Page 30 of Kentucky Nights
Lightning sparks across the sky, and she jumps from the loud, audible crack.
“Come on, Darlin’. Turn around for me, let me have a little hope,” I mumble to myself, never taking my eyes off her. “Come on, come on,” I beg the universe.
I’ve never asked for anything from this world other than to leave me alone to die, but now, I’m desperate like a drought thirsting for water.
As if I’ve summoned hope itself, Dru stops, her shoes becoming ruined with mud. The rain beats against the umbrella, mimicking a drum that fills the silence between us.
She peers over her shoulder, her brows furrowing together in thought. That hazel gaze graces me while she nibbles on her bottom lip.
“You’re going to let her go?”Romeo asks.
“I have to,” I reply, wincing in pain as if she’s slapped me across the face when she removes me from her sight to continue towards the house.
“Go get her!”Romeo nudges his nose against my shoulder, shoving his vampiric strength into my shoulder, and it sends me forward.
“I can’t,” I snarl. “She’s afraid of me. I won’t kiss her knowing that. She’d be kissing me because she’d have to because she felt coerced.”
“Or maybe you’d show her there is no reason to fear her fated mate,”he says.
“Life ain’t a romantic comedy, Romeo. It doesn’t work that way.”
“How would you know? You’ve never tried.”
“Maybe tomorrow.”
“There are good vampires and bad ones. It’s the same for humans. There are ones with morals and ethics, and then there are ones that thrive off pain and fear. You are still a man,Kentucky. A vampire, yes, but a good man. They are one and the same.”
I give Romeo a pat on the side of the neck with a forced, tight-lipped grin. “Thanks. I appreciate that, but it’s only been a day. She deserves her space. She deserves to make the choice to come to me after what she has been through.”
“Don’t let her leave or you’ll be signing your death certificate.”
“This isn’t about me, Romeo. It’s about her and if she’d rather die than be with me, then I need to respect that.”
He shoves me again.“How would she know those are her options when you haven’t even told her?”
Guilt settles in my gut. I know he’s right. I need to be forthcoming, but that’s hard to do when dealing with a human mate, especially one who was kidnapped and tortured by someone who is a vampire.
Somehow, I need Dru to fall in love with me in seven days and decide this is the life she wants. Forcing her to accept me won’t do either of us any good.
“Don’t be so complacent or accepting of this situation. Are you still hoping to die? Is that why you aren’t running after her in the rain? I hear that’s romantic.”
“What do you know about romance?”
“Enough to know that Dru isn’t the only one with fears they are holding onto.”
I cock a brow at my horse. “You’re sounding more like my therapist. I don’t need you giving me life lessons.”
“Apparently, you do, considering you don’t know what you’re doing with your extended life. You’re waiting to wither away when a chance of happiness is knocking at your door.”
“Don’t make me use silver on your shoes,” I mutter.
I want to clarify that I would never do that. I only like to give him a hard time.
He exhales through his nose.“I’d like to see you try.”
“Alright, jokes aside, it’s time for a trim. Give me your leg.”
“No.”
