Page 96 of A Bond Beyond Blood

I snorted.“My mom is afraid of me and hates vampires.”

He nodded.“Hard to overcome that.Any other relatives?Friends?”

“There’s no one.Most of our old friends are off at different schools, and my relatives are scattered, either in Italy or up and down the east coast...”I tilted my head back and closed my eyes.The problem was, when I broke Jackie’s heart last year, I kinda fell off a bit.The partying was so out of control for a minute there that I pushed people out or burned bridges beyond repair.“Let’s just say that Jackie wasn’t the only one who, upon seeing me again, immediately told me to kick rocks.”

“Have you been staying with Elias this whole time?”

I nodded without opening my eyes.“Since Christmas.He saw me come here and then followed me.”

The time spent with the vampire king had been the first time in a year that I hadn’t felt alone or unwanted; even though he was obviously annoyed with me half the time, he seemed almost fond of me.It felt like...like I had a friend.Then he dropped me on Jackie like I was some unwanted goldfish or a stray dog.

“You can stay at my place,” Vinny said, whipping my head up.

“What?”

He shrugged, then motioned toward me.“I have an apartment above the gym with a perfectly decent pull-out couch in the living room.”

Frowning, I watched him warily for a moment.“You’d...what’s the catch?”

“The catch is I’d do anything for that girl in there.As much as your presence seems to upset Jacqueline, I think that kicking you out onto the street would upset her more.”

“You really love her, huh?”

“I do.”

With a sigh, I nodded.“Me too.”

“Well, don’t.”

Although Vinny couldn’t compel me because I was ninety-nine-point-nine-nine-nine percent sure that he wasn’t my maker—or a vampireroyal—the single word had enough power behind it to startle me.I swallowed hard and fought to find a response.I couldn’t just stop loving Jackie Fiorino when I’d loved her my whole entire life.She was a part of me, interwoven through the very makeup of my being—

“Understand me when I say this, Gannon.”He waited for me to meet his gaze before he continued.“I picked up the pieces you left behind—allof them—and I won’t do that again.”Vinny shook his head and pointed down the hall.“That girl in there isn’t the one you knew.She’s stronger, bolder, and doesn’t deserve bullshit or grief from some punk ass kid that didn’t know what he had until he lost it.”He snorted derisively.“I knew she was special the second I laid eyes on her and now I get to show her every day.Every goddamn day, you hear me?If you think I’m giving that up without a fight you can’t possibly win, you’re dumber than you look.”

I grit my teeth but didn’t respond.He obviously needed to get this off his chest, and arguing would get me nowhere.I had toshowJackie I was sorry, that I’d changed.Arguing with her new boyfriend wouldn’t do a damn thing for my cause.

But frankly, whatever he thought he had going with Jackie didn’t stand a chance compared to nearly twentyyearsof friendship and love.

He narrowed his eyes as if reading my thoughts.“Whatever intentions you have of weaseling your way back into her heart, let them go.”

Not a chance.

He tilted his head as Jackie stirred down the hall.“Get lost for a bit, will ya?I want some time with my girl.”

My mouth dropped open.“Where...what am I supposed to do?”

“Take a fucking walk.Go shopping.Visit the zoo.Fuck if I know or care, just get gone.”He turned and strode down the hall and I pushed myself off the couch.It wasn’t much, but the offer to stay in his apartment was too good to pass up—and the best offer I could hope for, really.The last thing I wanted to do was piss this guy off, even though the desire to strangle him was great.

So, reluctantly, I grabbed my leather jacket and left Jackie’s apartment.

---