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C L A I R E
Conditions?
I didn't think about that. As much as I hate to admit it, there should have been no conditions if everything went as per my blackmail plan. I should have been the one in control of this conversation, not him.
"What conditions?" I ask, pulling away from Vaughn.
"Nothing much." He shrugs, taking a step forward and I take steps back immediately.
He keeps walking towards me until I find my back hitting something behind, preventing any further movement. He stops, his hands bracing themselves on the vanity behind me and I find myself trapped between his arms.
It is unfair that he gets my body reacting wickedly every time he is close.
I never thought I would have feelings for him but I did.
It started when I was fourteen and Chris brought Vaughn and his girlfriend home to show off his football trophies. The moment I saw the redhead in Vaughn's arms, something inside me broke. I rushed into my room and cried for hours without having any idea as to why.
"What conditions, Vaughn?" I repeat, snapping my mind away from those bad memories.
"This deal stays between us." A twinkle crosses his dark eyes which doesn't go unnoticed by me. "We'll be lovers for others."
I think about it — it doesn't sound like much. Lovers and Vaughn never go in the same sentence because Vaughn doesn't take lovers. Lovers make love, Vaughn doesn't. Vaughn just fucks.
An image of him alone in his bed with a hand stroking his cock flashes through my mind — drops of perspiration trailing down his taut abs, his one hand gripping his hair in a fist, the rise and fall of his chest as he reaches closer to...
I shake my head, horrified at the thought.
But on the plus side, it will only annoy Dad even more. I can accept that — purely for convenience and not because I can see Vaughn throwing any PDA my way.
"Okay," I mutter indifferently. "It'll be more convenient that way."
A corner of his lips tilts to a smirk. "Good. Now for the next..."
"There's a next?"
"There is," he snickers with a boyish look on his face that made me weak on my knees once. "I don't come cheap, blondie. You're asking me to commit to you — body and soul — for six months."
I sometimes forget that Vaughn has a flair for the dramatic.
I glare at him. "What's next?"
"Break up with Mason."
I shoot him a quizzical look. "Mason? Why is he in this conversation?"
His bringing up Mason Holiday again sounds funny. Mason has been my boyfriend for a year now — at least that's what I think he is if I ignore the numerous times I caught him cheating on me in the one year we have been together. With guys like Mason, you can never be sure of your relationship status. The only reason I am stuck with him is because he gets obsessive every time I try to break up with him.
"I have a reputation to maintain, Claire," Vaughn proceeds. "Reputation brings money and we Jacksons live for money."
I should have known. Vaughn Jackson loves only two things in this world — money and enemies. Reputation is just a get-along theme; it is incredibly tainted if the scandals are summed up. From my brother's death to being caught by the media leaving a hotel with the minister's wife, Vaughn makes sure to always be a part of some new controversy in LA.
"Done," I pronounce, rolling my eyes as I cross my arms over my chest. "Now shall we tell my Dad?"
"We aren't done yet," he says sternly and I swallow a gulp at the dark look crossing his eyes. "There's one last condition."
Forget being in control, I am not even part of an equal conversation here. The way Vaughn speaks is as if he is the one who threw me off-guard by the proposal and not the opposite.
"Did you think of these conditions just now or have you always had them up your sleeve?"
He arches an eyebrow as I stare him down. He moves a hand to my arm, trailing his fingers down and my breath hitches at the sensation of his hot fingers on my skin. They are rough against my skin and it makes me flinch as I try to maintain a straight face.
"I get to take your virginity," he breathes in a low and deep voice.
I snap my eyes at him as he steals a glance at my lips. My heartbeat accelerates to a frightening speed and my mouth falls open in shock. He moves his face closer until I can smell his cologne. It is a mix of woody scent and mint.
"I..." I begin to say something but I am halted when he presses the tip of his nose to my collarbone.
He inhales and I grab hold of the edges of the vanity, clutching it tightly with both hands. I feel hot all over, nervous energy traveling from my head to my toes. This is it. This is how I die — seduced by him.
"I'll be the one to take you, Claire," he whispers, his hot breath fanning my neck.
"I didn't say I'm a virgin," I say, collecting myself.
"So you're telling me that if I slipped a finger inside you, I won't find you untouched?" Vaughn pulls back to look at me with a sly smile on his face. "Shall I try that?"
I can feel the warmth of his hand which has landed on the hem of my skirt. His knuckles brush the bare skin of my thigh and I picture how we look from afar with his body between my legs.
I gulp, my body burning like something is on fire and needs to be cooled down. Vaughn's smile infuriates me. He knows me too well for my good. He knows that Mason is just a pretense. I used to like him but every time it came to us having sex, he would only care about pleasing himself first. I have avoided losing my virginity to a boy who cheats on me every two months in our relationship. Mason is now a part of my reputation only.
"I'm not sleeping with you, Vaughn," I hiss. "This can't be a condition."
"I'm not asking to take your virginity, blondie," he states, his voice so husky that it makes me squeeze my legs shut. "I'm saying that if you wish to lose it within the six months we'll be married, then I shall be the only one you approach."
Cocky bastard!
"Forget it!" I retort. "I'll ask Mason. This wouldn't work between us."
"The fuck you'll ask Mason!" he growls, moving his hand behind my neck and holding me in place. "We both know you're never sleeping with him after that fuck me look you threw at me four years ago."
"That wasn't a fuck me look," I snarl through clenched teeth. "I was drunk."
He tightens his grip around my neck and pulls me closer until I can feel his lips grazing mine. It is a light touch but it brings memories of everything that happened that night. Something hard presses against my thigh and I flick a gaze to see the outline of a hard erection sporting his dress pants.
Did I do that to him?
"It's your choice," he whispers. "You know that I'm the better option."
Liar. He isn't giving me any options and my ego is too desperate to be sold by a pathetic man like my Dad. Asking Mason will just mean I get to escape this marriage but Dad will be unfazed. I need Vaughn so that I can show Dad that I can play this game just as well as him.
"Fine," I say. "But just so you know, I'm never sleeping with you."
"Are you sure?"
Vaughn presses his lips to my cheek while the thumb of his other hand brushes over my cheekbone. His fingers curl at the spot over the curve of my neck seductively.
"Vaughn..." It comes out as a moan from my lips. "Let me go."
He leaves me instantly and takes a few steps back, placing an appropriate distance between us.
"You're distracting, Claire." He runs his fingers through his hair. "Shall we proceed to tell your parents how much we're in love?"
I stick my tongue out as I walk past him to open the door but he puts his hand above my head, keeping the door pressed shut.
I turn back, confused at his action. "Any problem?"
"Huge problem."
He looks down and I feel my cheeks warm up knowing what he is pointing at. I avert my eyes quickly.
"Take your time," I say, looking at my red-painted nails and pretending to be disinterested in his body parts.
That's a lie. I have always been very interested in Vaughn's body parts.
He removes his hand from the door and sighs, "These six months will be hard for me, nemesis." His eyes meet mine, the chocolate irises looking focused. "Very hard."
"Just a reminder," I pull the door open. "I can still kill you after that."
"We'll have that conversation after I'm done fucking you," he comments, following behind me.
"You're never fucking me, Jackson."
"Time will tell, Claire." He takes hold of my fingers when we reach the staircase, pulling me to a stop. A wicked smirk decorates his lips. My breath catches my throat when he lifts my hand to his lips and presses a light kiss over my knuckles. "Time will tell."