Page 19 of A Bond Beyond Blood

Jack

With dawn came the stark realization that I’d invited a vampire into my home.

I sat up in bed, muscles tense and eyes wide as I scanned my room, but Vinny was nowhere in sight.I sighed and flopped back against the pillows.

Had I imagined the whole thing?

I couldalmostconvince myself I’d dreamt him, but the weight of my grief felt a little less heavy this morning, and I knew it was because he hadn’t allowed me to suffer through it alone.

That, and the unmistakable fact that the faint scent of winter still lingered in my sheets.I turned onto my stomach and pressed my face into the pillow he’d leaned against last night while he held me, inhaling deeply to pull him into my lungs.

I groaned.“Why does he have to smell so good?”

“Luck of the draw, I guess.”

I jumped and quickly scooched into a sitting position, then pulled the covers up to my chin as my cheeks heated.Hiding from him, obviously, because he hadn’t already seen me in my ratty old sleep shirt or watched me snore all damn night.

Punch me.

I mean, I’d fallen asleep in his arms after marathon crying, for fuck’s sake!Modesty had definitely left the chat.

Vinny stood in the doorway of the bedroom, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at me, his usual mixture of amusement and desire at war in those dark eyes.“Morning.”

“Morning,” I grumbled.

Vinny licked his lips slowly, holding my gaze long enough to wake that warm swirl of desire in my belly, then he breathed deeply and smirked because heknew.He always knew.

“Go away,” I growled.

“I have a feeling that’s actually the last thing you want me to do.”

I narrowed my eyes but he just held my gaze.

I could say the words, revoke his invitation inside my home, but he was right.That actually was the last thing I wanted to do.

He’d gotten under my skin.

I actuallylikedhim.Like, as a person.

The horror.

After a moment of silent battle, he jerked his head toward the kitchen.“Get up.I got you coffee and donuts.”

I frowned.“You don’t...wait.Doyou eat donuts?”

His lip curled.“No, Jacqueline, I don’t eat donuts.”With that, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

“Oh my god,” I groaned as I sank down into the bedding and cocooned myself in the sheets.Mortifieddidn’t even begin to cover it.Why didn’t it occur to me that he might still be here?

He caught me sniffing the sheets!

Ah!

Stupid girl!

I’d blame exhaustion and grief.I’d been working six days a week, training with Vinny three nights a week—plus the occasional weekend spar, and with the holiday rush at the shop and the anniversary of Dad’s death...

I clearly wasn’t running on a full tank of gas.

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