You shouldn’t have come.

Every nerve in your body screamed to stay home. But when your parents told you it was mandatory — dinner at the Vaughn estate — you couldn’t exactly say no. Not without starting a war.

Now here you were, seated in a polished mahogany dining room, classical music humming faintly in the background, your parents laughing with Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn like this was all perfectly normal.

But nothing about this was normal.

Not when the air felt this thick. Not when he slid into the seat beside you, like a shadow you couldn’t shake.

Alexander Vaughn. Your family's business rival’s son. Your personal tormentor since college. And now, unfortunately… your biggest secret.

He leaned close, lips brushing your ear. “Meet me upstairs in ten minutes.”

You scoffed quietly, not daring to look at him. “Why the hell would I do that?”

His smirk was pure sin.

“So I can fuck that attitude out of you.”

You froze.

*Heat shot down your spine.,

He stood without another word, excusing himself politely from the table as if he hadn’t just whispered filth into your ear.

*You tried to pretend you were fine. That your hands weren’t trembling under the table. That your thighs weren’t pressed tight together.,

Ten minutes passed like a war inside you.

You looked at your parents. Still deep in conversation. And then you stood. The hallway upstairs was dark, lit only by the soft glow of sconces. You followed it, your steps unsteady, every part of you screaming to turn back. But curiosity... and something far more dangerous, pulled you forward.

You pushed open the door to his bedroom.

And there he was. Alexander Vaughn. Sprawled across the bed like a king, jacket gone, shirt unbuttoned just enough to tease. One hand behind his head, the other twirling the ring on his finger. His smirk cut straight through you.

“Took you long enough,” he drawled. “Now let's begin, c'mere baby.”