Page 137 of A Bond Beyond Blood

Shaking my head, I left Vinny’s room and strode through the empty apartment above the gym—

Until the couch squeaked and I jumped.

“Hey,” Vinny said, stopping me as I reached the front door.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay, I just thought I was alone.”When I turned toward him, he frowned.

Running his thumb over the crease between my brows, he asked, “What’s on your mind, gorgeous?”

My heart thundered against my ribs.He could obviously hear the cadence, the way his brows furrowed.

“Jacqueline?”

“Did that...”I swallowed hard.“Are you upset?About earlier, I mean?”

“Upset?”He frowned.“No, baby, why...I instigated that, remember?”

“Yeah, but...”I dropped my gaze.I couldn’t look at him.If my selfishness had destroyed what I’d been building with Vinny...“Were you jealous?”

“Jealous?”He chuckled as he hauled me against his body.“Baby, you misread me.”Sliding one hand into the butt pocket of my jeans, he cupped my cheek with the other and lifted my face so he could look into my eyes.“Protective and possessive, maybe, but never jealous.”He dipped down to kiss the corner of my mouth, squeezing my ass as he did so.“I didn’t know how I’d feel, honestly, until we started...”He chuckled dryly.“And for a minute there, I thought I might stop us before we really got started.”He rubbed my jaw absently.“But then...you.”He shook his head, his gaze loving and worshipful as he held me.

“Me?”I squeaked.

“Yeah.You.The way your body reacted to him.Tous.The way you came alive...What a fucking gift you are, Jacqueline.”

My eyes widened.

“That was hot as hell for me, okay?I promise.”

I nodded and he squeezed my ass again, hard enough for me to yelp.

“I’d tell you if I wasn’t okay with something going on between us.Would you do the same?”

I nodded again.

“Good girl.”His gaze flicked back and forth between my eyes, concern knitting his brow.“Anything else on your mind?”

I exhaled in a rush.“What if...”I winced.

“Out with it.”

“What if I want to, I don’t know, do that again?”My mouth slammed shut hard and I closed my eyes.

Vinny’s chuckle had me opening them again immediately.“I wouldn’t believe you if you said youdidn’twant to do that again.”He paused for a moment, then added, “I’m yours, remember?You have me.”

God, I loved hearing those words.“Say it again.”

“Yours, Jacqueline.”With a deviant glint in his eyes, his grip on my chin turned hard and he growled, “Now, open up, I don’t think I’m quite done with you.”

I melted against his body, tilting my head back to allow him to claim my mouth.He kissed me like each stroke of his tongue was a brand, each brush of his lips a whispered word:mine.

I could have continued to dwell, spin out until the questions and worries overwhelmed me, but he was right.Ididopen up to them, and Ihadfelt myself come alive under their hands and mouths.In fact, if I was honest with myself, I’d never feltmorealive than in that moment, pressed between Gannon and Vinny and their incredible love for me.

How could that possibly be bad?

I belonged to both of them...and they belonged to me.

But Ididneed to get going, so I pulled back.Reluctantly.

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