Annika's POV
The silence that followed stretched just a little too long.
I became painfully aware of the arm still wrapped securely around my waist. Vaughn had not loosened his hold once since carrying me off the track. His fingers remained resting against my side, firm enough to remind everyone around us exactly where I was sitting.
The silence radiating from Vaughn was far more dangerous than any argument could have been. I could feel the tension coiled in every inch of his body, the way his arm remained locked around my waist like a steel band.
His cedar cologne mixed with the faint metallic tang of adrenaline still clinging to his skin, grounding me even as my pulse continued its erratic rhythm. He was upset, and that's exactly what I wanted.
Matteo's dazzling smile lingered, comp
