Page 125 of A Bond Beyond Blood

“That’s what I get for making charcuterie for men who don’t eat.”

His head lifted and his gaze met mine, a wicked glint in his eye.“Oh, Ieat, little Fiorino.Or have you forgotten?”

I rolled my lips to keep from giggling.There he is.Shaking my head, I whispered, “I haven’t forgotten.”

Vinny’s eyes narrowed.“Maybe I should remind you anyway, just in case.Wouldn’t want to slack on taking care of you.”

I frowned at the hint of snark in his voice, then sighed.“Okay.”

“Okay?”His eyes flashed with excitement.“My girl wants a reminder?”He reached for me and I danced backward, fists lifting into peek-a-boo stance automatically.Vinny quirked a brow.

“We should talk.”I dropped my hands to my sides and leaned back against the opposite counter.

Vinny pursed his lips, crossing his arms over his chiseled chest.“We could.Or—”

“Vinny,” I said on a sigh.

“Come here.”He crooked a finger at me and I stepped into his open arms.“What’s on your mind?”

“Are you...”I closed my mouth, then sputtered, “Are you serious?”

His brow furrowed.“Yes?”

“You don’t know what’s on my mind?”Searching his gaze, I tried to step backwards but he tightened his hold on me.

“I have my suspicions.”He leaned forward to place a soft kiss on the tip of my nose.“But, trust me when I say this, Jacqueline, you don’t need to worry about me.”

I scoffed.“You’ve been quiet for two days.”

He shrugged.“You’ve been quiet for two days.I was giving you space.”

My mouth fell open on another scoff.“Vinny.”

“Jacqueline.”

I groaned.“You’re not mad at me?”

He barked out a laugh.“Mad at you?For, what, exactly?Being human?”He tilted his head.“Seems an unfair thing to blame you for, doesn’t it?Kind of out of your control.”

“Human, Vinny?That’s not what this is about.This is about me.Me being...”I huffed.“I don’t know,greedy.”Awful.“I have a perfect boyfriend right in front of me, and I can’t for the life of me let my ex go—” At his wide grin, I stopped talking.

“Perfect?”

With a growl, I shoved out of his arms and stepped backwards, putting space between us.“You’re impossible.”

“And yet...perfect.”He splayed his hands in presentation.

Lifting up onto the counter, I dropped my head backwards with a loud sigh.

“Fine.Let’s do this,” Vinny said, and I held my breath.“I’m fuckinglividover the way Bristol put his hands all over you, Jacqueline.”

My head snapped forward and I met his gaze.

“And every time that kid tries to weasel himself back into your heart, I want to scream at you both because he doesn’t—for even afuckingsecond—deserve you.”

My bottom lip quivered.He was wrong; Gannon was a good man.

“Anytime either of them is within ten feet of you I have to fight the urge to rip them apart—or piss on your leg.”

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