore him. It’s impossible to ignore him when he appears in my bedroom out of nowhere like a ninja. Someone so big cannot be that quiet.
“It’s just a place to crash.” It might be sad, but it isn’t my home. It’s where I stay and nothing more.
I didn't make it a home on purpose and I don't have plans to stay once I’m done. I’m going to finish school then go back to the States to my sister. At least, that was the plan before. Now I don't have one and I have no clue what I’m going to do after graduation.
“You hungry?” he asks, leaning forward in the chair. It groans under his weight and I snort a laugh.
“You and food.” I shake my head, reaching for my ponytail holder and pulling my hair up and out of the way. I’m sure I look like a mess but I don’t care. “Did you see my kitchen?”
It’s not really a question because he’s in my bedroom. He clearly saw my kitchen when he let himself inside my place. I’m not going to ask how he pulled that off, because he partially cleaned my room for Christ’s sake.
I toss the blanket back and swing my legs over the side of the bed. Vaughn lets out a string of curses before he stands up and stomps from my room. He slams the door behind him and for once he’s actually pissed about something.
“What is your problem? You broke into my place!” I yell at the closed door.
“You need to put some clothes on, sweet thing.”
I gasp and look down to see that I’m naked.
This is how I normally sleep since I live alone. Except for the week I spent on the island and I wore pajamas. I hated it and it felt awkward. At the time I was in Vaughn’s house and I didn’t think it would be polite. It’s a place I’m missing right about now, but how could I not? It’s on an island where I didn't have a care in the world and my biggest worry was if I had enough sunscreen on.
I put my hands on my face and groan at being seen naked. And the stupid name he calls me. I’m not sweet to him. I’m actually rude when all he’s been is nice. He took me to find my sister but I was so on edge that first day about getting to her and he just kept on with the smirks and small jokes. In the moment I couldn't find anything worth joking about so I got mad at him for nothing. It didn't help that my body had an instant attraction to him. That is not in my plan. Vaughn is not the kind of guy I’m going to fall for.
I get up from my bed and find something to wear from the neatly stacked pile of clothes Vaughn made. I go to the bathroom to get myself together because as much as I tell myself Vaughn is not the man for me, I still don’t want to look like a hot mess with dragon breath.
A few minutes later I walk out of my bathroom to find him in my kitchen. Cleaning.
“What are you doing?” I lean up against the wall to watch him and he turns, handing me a coffee. It’s made how I like it, but he would know. I lived with him for a week and though Vaughn is laidback, he doesn’t miss a thing. “Wait. Why are you here?” That’s what I really should have asked the moment he almost gave me a heart attack.
“It’s not safe.” I heard that song and dance already and I thought we got that all worked out.
“Aren't there two guards outside my place?” I point toward the door.
My sister’s new husband planted them there as part of our agreement for me to live in London until school finishes. She went off and got married and then bumped her head and lost her memory before being swept away to a fancy private island owned by her billionaire husband. Oh, and his two brothers. One of whom is standing in my kitchen doing dishes because I don’t have a dishwasher. I barely have a fridge since it’s such a tiny flat.
“It’s better if someone is close and inside your home,” he says over his shoulder as he washes the one plate and two bowls in my sink. “Don’t even say it.”
“What?” I defend, but we both know what I’m going to say.
“One of them isn't hanging out in here with your naked ass running around.”
“I can wear clothes.”
He leans up against the counter to stare at me and his eyes roam over my body. I slid on shorts and now I’m thinking I should have gone with sweatpants. I don’t know how he does it but when he looks at me like that my whole body tingles.
“I’ll get food.” He points toward the living room. “Study.” I glance over to my coffee table where all my books are scattered. “You’re almost there, sweet thing. I’m going to make sure you cross the finish line.”
“I can cross it on my own.” I fold my arms over my chest, and it’s then I realize I didn't put on a bra. To keep the bottom floor of the complex warm, it means cranking up the heat, so us upstairs tenants bake and I’m used to wearing as little as possible to stay cool.
“Fair point. I don't doubt that you can, but what’s wrong with a little help? Isn't that what families are for?” He gives me a soft smile and I guess he is kind of family now.
“You’re worried about me?”
My eyes flick toward the door and I’m still not sure what’s going on. My sister’s new husband Kade is a good man from what I saw, and though I was apprehensive at first, I saw how he treated her and I know he loves her the way she should be loved. I also know he can keep her safe from whatever it is that is going down.
We haven't been given many details but some very bad men are after Kade and will use anyone to get at him. They went for my sister before and that’s how she ended up in the hospital and also the reason I couldn't find her. She was married with a new name and whisked off to their private island paradise where no one could touch a hair on her head. Kade still thinks I could be a target, but I don’t agree. I’m in London and these people likely don't even know about me. But the feeling of being followed before Vaughn showed up at my door had me agreeing to the security Kade wanted to send with me. My sister pushed, too, and I caved.
“Yeah, I’m worried about you.”
I bite my lip because I want to ask if he’s worried for his brother’s sanity and my sister’s peace of mind or if he’s worried about me personally. I know he always teases and flirts with me because it’s in his nature.
“Besides, you can’t kick me out. I’m family now.” He shrugs and truthfully I don’t think I could move his giant ass if I wanted to. The man is a solid block of muscle.