Was it wrong to kind of like what he was saying? It was weird—oh, hell yeah, it was weird—but his words gave me a sense of reassurance, that, even though I might’ve fucked up with Archer, maybe I could have something else with another guy. Archer wasn’t the end of the world.
But Vaughn was a Scott, and the Scotts weren’t the kind of people I could trust. I knew it, deep down. Jacob’s reaction to me accepting Vaughn’s help had told me his opinion on the matter, and I trusted Mr. Grumps and his opinion.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, not knowing what else to say. I didn’t know whether Vaughn was happy or upset that I brought things out of him, and the darkness in this room wasn’t helping me gauge his expression.
“Are you?” Whatever willpower he had must’ve faded, for in the next moment, I felt his midsection slowly starting to put pressure on mine. My body was instantly alight, set on fire by feeling his body against me. “I don’t think you are.”
Eh, yeah, maybe I wasn’t.
With my head resting on the door behind me, my eyelids fluttered shut. Vaughn’s fingers grazed my hips, just under my shirt. The barest hints of skin on mine sent my heart into overdrive, and I felt myself warming all the way down to my core.
Vaughn leaned his head against mine, his forehead cool on my heated skin. “I think you like bringing all these feelings out of me,” he murmured, his voice softer than it had ever been. “I don’t know what to do with myself when you’re in the picture.” The tentativeness of his hands on my sides gave way to a firmness, the type of grip a man would have only on something that’s his.
But I wasn’t Vaughn’s. I wasn’t anybody’s, no matter what anyone thought.
No matter what I might want, deep down—multiple guys, apparently. I felt for more than one guy right now, and it was super confusing. Even Archer…that prick, that bastard still had a part of me I didn’t want him to have. Now Vaughn…when would the crushes stop? Like, enough already.
“You make me…so confused,” he murmured, his nose grazing mine. “I didn’t like hearing that your precious investigator took you home. I don’t like thinking of you, vulnerable, in someone else’s hands.” His words came out soft yet urgent, a desperate plea for me to believe him.
How could I not?
I did think it was odd, how he acted when I told him I’d gone to Jacob’s place, but he didn’t freak out nearly as much when he heard about what happened between me and Archer. This was putting it lightly, but I didn’t understand his mindset.
“Well,” I joked, “you weren’t there, so I had to make do.” Bad time to joke, Jaz, I told myself.
The hands holding my hips were slow to travel upward, taking in the curve of my sides before moving to my chest, both palms grazing my breasts and causing me to breathe in sharply. His hands eventually found my neck, fingers tangling in my hair, as if stopping me from turning away.
Thing was, I didn’t think I’d ever turn away from him. Even if he was a Scott, even if his family was into some illegal shit, I couldn’t stop him. I didn’t want to. I wanted to give in to this boy more than I’d ever wanted to give in before, and that included my quick hookup with Archer—a hookup that was now proving to be much more trouble than it was worth.
Vaughn…would I give myself to him, if I could? Would I give my body to the tall, tatted boy who was often locked in his own head, keeping his emotions close? The boy I drove crazy, the boy I made confused?
We all knew the answers to those questions.
“If I was there,” Vaughn whispered, my whole body like goo in his hands, “I would’ve made them all pay for what they did to you.”
My mind should’ve been alight with possibilities as to what he meant—as a Scott, making them pay surely meant something else, something worlds more serious than petty revenge—but it wasn’t. I could hardly think straight, feeling his breath on my face, his hands holding my neck so confidently, so smoothly.
“I do want to ask, though,” Vaughn whispered, his body pressing so hard against mine my stomach warmed with all of the ideas, all of the things we could do in this tiny closet. Lunch had only just begun, after all. We had plenty of time left. “Your investigator…who is he?”
Oh, yeah, like I’d tell Vaughn Scott the name of my private investigator, the man who was currently looking into his family for me—
“Jacob Hall,” my stupid mouth shot off, telling Vaughn something he most certainly did not need to know. Where the hell was my brain? Telling him was the last thing I should’ve done; I probably just put Jacob in danger.
Ugh, stupid, stupid.
I brought both hands to his chest, in what little room I had, my fingers curling against the fabric of his shirt. With his hands on my neck and his forehead against mine, it was doubly hard to think straight, but I knew enough to say, “Don’t hurt him.”
Vaughn was quiet for a few moments. “What kind of man do you think I am?”
That was a trick question, wasn’t it? I knew what family he came from, knew enough that the Scotts were bad. Did that automatically mean Vaughn was just as bad as they were? I…I didn’t know.
“Jacob…” I paused, thinking about that grumpy guy. “He can be a little grouchy sometimes, but he means well. He’s not a bad guy. I don’t want your family to hurt him.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d meant what I’d said more.
To see Jacob getting hurt because of me…I wasn’t sure if I could bear it.
“Then tell him to stop looking into my family,” Vaughn said. “I can’t be held accountable for what my brother will do to him when he finds out Jacob is putting his nose where it doesn’t belong.” There was a pause, a short sigh, before he added, “And he will find out. Markus always does.”
Markus…was that the man he was with at the fundraiser, the man who’d spoken with Ollie? I couldn’t remember if names were ever spoken, but if that man was Markus…I did not want Jacob to ever encounter him. I hadn’t been in the room with them, but that man had radiated darkness.
Even knowing that, I wanted to argue with him. Jacob had told me what had happened with the Fitzpatricks years ago, but something still didn’t sit right about the Scotts and their involvement with Ollie. There was still so much I didn’t know, so much I was dying to. I wanted to have the full picture in front of me, even if that picture was one of mainly blackness. “But—”
Vaughn stopped me by lowering his lips to mine. A soft dancing of his mouth on top of mine, an instant jolt of electricity zapping through me, setting my nerves on fire. The kiss was slow and steady, and it took everything in me to let him shut me up, to stand there and take whatever it was he’d give me, even if it wasn’t enough.
I had the feeling it would never be enough.
“You have nothing to worry from my family,” Vaughn spoke once he broke the kiss, when my mouth longed for his. “They won’t hurt you. You’re not on their radar…but if you keep pushing, you will be. I want to keep you safe from them as long as I can, Jaz.”
My eyelids were half-open, and his face was so close to mine it was hard to focus on. The hands around my neck held on, showing no signs of letting go. He could strangle me here, and I wouldn’t be able to stop him. The boy with hate and pain on his knuckles could walk out of this closet and leave me in here, dead.
The cameras in the hall would record him walking out, but still. I was in such a dark, enclosed space, trapped with a boy who was dangerous, a boy whose family was also dangerous, with his hands around my neck and his body pinning mine back.
But I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t frightened, nor did I feel uneasy with the way his fingers curled around my neck. How could I, when he kissed me like I was everything? How could I possibly be afraid of Vaughn when his lips told me what his words could not? He was confused, so very confused, but he wasn’t so confused when it came to how he felt about me.
The passion you could fake. The quick, hard kisses that only served to fill a carnal hunger could be faked. Archer’s kisses were all lie
s, but Vaughn’s? His were the opposite, and I felt myself becoming a slave to them, as foolish as it was. You couldn’t fake the tenderness behind Vaughn’s kisses, the gentleness, the eagerness; it was a hunger that was different, a hunger he was afraid to show.
Vaughn wasn’t the only one confused here. I was, too. After all, knowing I should stay away from the Scotts, how could I let myself feel these things for Vaughn? I was asking for trouble, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted whatever trouble Vaughn would bring in his wake.
“What happens then?” I asked, my voice a bare whisper. If I kept Jacob pushing at the Scotts, if I came onto the Scotts’ radar…what would happen to me then? Would I disappear, become the next Celeste Chambers? Only no one would care about my disappearance, beyond my mom. Or maybe I’d take a long walk off a short pier, just drop off the face of the earth with no hope of coming back to reclaim my old life.
I didn’t want to die. I was too young. Had too much left to do.
“You don’t want to know,” he whispered. “So, please, Jaz, for me, call Jacob off. Leave my family alone. I don’t…don’t force me to choose between you.”
Me or his family? How barbaric.
Then again, I had no idea he was at that level with me. When Vaughn Scott fell, he fell hard and he fell fast, apparently. It was a refreshing change from the way most guys were nowadays. Not that I had much experience dating, since my mom was the textbook definition of a helicopter parent, but still.
With my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I said, “I’ll see what I can do.” However, I would make no promises to him right now; calling Jacob off meant…well, it meant I was basically giving up and accepting whatever hand this town gave Mom and me, whether that was good or bad. There would be no prepping, no warning, if Midpark decided to devour us whole.
“Good,” Vaughn murmured, his lips finding mine yet again. This time, it was no quick kiss. Still just as tentative as the other, but he was more confident this time, taking me, claiming me through that kiss. He was a lot better at kissing than he was at explaining his feelings, that’s for sure.
It was clear Vaughn cared for me. Was that why he offered to help me get back at those at the party? The price of his help was still up in the air, but at this point, I didn’t care what that price would be.
As I lost myself in the way he kissed me, the feeling rising up in my gut, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d do if Vaughn stated the price of his help was me cutting ties with Jacob. He didn’t outright say it yet, but I didn’t doubt that it was coming, should I choose not to tell Jacob to quit investigating the Scotts.
Could I say goodbye to Jacob Hall? Even with Vaughn’s lips fused to mine, I didn’t know the answer to that.
Chapter Nine – Jaz
Mom was positively thrilled—and also insanely annoying—the very moment I came home with Bobbi. Her blonde hair was in a loose ponytail, her body wearing a white shirt and light jeans, the outfit she normally wore while Ollie was at work and she was busy cleaning or doing laundry. Whatever the hell it was she did during the day to keep up with a house this obscenely large.
Did she find the money yet? Who knew. She sure didn’t say anything to me about it. Maybe it’d take her a while, since she wasn’t exactly grabbing her purse and going out shopping while the van was in the shop.
I mean, I assumed my mom would tell me about the money. Who else would she think it came from? Ollie? Yeah, no.
Mom followed us into the living room, where I led Bobbi. I dropped my bag onto the floor, while Bobbi carefully set hers on a chair. “Do you girls want any snacks? I’m sure I could whip something up.” I’d already introduced them, so my mom now acted like this was some kind of playdate.
It wasn’t. It was just me and a classmate working on choir songs. You know, the usual.
“No, thank you,” Bobbi spoke, giving my mom a wide smile. Her highlighted brown hair was drawn up in a lazy bun, an off-the-shoulder sweater on her torso, complete with leggings tucked into short, ankle-high boots. Even when Bobbi dressed lazily, she still looked amazing. Most people in Midpark had that superpower, I’d realized.
If there was anyone from Midpark High I’d want to bring home and introduce to my mom, I supposed it was Bobbi. Unlike nearly everyone else, Bobbi hadn’t joined in the chorus and laughed at what happened at the party. In fact, she was the only one in the whole school that had told me she was sorry it happened. I had no idea if she was genuine in her sympathy, but it was nice to have one person who wasn’t ganging up on you with everyone else.
In spite of everything, I found I kind of liked Bobbi.
“Thanks, Mom,” I said, shaking my head. The last thing I wanted to do right now was eat. Plus, my mom was no cook. She was getting better as the days wore on here—being Oliver Fitzpatrick’s live-in maid and cook was forcing her to be a better cook.
My mom stood near the archway to the living room, her hands clasped in front of her stomach, a huge grin on her face as she stared between us. I stared right back, because I sure as hell did not need an audience during my pitiful practicing. Like, all those times when I said I sounded like a dead cat was not me trying to be funny or exaggerating. That was me being one hundred percent serious.
“Mom,” I said, snapping her out of it.
My mom blinked, straightened her back, saying, “Right. I’ll let you girls get to it. If you change your mind, I’ll be in the kitchen prepping for dinner.” With another smile, my mom left—though she took her good old time walking away.
Bobbi waited a while, until after she was certain my mom was nowhere in earshot, before saying, “Your mom seems nice.” She stood in the center of the living room, rubbing her hand along her other arm, looking completely out of place here.
Or maybe that was just me, not being used to having anyone over.
Hah, could you imagine the aneurism my mom would have if I brought Vaughn over? She would literally die, rise up as a ghost, and then kill me.
“She is,” I said, moving away from where my mom had disappeared and closer to her. I did add in a whisper, “A little overbearing, though.”
That seemed to surprise Bobbi. “Really? How so?” Her hazel eyes roamed the large room, eventually settling on the mantle, where a bunch of pictures were—pictures of Ollie’s family. The photographs of the twins that had disappeared especially drew her attention.
I guess I couldn’t blame her there, because those twins were strikingly attractive.
I moved beside her, letting my stare take in the pictures along with her. “She doesn’t want me dating, would never let me invite any boys over, and she is anal about me not talking to anyone from my old school.” An image of a sexy, tattooed, dangerous man popped into my head as I spoke.
Dante.
Where was he? I couldn’t help but wonder. That was a man that made you weak at the knees and horny simultaneously, all the while knowing he could kill you and probably laugh while doing it.
I still couldn’t get over how Dante had basically kidnapped me, forced me to go with him…and then just let me go? After spending the day with me, of course. He might be a little over the top, but he wasn’t awful to be around. He definitely didn’t belong in Midpark.
“That’s strange,” Bobbi remarked, finally dragging her gaze away from the pictures to stare at me. “Why?”
Shrugging, I said, “I don’t know.” Well, now I had some idea, because with everything that was said before the party, me learning my mom knew who my father was…I did think it had something to do with that.
Hell, maybe even Dante. The way he’d talked, as if we knew each other, did make me wonder.
Bobbi thought on this, eventually saying, “I’m sure your mom is just trying to protect you. I wish mine had cared enough to stick around and do the same.” That was dangerously close to sharing something private with me, and it made me confused.
We were friends? It’d been so long since I’d had to make them, I was a bit rusty. I mean, I thought Bobbi was alrig
ht, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say we were buddies.
Right?
It was not the first time Bobbi had mentioned her home life, but I’d never thought to ask her to elaborate; it never seemed like my business. “I’m sorry,” I said, not knowing what else to say. Yeah, you could call me lame. I sucked, and I knew it.
Her shoulders rose and fell once. “It’s okay. I’m used to it. She’s been gone a few years now.” Bobbi tugged on the sweater near her waist. “So, you really do live in the Fitzpatrick’s house.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Yep. Now you get why I don’t really fit in here.”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” Bobbi said, though I knew she was just trying to be nice. “If anything, that should be your defense—living with Oliver Fitzpatrick. A lot of families use him as their lawyer. He’s pretty well-respected around here.” Her eyes drifted over to the mantle, to the photographs and picture frames. “Are his sons here? I know Celeste dropped out of school and rumors said she moved away, but I figured his sons would still be around.”
Shaking my head, I answered, “No, it’s just me, my mom, and Oliver.” Felt weird to call him Ollie in front of her. Not sure why she even cared, unless she was hoping to get a nice, long view of either Fitzpatrick son. Maybe she thought they were cute. Again, anyone with eyes would’ve thought they were.
Bobbi’s lips pursed. “It’s a big house for just the three of you.”
“Yeah, my mom has to clean it all the time. You’d be surprised how dusty everything gets.”
“Everything around here is covered in dust,” she muttered.
I had no idea what exactly she meant by that, but I knew she meant more than just the houses. Bobbi had said there was a dark underbelly to this place, and the longer I was here, the more I realized she was right.
“Well,” she cut into my thoughts, “do you want to practice here, or someplace else?”
Defiant: A High School Bully Romance (Midpark High Book 2) Page 10
