Page 101 of A Bond Beyond Blood

“Alright then.”When we left the butcher shop, I caught him glancing up at her place with a look in his eyes I recognized.

“Knock that shit off.”

“I’m not just going to stop being in love with her because you command it.”

I tilted my head.Actually, the kid might be onto something—

“Don’t do it,” he pleaded, clearly following my thoughts.

I barked out a laugh.Smarter than he looked, this one.“I’m not your maker, kiddo.”Shaking my head, I exhaled.“Alright.”I motioned toward the upstairs apartment.Let himtryto win her back.I was confident in what Jacqueline and I had started to build.And she’d told me she loved me—couldn’t get much more serious than that.Why not let the kid dig his own grave?“You have ten minutes.”I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against my ride.“Go knock on my girl’s door and see if she wants anything to do with you.”

His eyes widened and then his gaze flicked around like he was looking for some sort of trick or someone to jump out and tell him he could get fucked.

I sighed loudly and checked the time.“I’ve got shit to do, kid.Take the gift I’m giving you or hop in the car.”

Gannon was up the stairs in a flash, and I braced myself for his first test.If he opened her door and strode inside like he had any goddamn right, we’d be doing more than just moving his scrawny ass into the gym today; I’d have to rough him up a bit, remind him of the order of things now that he was back and Jacqueline’s life had changed considerably.

He knocked on the door, then tucked his hands into his jeans’ pockets, hunching in on himself as he waited.

Jacqueline opened the door, then immediately looked past him for me, her wide-eyed gaze finding mine immediately.

“I’ll be right here if anything happens, little Fiorino.Make even the slightest sound of distress and I’m there.”

She nodded, then stepped aside to allow the kid to enter her apartment.

“Your ten-minute timer starts now, kid.”

He looked back at me and waved as he strode into her apartment, and he at least had the decency—or intelligence—not to look smug.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Gannon

When Vinny suggested I come up here, I’d jumped at the chance—I wasn’t stupid.That dude had been peacocking since I got here, so the fact that he was granting me permission to speak to her was both a gift and the most fucked up thing about the entire situation.

I didn’t need his permission, and furthermore,shedidn’t.

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