Page 127 of A Bond Beyond Blood

I surged forward, claiming his lips in a fierce kiss, melting into his embrace and fitting against his body so perfectly I wondered how I could have room for anyone else.In my life or in my heart.

But then someone knocked on the door, and my pulse leapt with joy at the prospect of seeing Gannon, and I realized thatmaybeI had enough love in my heart for both of them.

Chapter Forty-One

Gannon

I tried and failed to mask the shock on my face when Vinny opened the door.Failed, because the glint in his eyes was a clear sign he could see that I’d heard every word.

But...shit, could I have heard him correctly?Was he stepping aside?

He couldn’t possibly be willing to let her go so easily.

But he’d said that if she wanted me—or Elias, which I’d have to dissect later—he’d give us to her on a silver platter...

I blanched as those words sank in as the threat they surely were.

Vinny snorted as he stepped aside to allow me to enter.“If you think I’m going to go easy on you, you’re dumber than you look.”

“Stop saying that,” I murmured, shooting him a glare.“I don’t look dumb.”

He chuckled.“Sure, kid.”I’d made it all of three feet inside when his hand clamped down on my shoulder and he yanked me back to him.“She’s upset tonight, fragile,” he whispered so low there was no way Jackie could hear him from her perch on the counter.“Really beating herself up over some shit, understand me?”

I nodded.My gaze flicked to hers, immediately registering the redness of her eyes, the wet cheeks.She smiled softly and I itched to go to her.

“Feed her.Make her feel good.Get her to laugh a bit.”

“Yeah, okay.”I tried shrugging out of his grip but it only tightened.

“Nothing heavy tonight.No deep talks about what a fuck up you are.No apologies.I don’t want to scent even ahintof salt on those cheeks when I come back.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”Fuck.My shoulder was seconds away from shattering into a million pieces in his grip.

“And Iwillbe back.”

“Iknow,” I growled.

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