Page 141 of A Bond Beyond Blood

Chapter Forty-Five

Jack

Gannon went rigid beside me, those big brown eyes wide with fear, and I was struck by the strangeness of avampire, someone so powerful and formidable, being afraid ofanyone.

But Antonella Vintaloro-Hayes wasn’t just anyone, was she?

She was a force all on her own.

And at the sight of her, a sob slipped past my lips.I tore out of Gannon’s embrace and propelled myself into the open arms of his mother.She wrapped me in a fierce hug, shoulders shaking as we both cried.

She’d been like a mother to me, and after Gannon left, I slowly stopped seeing her because doing so reminded me too much of the boy I’d loved and lost, opening that wound all over again anytime I laid eyes on his mother or this house.

“Shh, shh,” she said, pressing kisses into my hair.

But I couldn’t stop crying.So much had happened in the past year, and I’d wanted—needed—a parental figure in my life, someone to guide me or console me, or, like now, just freakingholdme.This woman was the only mother I’d ever known and I missed her with every ounce of my being.

“I missed you so much,tesoro,” she said into my hair.“You stayed away too long, my girl.”

“I know, I’m so sorry.”Pulling back, I looked up at her, searching her gaze for any indication that this wasn’t the loving woman I grew up with, but there was nothing but love and grief in her eyes.I couldn’t see a trace of the woman who’d sent Gannon away.

My heart broke at that thought; she must have been so afraid.

As she held my gaze, she nodded as if she knew it was time.I offered her a smile and whispered, “He won’t hurt you.He needs you.”

Antonella’s face crumpled and tears sprang from her eyes, but she nodded and I stepped aside.

Gannon’s agonizing sob ripped my heart into pieces, but Antonella opened her arms, and just like I had moments ago, Gannon ran into them, though admittedly, he ran into her faster than any human being could have, nearly knocking the poor woman off her feet.

I tensed, waiting for that vampiric speed to register in his mother’s mind, but she gripped Gannon so fiercely I realized it no longer mattered.

She’d missed him too much to care.

“Come in,” she said, pulling back to look into his eyes.“Pleasecome in.”She looked past him to me, then back at her son again, eyes a bit hesitant as they flicked around his face.“Did I say it right?”

Gannon’s laugh was half sob, but he nodded and said, “Yeah, ma, you said it right.”

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