Page 110 of Dance of Defiance
Vaughn levels a cold smile at Evelina that makes her visibly tremble. She shoots me a furtive look, then quickly leaves the room.
“Youmotherfucker,” I snarl, springing out of bed.
Fuck my leg. Fuck my cuts and bruises. Fuck my concussion, and fuck the sensors still wired to my chest. I surge at Vaughn, but he meets me halfway, catching me by the shoulder and keeping me at arm's length.
“Relax,” he growls, his face darkening. “You’re going to hurt yourself, idiot.”
“What thefuckwas that!” I hiss, jamming my finger in the direction of the door.
He looks at me blankly. “That was politics, brother.”
“No, that was intimidation and you being a fuckhead to myfriend,” I seethe.
Vaughn sighs, shaking his head. “Do me a favor and sit, okay?”
He guides me back to the bed and helps me down onto the edge of it.
“There, I’m fucking sitting,” I snap. “Now tell me what the fuck your problem is with Evelina.”
His brows lift. “Nothing.” He shrugs. “With her father, however, it becomes more complicated.”
“Was it you?!” I hiss.
Vaughn's expression is somewhere between bored and amused.
“You mean was I involved in blowing up Pavel Nikitin’s safe house, almost killing him and Nikolai Antonov?”
“I’m not asking if you wereinvolved, fucker,” I snarl. “I’m asking if youdid it.”
He’s silent a moment, looking at me curiously, his face utterly blank.
“Do you think I’m capable of that?”
“Yep.”
He stares at me thoughtfully. “Quick answer.”
“It wasn’t the first time I’ve considered the question,” I fire back.
Vaughn smiles, adjusting the lapels of his perfectly tailored dark gray suit.
“The Obsidian Syndicate doesn’t bother itself with petty mafia drama, Val.”
I laugh coldly. “Petty? You almost killed her fucking father.”
“Have youmetPavel Nikitin?”
“Yes,” I growl.
Vaughn chuckles. “Real prince, isn’t he?”
“You don’t get to fucking blow people up because they’re assholes,” I growl. “Unfortunate as that may be.”
“Pavel and I might have our eyes on the same long-term goal. But?—”
“Is this about Dasha Lukashova?” I mutter. “That it? What are you, a jilted ex getting all emo about her marrying Roman?”
Vaughn grins widely and starts to chuckle. “Do you think I'm the emo type?”
