Vincent (Made Men Book 2)(57)

Turning down the hall her room was on, she heard someone come up behind her. Run!

Lake ran down the hallway, afraid John or even Ashley had followed her up. At the end of the hall, she felt someone wrap their arms around her. Instantly, she knew who it was.

Lake was out of breath as she whispered, “You scared me to death, Vinc—”

Vincent quickly turned her around to face him, still holding her to him. “Why the fuck did you just run?”

She turned her head, unable to look him in the eye. “You snuck up on me. It just startled me.”

He grabbed her face and turned her to look at him. “Bullshit! You don’t fucking run from someone in your own house.”

Looking at his predatory face, she had to keep lying.

A bad feeling in her gut started to form at how the night could end. It screamed at her that the shit was about to hit the fan.

“I told you, Vincent, you scared me. I’m just so tired.” She pushed away from him, unwilling to have him continue to hold her. “Now, go on back downstairs. I’ll be down there after I put my bag up.” She picked it up off the floor from where she had dropped it when he had grabbed her.

“I’m not going down there without you. I told your mom we planned to hang out for a bit.”

“Y-you want to go in my room?” she asked, her mouth running dry.

Vincent crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes. Is that a fucking problem?”

“Well, yes! I didn’t want you here in the first place. I know you stole my phone off me, and now you want to go in my room? I draw the line there.”

“Why are you making such a big deal out of me seeing your room? If you don’t want me to see it so bad, I’ll wait here for you to put your bag up.” He leaned against the wall.

Lake looked up at the string that pulled down the steps leading to her attic bedroom. Dammit! She had to make a decision. The closest bedroom to hers was her old one, but it contained workout equipment and she was afraid of him peeking his head inside. If she just admitted to the attic bedroom, it would hopefully be fine because it wasn’t all that weird. Right? It’s a normal thing now. She was going to own her room being in the attic. If she made it a big deal, then he was going to take it as one.

Reaching up, she went to jump for the string yet missed. Of freaking course. Ashley had cut it way too short the last time. She quickly jumped again, but the tips of her fingers could only brush it.

“Is your room up there?” he asked, sounding confused.

“Yes.” Lake laughed it off and went to try to grab it again.

Vincent came over, stopping her from trying to jump again, and easily grabbed the swinging string to pull it down, revealing the stairs.

Great, now he’s definitely a god—perfect and tall.

“Thanks.” She smiled at him as he unfolded the stairs.

Lake crawled up them, feeling self-conscious until her feet touched the ground and her butt was no longer available for him to view. She hurriedly went to set her bag on her mattress, which rested on the floor, so she could get back down there.

Lake’s head snapped back when she heard a creak on the stairs and she saw Vincent’s face peering out from the hole on the ground.

“I-it’s cool, isn’t it?”

When he fully came up the stairs, he did a three-sixty of the room, his face becoming more horrified and disgusted by the second.

“Lake, look the fuck around you! Is this really your fucking room?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Ye—”

“Grab anything in here that’s fucking important.” He was starting to shake.

“What? Why?”

“Now!” he growled at her.

Lake jumped at his demand and glanced around the dark, sparse room. “T-this is all I-I need.” She put her bag back over her shoulder.

“Fuck’s sake! That’s all that’s important in here?” He shook his head, pointing down the steps. “Just go back down. I don’t want you taking anything from this fucking place, anyway. There’s probably mold and rat shit all over.”

“I don’t understand. Where am I going?” She was on the verge of tears at that point.

Vincent came over and grabbed her hand, taking her to the hole. “You’re fucking leaving, Lake, and you’re not fucking coming back.”





Chapter Thirty-Three

You Better Say Your Prayers, Motherfucker



She went to argue, but his face scared her against it. There was no winning with the animal standing in front of her right then.

Tears fell down her cheeks as she crawled back down the steps, her gut sicker than before, telling her the something terrible was going to take place.

Vincent came down the steps right behind her and looked at the silent tears falling down her face. Reaching for her, he took her face in his hands and wiped the tears away with his thumbs.