King of the Don's

twenty three

Vaughn

As it turns out, Briar was right about the cat being in labor. It was right around 2 a.m. when Penelope ended up birthing two smaller cats that looked nothing like her. We also found that we were grossly underprepared, but in my defense, I thought we had a little more time.

Who knew cats gave birth in half a fuckin' hour?

But Briar was so ecstatic to be a 'cat grandma', as she called herself, that it made all of it worth it.

So after Dr. Kreps came and checked on both Thomas and Briar's cats, he left, and Briar and I went back upstairs to get ready for bed. She got straight into the shower, and I sat on the foot of the bed. I took off my tie, and rolled up my sleeves and pulled out my phone to check through a few emails and return some texts. When I was finished, I sat back and reflected on my whole night

First, I had made Briar come in the bathroom at the charity auction, and we hadn't even spoke about it yet. Then, Thomas made my life a little harder by telling me that Oliver Mason would stop at nothing to get Briar, which would happen over my dead fuckin' body.

A few minutes later I heard the bathroom door open, and I looked up to see Briar walk out of the bathroom in a two piece pajama set that I'd never seen her wear. I noticed she didn't have her hearing aid in, so I spread my I spread my thighs and motioned for her sit on my lap. She gave me a beaming smile and instantly followed my silent command, sitting down on me with her legs locked on either side of mine.

Once she was settled, she placed a hand on my chest, while her other went to my cheek, running her thumb along my scar. I placed my hand on her lower back to scoot her closer to me, while my other went to rub soothing strokes at the top of her thigh, "How are you feeling, baby?" I asked Briar, and she looked hesitant to say the words, but I could read her thought process on her face as she decided against it, "Honestly?"

"Always." I assured her, and she rolled her bottom lip into her mouth, "Hearing Thomas say some of that stuff was pretty rough," She shrugged a shoulder, "I never really had feelings for him, you know that, but hearing how much he didn't care about me was a little hard. It's like, he thought he saw my dead body being drug out of a bar, and he didn't even bat an eye. It's weird, I guess. I don't know how to explain it."

"It just puts it into perspective that I've never had someone who really cared about me," She looked back up to meet my eyes, "Well, before I met you."

In that moment, I wanted to tell her I cared about her more than anything in the world. Or that I loved her more than I ever had or will anyone. But it wasn't the right time. I didn't want her to think I was just saying those words because that's what she wanted to hear. I wanted her to know how much I meant them, and if that meant waiting a few days to tell her, then that is what would happen. 

"I care about you more than you know, sweet girl." I reassured her, leaning my head down to give her forehead a kiss, "You have me now, and I will never let anything happen to you. You're mine." I told her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, and she gave me a shy smile, "I really love that."

I moved my hand down from her lower back so I could squeeze her firm ass, and her face turned a shade of pink, "Are you thinking about what happened earlier, hm?"

She buried her head in my neck as she shyly whined, "Vaughn."

I grabbed the back of her head, lightly tugging her hair at the root to pull her face toward mine, "You're so beautiful." I told her, and she let out a slight shiver. I looked down to see her nipples were hard through her silk nightshirt, and I ran my thumb over the peaked bud, looking back up to meet her eyes, "I know something that'll make you feel better." I told her, and she grinned, "Yeah? And what's that?"