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A little trickle of empowerment straightened my spine. A small reminder of the woman I’d been before the attack. I liked it.
“Truly,” I told Liam. “I’ll take him inside, get him some coffee, then call him an Uber. We’ll be fine.”
“Thanks, Sis.” Vaughn blew me a sloppy kiss.
I crinkled my nose but crouched to retrieve my purse from his clutches and fished out my keys from inside. At least now I could give Bliss back the spare.
I opened the door, hastily pushing aside a pile of clothes I’d tried on and discarded before I’d decided on the gold dress for the wedding. “Sorry it’s messy. I wasn’t expecting company.” That, and I’d been nursing some pretty violent injuries for the last few days, and cleaning had been the last thing on my mind.
Vaughn didn’t make a move to come inside. Just took another slug from his bottle and laid himself out on the floor, like it was a good spot to sleep it off.
I sighed and reached both hands out for him. “Come on. Give me your hands. I’ll help you up.”
He set the bottle down and put his hands in mine.
Warm. Strong. He gazed up at me with warm brown eyes that suddenly didn’t seem quite so intoxicated.
Panicked, I tried to jerk away, but his fingers were already wrapped around mine.
“Pull,” he instructed.
I pulled.
I should have known my tiny self had zero chance of moving a big guy like Vaughn. My upward momentum didn’t budge him at all.
His downward pressure sent me careening right down onto the floor with him, smack against his too-solid chest.
For a moment, I stayed there in complete shock, trying to work out what had just happened.
The second moment was because I’d noticed how cut his abs were. I could feel them through his shirt.
Deep-brown eyes. Muscles. Tanned skin and a cocky attitude, even when he was plastered…
Oh no. Hell, no. I was not attracted to him. I put my hands on his pecs, trying really hard not to notice how perfect they were, and used them to propel myself away from him.
Vaughn chuckled. “Falling for me already, Roach?”
Liam cleared his throat. “Do you want a hand?”
I spun, big-eyed because Vaughn had made me forget Liam was even still there. As much as I wanted to be a strong, independent woman once more, I also really did not want to touch Vaughn and feel whatever the hell it was I’d just felt. “Yes, please, actually. If you can just get him inside, I’ll put coffee on.”
Liam came up the last couple of stairs and crouched low, slinging one of Vaughn’s arms over his shoulders. “Come on, big guy. Let’s get you up so you don’t pass out here in the hall.”
He got Vaughn on his feet, and he staggered inside.
I pointed to the kitchen counter and the stools behind it. “Just put him on one of those…”
Vaughn crashed down onto my bed, the mattress squeaking and complaining beneath him.
“…or just there will do.”
Vaughn fumbled around my bed and picked up one of my lacy bralettes. It was one I used to enjoy wearing at Psychos, whenever we held one of the sex parties and lingerie was my outfit of the day.
“What is this, little sis?” Vaughn groaned. “Fuck me.”
I snatched it from his fingers, balling it up and shoving it into a drawer. “Nothing for you to see, big brother. Also, for the record, you’re barely older than me, and we are not related, so stop calling me that.”
“Do you prefer Roach?”