Page 31 of A Bond Beyond Blood (The Butcher’s Daughter Trilogy #1)

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By the time we’d pulled into the parking lot behind the shop, the store below had long been closed, and the darkness of night had already begun to lick at the sky and deepen the shadows around the buildings.

Standing at the front of the vehicle, we looked up at the apartment.

Gannon made a disgruntled sound in his throat. “He’s still here.”

“Of course he is.” I hadn’t expected otherwise—for two reasons: One, Vincenzo Ricci had taken quite a liking to the Fiorino girl, which was apparent in everything he said and did in her presence, the protective way he looked at her, the obvious devotion in his eyes...

And two, I’d instructed him to take care of her and expected nothing less. Whether he realized it at the time—or at all—I’d sheathed my words with a hint of power; he would do as I’d asked.

Whereas a sired vampire could only inflict their will upon humans and any vampires they sired, a royal could compel anyone . Perks of the job.

Additionally, bending a human’s or vampire’s will was far easier when the outcome was something they were already inclined toward, so suggesting Vinny care for Jacqueline wasn’t a stretch.

I tipped my head back and breathed deeply, pulling in the unmistakable scents of a home-cooked meal. “She cooks,” I murmured, slightly amused by this new information.

“Jackie?” Gannon snorted. “Nothing edible.”

Oh? I side-eyed him, then motioned for the stairs and began the trek up to the second level, scowling as I drew closer and picked up on other, more intimate scents.

The door flew open before I could reach the landing, as I’d expected it would, and Jack’s junkyard dog stood just inside the entryway, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at me.

“Stand down, boy,” I said mockingly, just to be a thorn in his side.

A muscle in his jaw jumped.

I stepped aside and motioned toward the young vampire standing a few steps down from the landing. “We have a situation. It seems this one has found himself without a home and without a master.” I tsked . “Pity, that.”

Vinny scoffed. “Not my problem.”

I smiled slowly and tipped my head to the side as I looked at Gannon. “No, I suppose it’s not.” Turning back to Vinny, I motioned toward the home beyond. “May I?”

“Nope.” He dropped his hands to his sides, ready to go to battle with me if push came to shove. He’d need to be brought to heel, but I’d anticipated as much, and I did respect chivalry, even when misdirected. He and I were on the same side; he just didn’t know it yet.

With a sigh and a look that I hoped conveyed my building annoyance with him, I stepped forward, then walked right past Vinny into Jack’s apartment.

He tensed, ready to retaliate. “How the—”

“Hello, love.” I offered the girl a small smile as I settled into her father’s old chair, draping myself over the worn brown leather with the languidness of a feline. “Miss me?”

“The fucking blood bond,” Vinny growled.

Ah, so she’d told him. Good, one less thing I had to explain.

I tapped my temple then pointed at him and returned my attention to the stunning creature on the couch.

Dressed in nothing but a threadbare top and even thinner pajama pants, with a loose cardigan draped around her, she was effortless in her beauty, even with her mussed hair and that shocked expression.

The evidence of their intimacy hung strongly in the air, heady and rich, and her lounge clothes did nothing to dull the scent coming directly from her , so deliciously alluring my mouth watered.

“My, haven’t the two of you been busy today.”

Jack’s mouth dropped open on a gasp and her cheeks darkened with embarrassment. A mixture of shame and pride tickled me from our connection, but her head was filled with a children’s Christmas song of old.

With a bite to her tone, she said, “You can’t just waltz in here—”

“It appears that I can.” I paused to listen in on her thoughts while I assessed the impossibly faint bruises still visible on her face, but now, it seemed, she was quite determined to recite the lyrics of an entirely different old Christmas song quite loudly in her head, so I couldn’t pick up on much, though the tickle of an emotion reached out to me, slithering past her fortitude like slippery little tendrils.

Pleasant and warm... dare I say she was happy to see me beneath that righteous indignation?

An interesting turn of events, indeed.

“You look well,” I told her as I reached across the distance to pluck her wine glass from the table. “Better than I expected, quite honestly. Have you always been such a quick healer, or is this a new development?”

She glowered at me as I brought the goblet to my lips.

I sniffed, pulling the notes of dark currant and tobacco into my nose before I caught the scent I was far more interested in.

Spinning the glass, I positioned my mouth over the place she’d sipped from and stole a long drink of her red wine, smirking as I set the glass down because the glare she leveled me with was absolutely delightful.

“Have you been drinking from your vampire, young Jack?”

“No,” she snapped.

Interesting . Could that swift healing ability be a result of the modicum of my blood running through her veins? Curiouser and curiouser.

“Tell me, Vincenzo,” I purred while looking pointedly at Jack, “have you cared for the girl in my absence”—I swiveled my head slowly to catch his gaze across the room and raised one brow—“or have you been too preoccupied with shagging the daylights out of her?”

His body tensed, but he made no move to come for me.

At least I wouldn’t be forced to remind him of his place again.

The same couldn’t be said for the girl, however. She was up in a flash, standing over me with heat in her eyes, chest heaving. “You should leave.”

With feigned shock, I brought my hand to my chest, wounded by her words. “But I’ve only just arrived.” I motioned to the open front door. “Be a dear and invite the boy inside. It’s impolite to leave a guest standing in the snow.”

Her eyes widened briefly, then she spun around and took a step toward the door.

“It’s snowing?” Her words halted abruptly, and any softening in her body that I’d elicited by mentioning the weather was instantly forced back into hardness as her entire body reacted to the man standing just beyond the doorway. “Gannon.”

She spun on me again, but this time, I’d been prepared for it.

I smiled up at her, tilting my head. “Consider it a peace offering.”

Her nostrils flared, and when those fists clenched at her sides, I was reminded of the fight we’d had just two weeks ago, how she hadn’t backed down from a battle she couldn’t possibly win.

My cock twitched at the memory. That same indignant spark lit her eyes now, that defiant jut of her chin as she stared me down calling to me in ways that I hadn’t felt in some time.

I was torn between taking her over my knee or—

I tilted my head as I envisioned that scenario playing out.

No, actually, that’s all I wanted to do. Drape her over my knee and dish out pleasure or punishment, depending.

Did I break the girl and bring her to heel, or devour every delicious inch of her skin, taste her tongue, her tits, her cunt—

A rush of desire rushed toward me from the connection between us and I smirked at the way she seemed to follow my thoughts even though she didn’t have the same access to my mind as I had to hers. I licked my lips and canted my head to the side.

But first things first...

“Jack,” I said firmly, “ Invite the boy inside .”

She blinked, then gave her head a subtle shake. “No.” Without breaking eye contact, she called over her shoulder, “Go home, Gannon.”

I allowed myself a moment to appreciate the shock—humans rarely surprised me—then I stood to face her, having to lower my head to look down into her eyes. Those lakes of pale blue were ablaze with anger and indignation that fueled my desire to take her over my knee.

She truly was a delicious little thing, wasn’t she? No wonder Franco allowed me to think he’d fathered a third son all those years ago. He was right to assume I would want his daughter as soon as I laid eyes on her.

I licked my lips as I cupped Jack’s chin, fingers gripped firmly around her jaw—

“Keep your fucking hands off her—”

Jack raised her hand to silence the other vampire and I couldn’t be happier by that little show of independence.

Though I was only slightly amused, and not when it came to her disobedience where I was concerned.

I’d used persuasion when I’d told her to invite Gannon in and she’d openly defied me with ease.

A first, I’ll admit, and one I found quite intriguing.

My gaze flicked back and forth between her eyes as I dipped inside her head to search her thoughts for some clue as to how or why she’d been able to resist my command.

Fuck you, she growled, repeating that sentiment over and over as she held my gaze, unwavering in her defiance.

I chuckled. “You should be so lucky, pet.”

I revoke your invitation to enter this building.

That again? I rolled my eyes. Tilting her head to each side slowly, I assessed what little bruising remained.

The purple had turned to yellow or all but disappeared, and all that was left of the stitches I’d assumed she’d received for that gash in her temple was shiny, pink skin. Yes, she truly had healed quite nicely—

Are you proud of your handiwork? she snapped through the connection I had to her thoughts, the words biting and accusatory.

I blinked and focused on her eyes. “Not even a little bit,” I whispered, then my attention fell to her lips, as it often did, and I was surprised by the violent desire to close the distance so I could taste that smart mouth.

Jack’s breath caught and when she licked her lips in response to my intense focus on them, I almost gave into the mutual desire burning between us.

Instead, I pushed that thought aside for a later time—we did have an audience, and I was a gentleman above all else—and tested her once more. Repeating my earlier command with more power in the instruction than before, I said, “Invite the boy inside.”

Jutting her chin even as I held it within my grasp, she said evenly, “Not a fucking chance.”

The smile spread slowly across my lips. “I do love your wicked tongue.”

“You can’t influence her,” Vinny said, amusement evident in his tone as he stepped closer. “Holy shit.”

I shot him a warning glare, then looked back into her blue eyes. “It would appear I cannot.” Narrowing my gaze, I said, “Revoke Vinny’s invitation into your home.”

She snorted. “Not likely.”

Running my tongue over my teeth, I dragged my thumb across her bottom lip, pleased by the way she visibly trembled from my touch, then, because I couldn’t give up just yet, I decided to have a little fun. “Get on your knees.”

Jack’s lips curved into a slow, self-satisfied grin. “You get on your knees.”

A tempting suggestion indeed.

I smirked and Gannon made a nervous sound. I didn’t have to glance toward Vinny to know he’d be positively tickled by this entire exchange.

Gripping her chin tightly, I tugged her forward, wrapping my other arm around her waist and bringing her body flush with mine so she could see just how intriguing her suggestion had been. She sucked in a breath as my hard length pressed against her.

Bringing my lips to her ear, I whispered, “Trust me, pet , if I get on my knees for you right now, what happens next will make both of your boyfriends absolutely murderous .”

With a laugh, I released a stunned Jacqueline then settled back into her father’s chair, swiping her wine glass from the table once more and finishing it in one gulp. “Well, I’m certainly intrigued by that little plot twist. Anyone else?”