Page 95 of A Bond Beyond Blood

Chapter Thirty-One

Gannon

One week in and I already hated this new year.

I couldn’t sleep—what else was new?—so I was forced to listen to a Staten IslandRiccimake my girl come just a few yards away from me, then I got to sit here and dwell on that experience all damn night.

By the time five o’clock rolled around, I finally forced myself off the couch and started a pot of coffee percolating, then checked the fridge to make sure Jackie had everything she needed for her morning caffeine fix.

“It’s going to take more than a pot of coffee to earn her forgiveness.”

I closed my eyes briefly, then turned around.Vinny stood in the entry of the kitchen, dressed in just a pair of sweats and an ugly fucking mug, looking at me like I was less than the gum stuck to the bottom of his favorite kicks.“Whatever, man.”I shook my head and opened the cabinet where Jackie stored the mugs, then grabbed her favorite one and set it on the counter.“I don’t want to start shit.”

“Too late, kid.Just being here starts shit.”

I braced my hands on the counter and tried to pretend he wasn’t staring daggers at my back.

“Why should you be our problem?”he asked.“Seems like you’re old enough to fend for yourself, yeah?What are you, twenty?Twenty-one?”

“Twenty-one.And yes, I can fend for myself.”I tried not to growl as I turned to face him, but it was a lesson in self-control.He was on my last fucking nerve.“That was some show you put on last night.”

His lips curled into a slow, arrogant grin.“Thanks, man.Appreciate it.”

“Was that only for my benefit?I think Jackie would be pretty pissed—”

I blinked and Vinny was suddenly in front of me.Thankfully, he wasn’t dangling my ass over the balcony this time, though at least now I knew I’d land on my feet if he actually tossed my ass out.

“Let’s get one thing perfectly fucking clear,” he said in a low, threatening tone.“EverythingI do for that girl is for her benefit.”

“Right.It just happened to be loud enough for her ex-boyfriend to hear, which...what, helps get me out of the way?”

“You’d have to bein the wayfor that theory to work, and you have absolutely no significance here.”He shrugged, crossing his arms over his bare chest.“But if you’re intent on lingering when Jacqueline has told you to go, you’re going to hear things you don’t want to hear.”

I narrowed my eyes and asked the question burning in my mind even though I was sure I didn’t want to know the answer.“You bit her, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

Hunger tightened my stomach at the thought of sinking my teeth into Jackie, hot and heady as it burned up my throat, but then jealousy so bitter I could taste it on my tongue followed the feeling immediately after.Jealousy and something else, something deeper and darker that curled my hands into fists.She was mine,shouldbe mine.

Vinny caught the motion of my hands and smirked.“Careful, kid.I’m not the one.”

Iknewthat.Even if he wasn’t a vampire—and one who’d been around far longer than me—he was a Ricci.VinnyRicci, to be exact, middle weight champion and all around badass.The thing was, I didn’twantto be enemies with this guy.In another world, another life, I would have worshipped at his feet.

And Jackie cared about him, that much was evident.The last thing I wanted to do was make things hard for her.She’d been through enough.If she was happy with this guy, I had to be happy too.

I inclined my head slightly in deference, then turned and walked into the living room.“I don’t want to start shit, man.”When I plopped down on the couch, a sigh tore out of me.I’d never felt more alone.I wasn’t wanted here, by him or by Jackie, and I wasn’t welcome at home.Elias had given me a sneak peek into what having a maker might have been like, then discarded me like last week’smanigot.

I had no one who missed me or wanted me around.

And it was my fault.

I’d fucked Jackie over in her time of need and I’d scared the shit out of my mom so royally that she’d never forgive me.And the woman detested vampires, so there were two things working against me.

After a minute, Vinny huffed with annoyance, then walked into the living room.“Listen, kid, we need to figure this out.I don’t want to upset her; she’s been through enough.Why can’t you go home?”

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