Page 14 of A Bond Beyond Blood

“The door was left unlocked,” he said sternly.“You could have been robbed.Or worse.”

My shoulders slumped as defeat sank into my bones.He was right.I’d been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't even paused when I found the back door to the shop unlocked.And, as I was the one who closed up tonight, I’d obviously been too eager to get to my hour with my hot vampire trainer to remember to lock the door behind me when I left.

Stupid.

His fingers dipped into the waistband of my pants and my skin jumped beneath his touch.Desire tightened my belly.“The door was unlocked.You were unarmed.”He chuckled and the sound traveled south, turning into a throbbing heat that settled between my legs.“Are you so bored you’ve decided to invite trouble, Jacqueline?”He chuckled darkly and I shivered, then he added, “I’m sure I could find ways to entertain you...”

Oh sweet baby Jesus.

I didn’t answer, for fear he’d hear how much I wanted him.Desperately.

But then something occurred to me, and I opened my eyes, staring blankly into the darkness.“How’d you get in?”I asked, struggling to focus on anything but the way his touch ignited something deep within me, a craving I’d been fighting for so damn long.

A need I didn’t know if I could fight much longer.

Hell, I didn’t even know if Iwantedto.

“I didn’t invite you,” I added for the sake of specifics—and keeping my mind occupied on details rather than Vinny’s hard body lined up with mine.

“Public place, little Fiorino.”

Public place.Right.Vampires didn’t need an invitation to enter any public establishments.I couldrevokea vampire’s freedom to enter the butcher shop, but it had to be specific and direct.There was no allowance in the treaty—or the supernatural laws—for vague ‘no vamps allowed’ signage in the window.A revoking had to be personal.Direct.

I could annul his invitation right now.It would be simple.Vincenzo Ricci, I revoke your invitation to enter this building.

Vinny’s hand on my throat moved to cup my jaw and he tilted my head away from him.His nose trailed up the line of my heartbeat, tracing my pulse as he breathed me in.“Jacqueline,” he said.“Who are you training to kill?”

My brow furrowed as I struggled to catch up with his train of thought.“I-I’m not...it’s just self-defense.”

Hetsked.“Don’t lie to me.”

I sighed.“It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, it definitely does.”

His tongue flicked out, just a quick stroke along the bottom of my jaw, and I shivered in his arms.Vinny cursed under his breath, then the wetness of his tongue was replaced by the firm press of his fangs.

My eyes flew open wide.“Please don’t,” I whispered, my voice shaking as fear snaked through my veins, quickly cooling the burn of lust.

His fingers flexed against my belly, dipped down further until they reached into my panties, but then they stilled.I closed my eyes as he tightened his grip around my throat, tilting my head back to rest on his shoulder and holding me even tighter against his frame.He kissed my throat, the pressure of his fangs now gone.“Stop fighting this, Jacqueline.”He leaned forward and kissed the corner of my mouth.His tongue flicked out, a quick taste.

It took everything in me not to turn my head toward him and claim his mouth, that wicked tongue.

“You know I can smell your desire,” he murmured against my cheek.“Why do you fight it?”

Because I had no other choice.Because Ihatedvampires.

And because I needed him to train me, not drain me.

If the stories were true, succumbing to a vampire led to only one outcome—and I couldn’t avenge my father if I was dead.

“Vincenzo Ricci,” I stated loudly, even though the words pained me as they left my lips—

“No,” he said, his voice pained.His hands flexed as his arms tightened around my body, as if he could hold onto me and fight against the words I was about to speak into existence.“Don’t do it.”

He could have slapped a hand over my mouth.Could have snapped my neck to keep me from speaking the words into existence.The fact that he didn’t put up a fight confused me about him even more.

I closed my eyes, too cowardly to even stare into the darkness as I sent him away.“I revoke your invitation to enter this building.”

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