Stolen To Keep (Stolen 2)

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.

“You sure you can slum it?” I raise an eyebrow at him.

I wouldn’t be opposed to Vaughn staying here while I finish my last few tests for school and I know I’d feel safer. Vaughn and I might bicker but he’s a good guy and he has this habit of taking care of me. He’s always cooking and cleaning up after me, so what girl in their right mind would turn that down? Oh right. One who knew he could break her heart because Vaughn has heartbreak written all over him. I think it’s why I’m so prickly with him—I’m trying to keep some space between us.