Enemy Beloved

41 | heartbreak land - part 1

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C L A I R E

A thousand bells ring inside my head at the same time when I try to open my eyes. Ray of light pierces my eyelids, hurting them, and I have to take deep breaths, hoping that the raging headache would come to a standstill. Pain jitters my nerves, cramps taking over my legs like I am a sixty-year-old woman on her deathbed.

Last night — I remember it as clear as day until the moment when I was held by Mason and he threw me over his shoulder like a sack. Everything after that is a script of blurry images.

My ribs hurt along with my chest, torturing me and making me groan in pain. I am somehow able to snap myself awake and find a glass of water with a pill kept on the bedside table. I quickly drown them both, the coldness of the water quenching my unspoken thirst.

This is worse than any hangover. I am never picking up a drink again.

The medicine starts its work quickly, calming my nerves down and lessening the throbbing in my head. When my wits clear a bit, I find the courage to lift my head to look at my surroundings and the first thing I see lands my heart a sudden jolt.

Vaughn is sitting on top of the vanity, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together and his eyes fixed on me. The top buttons of his shirt are undone, showing glimpses of his chest, and his sleeves are folded randomly. But that's not what scares me. It is the look in his eyes. They are red, fixed, magnetic, and sharp as they focus on me. His jaw is hard, his lips sealed and he looks...angry.

"Vaughn—"

"Happy now?" he cuts me off with a sudden edge in his voice. It strikes a nerve in me and I cringe.

"What?"

I throw the blanket off me and take a step down the bed. I get up on shaky legs and he watches me, not bothering to help when I stumble and have to hold the headboard to steady myself. I look down and find myself changed into one of Vaughn's T-shirts and a pair of black bottoms. Whoever dressed me did it quickly because the trouser is inside out.

"What did you get by doing this, Claire?" Vaughn speaks, getting down to his feet and taking steps closer to me. "What made you think that you had any right over my employees?"

His voice is so unnecessarily loud and harsh that I don't find any words. I just stare at him, my lips parted in shock, my head dizzy with weakness.

"I gave Jake a job to look after you girls and what did you do?" he continues. "You made him defy my orders. You're the only one to be blamed for last night."

Last night? What else happened last night?

Almost instinctively, my hand reaches between my legs, pressing gently. Vaughn follows the movement of my hand with a stern look on his face. I look down at my thighs, peek down my shirt and check my boobs. There is no pain, no marks either. I drop my shirt, lifting my eyes to Vaughn, trembling like a leaf under his cold stare.

"Vaughn...did he..."

"No." Vaughn pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your friends came just in time to save your dumb ass."

Why is he talking like that?

"Why are you talking that way?" I wince, my voice hollow. "Why are you blaming me for what happened?"

"Because you deserve it!" he snaps, taking another step close and I step back, startled by his actions. "You made Jake leave. You fucking made him leave! Even though I strictly said that he needed to be there."