𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚

I take a deep breath and ring the doorbell. My palms are clammy, and my heart pounds so wildly I swear Vaughn must hear it from inside.

Why am I so nervous?

Vaughn told me not to bring anything, but I couldn't just show up empty-handed. So here I am, holding a box of expensive chocolate and a bottle of premium vodka. Thoughtful, right? Hopefully, his parents think so too.

The door swings open, and a stunning woman stands before me. Blonde hair falls in elegant waves around her shoulders, and sharp hazel eyes—Vaughn's eyes—analyze me with unnerving precision.

This is his mother.

She smiles, but I recognize this smile. It's the kind that doesn't just greet; it evaluates, measures, weighs if I'm worthy of her son.

"Come in, dear," she says smoothly.

I force a polite smile and step inside, immediately handing her the chocolate. "Vaughn told me not to bring anything, but I couldn't help myself. I hope you like these, Mrs. Morozov."

For a second, something shifts in her expression—her lips part slightly, her eyes soften. A real smile.

"You picked well," she murmurs, her approval threading through the air like a secret victory.

Relief washes over me, but before I can settle into it, I feel their presence.

Him.

Vaughn steps into the hallway, and my world steadies. His familiar smirk flickers to life, hazel eyes locking onto mine like he's just found his favorite thing in the room. But it's not just him.

Next to him stands a man who instantly demands every ounce of my attention.

Kirill Morozov.

The Pakhan.

Tall. Imposing. Dark-haired with ice-blue eyes so sharp they slice right through me. He carries an aura of control, of effortless command, of absolute authority. The kind that makes people shrink back.

The kind Vaughn has—but refined by time, hardened by decades of power.

I hold out the bottle of vodka, willing my hand to stay steady. "And this is for you."

Kirill takes it with a single nod. "Thoughtful," he says.

That's all. Just one word.

But from him, it feels like a damn gold medal.

I exhale slowly, stealing a glance at Vaughn. He watches me with quiet amusement, and then—like he senses my nerves—he moves.

Without hesitation, he crosses the space between us, his arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me against him. The second I feel his warmth, I breathe again.

This. Him.

I melt into his chest, my arms sliding around his neck as I bury my face into the soft fabric of his sweater. His scent—smoky, warm, distinctly Vaughn—calms the racing thoughts in my head.

His lips graze my ear, his voice a deep whisper only for me.

"You're doing great, 𝗺𝗼𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹. No need to be nervous."

Then he presses a kiss to my hair, and I know—I just know—I'm safe.

A throat clears.

I peek up to see Kirill watching us, an unreadable expression on his face. But there's something there—something almost knowing.

"Shall we move to the living room?"

I hesitate for half a second before nodding, still clutching onto Vaughn like a lifeline.

Kirill is terrifying in a way Vaughn used to be before I truly knew him. There's nothing exaggerated about his power. It's raw, effortless. The air shifts when he enters a room, commanding attention without a single word.

The very definition of a Pakhan.

We follow him into the living room. Vaughn and I settle on one sofa, his arm draped around my waist. His parents sit across from us.

Sasha—his mother—studies me like she's peeling back my layers one by one. "Would you like something to eat or drink?"

I shake my head quickly. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

Her lips press together, and for a moment, I feel like I just failed a test I didn't know I was taking. She gives me the same look my mom does when I refuse food.

Then, without a word, she pours me a glass of water anyway.

Oh.

Snacks are already laid out, perfectly arranged, and she adds with a casual air, "Lunch will be ready soon."

I bite back a smile. She's totally a mom.

"Thank you, Mrs. Morozov."

She raises an eyebrow. "Call me Sasha."

My stomach flips. That's good, right?

Vaughn's fingers squeeze my shoulder, his silent way of telling me everything is going fine.

Better than I expected.

Then Kirill speaks. "So, Elena. How did you two meet?"

Oh no.

My heart stutters. I glance up at Vaughn for help, but—of course—the bastard is smirking. His hazel eyes gleam with wicked amusement, and I know—I know—he's enjoying this.

I clear my throat. "Uh... Vaughn kinda chased me."

Both of his parents raise their brows.

"He chased you?" Sasha repeats.

Vaughn chuckles, leaning back. "Okay, love. Now you have to tell the whole story."

Traitor.

I take a deep breath, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I, uh, snuck into the Heathens' Initiation game using my brother Eli's ID and invitation. I was curious to see how it worked."

Silence.

Kirill's gaze sharpens. Sasha leans in slightly, clearly intrigued.

I continue, voice steadier now. "I started running and ended up hiding in a tree, thinking I was safe. And then Vaughn showed up. He had this huge chain wrapped around his hands like a freaking snake—"

Vaughn chuckles. "Like a psycho, you mean?"

"Shh! I'm telling a story!" I hiss before turning back to his parents.

"Anyway," I sigh, "he looked up, spotted me, and climbed the tree like some kind of wild animal. Then he ripped off my mask and told me I had two options: tell him why I was there or run."

Sasha's lips twitch. "And?"

I groan. "I tried to climb down, but he yanked me back up and pinned me against the tree."

Kirill's eyes narrow slightly. Sasha's amusement grows.

"And what happened next?" she asks, far too invested now.

I freeze, my cheeks burning.

Vaughn smirks. "I recognized her from pictures. Knew she was the youngest King. So I pressed her against the tree and kissed her."

Dead silence.

I practically shrink into Vaughn's chest, heat crawling up my neck.

Kirill and Sasha exchange a look.

Then Sasha hums. "Hmm. Bold."

Kirill merely adjusts his glasses. "Reckless."

The memory of that night replays in my head, in details.

𝖧𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝗂𝗌, 𝖼𝖺𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖾. 𝖧𝖾 𝗉𝗎𝗅𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗌𝗄, 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝖺𝖼𝖾. 𝖧𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇, 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝗈𝗍 𝖻𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝖺𝗋. "𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝗈 𝗐𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾? 𝖫𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝖻𝖾." 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗅𝗂𝖼𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍. 𝖵𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗇 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗒 𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗄 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗃𝖺𝗐. 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗆𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝗈𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌. 𝖧𝗂𝗌 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗈 𝗌𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗌𝗈 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗎𝖺𝗅. 𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗈𝗇𝗀𝗎𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁, 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖾. 𝖨 𝗐𝗋𝖺𝗉𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗄, 𝗉𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝖼𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾-

Vaughn's grip on me tightens, his breath brushing against my ear. His voice drops into a dark murmur.

"I know what you're thinking about, 𝗺𝗼𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹."

My stomach flips. My thighs press together instinctively, and he notices.

His arm tightens around my waist, his voice a quiet warning. "Stop that."

I blink up at him innocently. "Stop what?"

His jaw tenses. His fingers dig into my hip.

"If you don't want me to take you upstairs right now, I suggest you quit rubbing your thighs together."

A shiver runs down my spine.

Sasha suddenly stands. "I should check on lunch."

Kirill follows. "I have a call to make."

But not before sending Vaughn a knowing smirk.

The second we're alone, Vaughn pulls me into his lap, his hands gripping my hips firmly. Our faces are inches apart.

"Now," he murmurs darkly, "what am I going to do with you, Elena King?"

I swallow down a whimper. I restless move on his lap.

"Elena." He warns, holding my tight by the hips. And I feel his hardness.

"You're doing nothing, your parents are here!"

But he just lets out a dark chuckle.

"I mean it, Vaughn. We can't-"

"We can."

"No! What will your parents think?!"

He slowly moves his hand up and down my arm, making me shiver. His eyes darken.
"They weren't better at our age, 𝗺𝗼𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹."

Oh God.

"How about we hold it together for a bit longer and then you take me far away from here?"

He grumbles in disapproval and roams his hands over my hips and thighs. I take a deep breath.

"Vaughn." Now I am the one warning him.

He rolls his eyes. Diva.
"Fine. But I will get back at you for letting me wait so long."