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C L A I R E
Shame. Fear. Confusion.
I feel all when I withdraw from Vaughn. He folds his arms over his chest, gifting me with a stony glare. I feel so small under his gaze that I have no choice but to look at the road while clutching the hem of my dress.
If stupidity was personified, it would be me. After my monologue on how I wasn't a damsel in distress but a knight, I ended up getting us robbed due to my ego. If only I had listened to Vaughn, we wouldn't be having this trouble.
When I lift my eyes to look at him, he still has the same expression on his face as he stands there, watching me. I am microscopic for those eyes; he has shown me that he is the bigger one of us — and not just physically.
"Okay, fine." I break the silence when it starts to get uncomfortable. "I'm a damsel in distress."
Vaughn remains unfazed.
"Say something please..." I beg him, making pleading eyes. "What do we do now?"
I hear him inhale a deep breath and then his eyes are on the road, searching for something. He picks up his wallet which was thrown by the man to the side of the road and shoves it back into his pocket.
"Shouldn't you be the one giving us the idea now?" he mocks, standing up and giving me the icy glare again.
I frown. "You're the one who gave them your car—"
"To save you," he cuts me off and squeezes the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "That car has a tracker in it. They will be caught in no time."
"Oh!" I blink, a little relieved by that information.
I look at the sun disappearing behind the mountains. It is about to set. It will be dark in no time and we are stranded on an empty road with no means of transport. Kudos to myself.
"Should we wait here then? Maybe someone will save us," I tell him as I hug myself.
The evening air prickles my skin, making me aware of the backless dress I am wearing which hardly covers my body from the chill.
"You think there are others as stupid as you to stop their car on an empty road?" Vaughn taunts, making me huff in frustration.
"Can we please fight after we've found a way out of this mess?"
"A mess of your creation." He rakes his hands through his hair as he inspects our surroundings. "Okay, I think I have a way," he exhales after a while.
I follow his eyes and see him looking at a thin trail of a path that leads inside the woods.
"Are you serious!?" I step forward to stand beside him. "You want to go through the woods?"
"You have a better idea?"
He turns to me, cocking his head.
I roll my eyes, knowing that I do not have one at all.
"Okay," I say. "But if anything happens, remember it's all your fault."
"My fault?" He takes a quick step towards me, making me back away. He closes his eyes and exhales a breath as if to calm himself down. "Follow me quietly and don't speak a word for God's sake."
He spins around after ordering me and leads the way inside the woods, leaving me to follow. I take a hesitant step before forcing myself to trace his footsteps.
The woods are covered in moss and ferns. Twigs snap under my feet while branches of trees nip at my skin, making me wince. Vaughn doesn't even glance behind to check on me as he keeps walking with brisk steps. I remain silent too, remembering his words clearly.
After what feels like hours of walking through twigs and dried leaves, the sun sets completely and we are left to the dark. I grow more and more aware of my surroundings with every passing second, fearing that something might attack us anytime. Although that shouldn't be the case since we are definitely trespassing over what looks like private property devoid of wild animals.
My feet ache in my heels and cramps greet their way up. I feel cold, and tired and am panting for breath whereas Vaughn is unstoppable. Unable to walk anymore, I plop down under a tree and take deep breaths, drinking my saliva to quench my thirst for water.
"Vaughn!" I shout for him with the leftover energy in my body and find him halting.
He spots me under the huge tree and puts his hands on his hips, giving me a disappointed look before he walks over to me. In these woods, he doesn't look like a human at all with his upset face and tall frame. He seems to be one of the wilds, hunting for his prey which is me.
"What's wrong?" There isn't the least bit of concern present in his voice.
"I'm tired. Can we stop for a while?"
"Look around you, blondie." He points towards the rows of trees. "Does this look like a place to rest? Get up, we only have to walk a little more."
"But where are we going?"
I let out a painful grunt as I pull my feet out of my high heels only to spot blisters under them. The sight makes me gag. I have never had blisters before and they look so ugly.
Vaughn looks at my feet too and I see a glimpse of sympathy catch his eyes. He covers it quickly though by furrowing his brows.
"There is a hotel nearby. I know the owner," he informs, crouching in front of me. "We can stop there and call Jake."
"Who's Jake?" I ask and then cry in pain when Vaughn puts his hand on my foot and picks it up to rest on his thigh.
He blows air over the blisters, soothing the pain while I am more focused on the way his rough hands move over my skin. The cold is suddenly gone as I am caught in the moment. He lifts his eyes to meet mine and I am suspended in a thin line between wanting to say something or remaining speechless.
He is so beautiful. His chocolaty eyes shine when the moonlight falls over his pupils. I notice the golden streaks around them, admiring the way they comprehend him. His sharp features, the aquiline nose, and the light stubble decorating his face suck me in. His lips look so kissable that I just want to taste them one more time.
He is so close. If I move a little, I can cup his face between my hands and move my fingers through his hair as our lips clash under the moonlight. The thought feels unfriendly in a situation like this when we are both desperate to have a way out.
His fingers curl around my ankle, the palm of his hand pressing lightly against the arch of my foot. Unprecedented shivers rush through me, keeping me attached to him. Every touch of him is like a switch, igniting something raw inside me.
"He's David's temporary replacement," Vaughn says, his eyes scanning my injuries. "David's on vacation."
"Huh?" I am pulled out of my daze at the interruption. "Oh...okay."
He puts my foot down and stands up. "Will you be able to walk?"
"I'm wearing heels," I answer in an obvious voice.
He lets out a sigh of frustration and then, before I can say anything, he leans down to put his arms under my waist and knees. I curve my hands around his neck as he picks me up from the ground in his arms. The warmth of his hand against my back makes goosebumps rise through me as he starts to walk.
"Hey! My heels," I cry out all at once, looking at my heels which are still under the tree.
"Leave them."
"But they are Prada," I argue, craning my neck to keep looking at my brand-new brown heels which were my favorite.
Mom bought them for me as a gift.
"I'll buy you the entire mall."
I stare at Vaughn, blinking in disbelief. "Really? But that would be expensive."
He stops walking and looks at me. "You're Vaughn Jackson's wife, baby. Money is the one thing you'll never lack."
Pride drips from his voice as he holds me closer to his body. His hand on my back is still hot and distracting, making it unable for me to keep my restless heart at peace.
I ponder for a second and then a broad smile gets on my lips. "I knew there was a reason I married you, Jackson."
I boop the tip of his nose. He shakes his head, annoyed by my action.
"Because I'm rich?" He tightens his hold, inching my face closer to his.
"No," I chuckle. "Because I can make you poorer."
He narrows his eyes at me, looking offended. He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, taking his time to think, and then wets it with his tongue.
"I feel the sudden urge to drop you, blondie." He smirks, loosening his grip and making me tighten my hold around his neck in fear. "Shall I?"
"No, no, no, please..." I plead, the smile dropping from my face as I look at the ground to find myself dangling at about five feet. "I'm sorry. I'll keep quiet."
He chuckles, bouncing my body as he holds me tight again and resumes walking, carrying me through the woods like I am the damsel in distress indeed and he is my knight in shining armor.