AN:
Hi guys, thank you once again for reading, voting and sharing your thoughts about this story. It means so much to me that you care about the characters.
OK, now buckle up and enjoy the ride again :)
***
After what happened in Boston, it has never crossed my mind that I would leave Melanie with Vaughn again. But with Derek on the run, I have to make sure that she's safe, and I don't have any doubt that Vaughn will make sure of that.
That dude loves her, I can see it. I just wish he wouldn't have fucked up. Seriously, he has ruined everything, including my trust. Hell, he was lucky that I ever entrusted her to him, because I've never done that to anybody else. But ironically, it's not like I haven't done any mistakes either.
Watching how devastated he looks as he waits for Melanie, I can see that it's something way deeper than what he initially felt for Camila. Even when Camila went missing, he wasn't as broken as he is now when he has lost Melanie.
I've known that both of them wouldn't be able to resist each other since the moment I decided to entrust her to him a few months ago. What could be better? My best friend who has so much space in his heart to love and protect a woman -- he definitely deserves someone better than his filthy ex-girlfriend -- and my precious little sister who has been waiting for her knight in shining armour since she knows how to read a fairytale. They sound like a match made in heaven if isn't ruined by all the drama they've been going through.
But right now, I just want to see first how it goes. I definitely want Melanie to be happy. I just have to make sure that she will be. Vaughn still has to watch out, because there's still a possibility that I'll break his neck if he fucks up again.
I turn my car toward the familiar road as I head back home after a tiring day at work. The road is empty now, since it's already quite late at night. I worked overtime because there was a sudden and urgent assignment, but thank God, Melanie has been safely guarded by Vaughn. I wouldn't have dared to finish my work overtime and left her alone at home with the possibility of Derek still wandering around, looking for her.
A curse leaves my lips as the car suddenly slips out of the road beyond my control. The hell? Something might be wrong with the tires. I stop the car and get out of it.
I check my tires. All four of them. Just as I thought, one of the tires at the back lacks air. I sigh, thinking that I'll drop by a nearby gas station after this.
Something about the air sends chills under my spine, and I look around. I can't help but think about the possibility that some roughnecks might have scattered nails on the road. It seems to be the pattern many criminals follow nowadays, judging by what I've seen on the news.
My eyes travel around the dark and empty street.
Nothing.
There's no movement. Everything is silent.
Sighing, I get back into my car. I scoff, gripping the steering wheel.
Yeah. It's not like someone plans to stab me while I'm standing alone on the street.
Except for Derek.
I'm standing at the gas station now. After filling my tire with enough air, I check it again. Sighing, I walk off, heading to the shop to buy some water.
When I get back into my car, I devour my drink before starting the engine again. But somehow, something about the atmosphere makes the hair on the back of my neck stand.
My gaze darts on the rear-view mirror as I check the backside of my car. Nothing. There's no one approaching my car.
Still not satisfied, I snap my head toward the backseats in this three-row SUV. There's nothing strange that catches my sight.
I shift my attention to the front again, buckling up. Shit. I'm really becoming a paranoid, just like Melanie. I roll my eyes as I start driving again.
This morning, I decide to maintain a minimum contact with Vaughn, just like I did for the rest of the day yesterday. The more I stay away from him, the less complicated it will be. I may just go downstairs once in a while to prepare the meals, and other than that, I can just spend the rest of my time in my room, working on my future.
I'm carrying the cup filled with the morning coffee that I just made for Vaughn when Jake rushes downstairs, making us snap our heads toward him. He's always in a hurry in the morning, and I wonder if that's what will happen to me once I get a job.
"I'm leaving," he says, making both of us nod. "Don't do anything stupid, Vaughn," he adds, making the said guy roll his eyes while my face flushes. Before I can hear Jake starting his car, he rushes back into the house. "Damn. I forgot my wallet." He groans, tottering upstairs.
I laugh a little, shaking my head. "Here," I say to Vaughn, handing him the coffee.
"Thanks." He smiles, and our fingers accidentally touch each other.
Being the stupid girl that I am, that simple move startles me that I drop the coffee, and it spills all over his t-shirt.
Shit.
"I'm sorry!" I blurt out as he stands up. God, that's some hot substance I just poured on his clothes. His skin might be burning.
"It's okay," he says nonchalantly while I just stare at him, dumbfounded. He excuses himself to go into the bathroom inside the guest bedroom.
Come on, Melanie. How come you are so freaking clumsy?
I feel like being close to him will only humiliate myself even more. Muttering to myself, I grab the plate filled with my breakfast and walk upstairs. I've prepared Vaughn's favorite beef bacon and eggs too. So at least, he won't starve himself. God, I'm acting like a bitch.
Once I reach the second story, I bump into Jake. "All settled?" I raise my brows.
"Yeah. See you, Mels," he rasps, not even looking at me, hurrying downstairs.
Right. I wonder what his boss is like. Typically, he might be some billionaire with a bad temper and little tolerance whose one killer stare will make all his employees cower under him.
While I'm on my way to my room, I hear the sound from the TV in Jake's bedroom again. I let out a small chuckle and step into his room before grabbing the remote and turning it off. I walk toward his window and open the curtain, only to find his car speeding off. A slight smile touches my lips as I hope that he'll have a good day at work.
Sighing, I turn around.
But the sight before me shocks me to the core that I drop the plate I'm holding, making it clatter on the ground.
My heart seems to stop, and fear consumes me that I can barely think clearly. My legs are shaking under me, and I don't know when they're going to give up on me.
There before my very eyes, I see him.
Derek.
He looks like shit, with torn clothes and ripped pants. But the most awful thing is his face. It's still bruised and wounded badly, the evidence of Vaughn's rage, his needs to kill Derek.
"D-Derek?" I choke. "H-how?" I stammer, hoping that this is just a nightmare and that I'll wake up soon. My mind struggles to form words. "H-how come you can even get in here?"
A sly smirk creeps on his lips, making me shudder even more. "Thanks to fucking stupid Jake. His car is nice, though. I spent quite some time in there."
I draw in a stuttered gasp, his words raising the hairs on the back of my neck. I shake my head in disbelief, tears forming in my eyes.
"You know, Melanie," he hisses with such venom. "If I had known that you would manage to run away from me, I would have taken you and claimed you right away."
His words explain it all. He's furious that I was taken away from him, right when he thought that he could finally have me. No one can stop him now. He ought to have me, taste me.
"Vaughn!" I scream, making Derek taken aback.
"Vaughn?" He scoffs, his hatred toward Vaughn evident in his shaking voice. "Stupid girl. He's miles away from here. And your stupid brother isn't here either. It's just you and me, Mel. The two us. I can't wait for us to finally settle our unfinished business." He licks his lips, and I step back, pushing my back against the window.
No, you're wrong. Vaughn is here. And you'll be dead once he sees you.
But then, I know that Vaughn is currently inside the bathroom downstairs. Would he be able to hear my voice?
"Vaughn!" I scream again, tears now streaming down my face.
"Fuck you," Derek bites out, storming toward me, and the adrenaline rushing through me makes me run toward the drawer of Jake's nightstand.
The place where he keeps the gun.
I pull the drawer open and take the gun, but before I can turn around and point it to Derek, he grips my body and knocks my hand, making the gun falls into his hold.
My world seems to stop. My heart beats like a drum in my chest, ringing in my ears.
Vaughn appears at the door, panting, panic skating all over his face. But it's too late.
Derek jerks in shock as he sees Vaughn, and his primal instinct to survive makes him pull me closer to him, his grip tightening on my neck. To my horror, he places the tip of the gun on my forehead.
And the color drains from Vaughn's face. He pales, his eyes wide as he sees Derek putting my life on the line.
Derek seems to notice the fear in Vaughn's amber orbs, and he laughs like a lunatic that he is. "Well, it's about time that you pay for what you've fucking done to me, Vaughn. Do you think I could live a life with a face like this?" He scoffs. "Maybe I should just send you to hell."
Slowly, he puts the gun away from my head. My heart thuds, louder and louder. Derek clicks the gun, letting us know that the bullets are ready.
A tear rolls down my cheek. No, please... Not him...
A scream threatens to escape from my throat, and my sobs break as Derek points the gun to Vaughn.