In which I fall in love with my brother's best friend.
*****
"Don't pretend like you don't feel anything." His voice is low, sending shivers down my spine.
"What do you mean?"
"You know damn well what I mean."
"I don't know what you're talking about...
AN: Hi guys, thank you so much for showing your love for this book. I just want to let you know that from now on, the story starts to reach the main part. I'd also like to warn you beforehand that you might want to get prepared for what's coming next. I hope you won't hate me for this because it's also not easy for me to write it. Hopefully, you'll continue reading this story, especially when the climax is approaching.
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My eyes snap open, only to find the ceiling of my room. Everything is still dark. I wake up in the middle of the night. The clock on my nightstand shows 1.30 AM.
I glance to my side. The bed is cold. Where is Vaughn? I remember him telling me earlier that he was going to drop by Austin's place and that I should go to bed without waiting for him.
Reaching for my phone on the nightstand, I wonder if he texted me to inform me about his whereabouts. But unfortunately, there is no text from him, and worry starts to stir inside me. All sorts of bad thoughts run through my head. It's unusual for him to leave me until this late, especially since the incident with the lunatic breaking into my house.
What could have possibly happened to Vaughn? Did he get into an accident?
I shake my head wildly. Why do I have to fill my mind with unnecessary thoughts? Be positive, Melanie. Maybe his phone battery is dead while he still has some matters to settle. It's crazy that when you fall in love, you start to worry about your significant other too much.
Feeling thirsty, I get up from the bed and head to the kitchen to get some water. A small chuckle leaves my lips as I glance down at the sexy peach chemise I'm wearing. Vaughn has indeed made me want to wear a different kind of sleepwear.
While I'm walking down the hallway, the sound of the front door being opened catches my attention. My pulse quickens as I'm hoping it's Vaughn, and relief washes over me when I see him entering the foyer.
But then, my heart almost stops as I notice the state he's in. He looks like a wreck. He looks... worn out. His hair is dishevelled, his shirt tangled. He seems to have no energy at all, like a shell without spirit. That's so not him, who usually makes people cower just by sensing his powerful aura.
However, all of those things I'm witnessing are nothing compared to the expression on his face. He looks so devastated. Like he's lost. So very very lost. I rush to him, panic starting to build up inside me.
"Vaughn..." I whisper, causing him to look at me. And when he does, I can't even breathe.
His amber eyes, which used to be piercing, are now bloodshot. Red. I can't even make out what's inside them because I've never seen anything like it. But one thing for sure is that they hold so much pain.
"Oh baby, what happened?" I ask. Even my voice is shaking due to my worry for him. "What's wrong?"
But he doesn't answer. Not a single word. He just stands there, and I'm not even sure that he's looking at me because he's just staring blankly.
