Page 32 of A Bond Beyond Blood (The Butcher’s Daughter Trilogy #1)

J ack

My pulse sped for multiple reasons, not the least of which was a growing lust for a vampire I wanted nothing to do with.

As I watched Eli drink my wine and lean back comfortably in my father’s chair like he belonged there, a million questions filled my head, racing by at alarming speed as I tried to make sense of what he’d just said. What Vinny had just said.

Eli couldn’t influence me, whatever that meant, but he and Vinny had both expected a different outcome.

Which implied that they’d both assumed he would be able to influence me.

Which meant that when Eli’s voice took on that tone—the one that sent steel down Vinny’s spine and a delicious shiver down mine—he was influencing the person or vampire he was speaking to at the time.

Interesting.

“Come sit on my lap,” Eli said in that voice.

The sound of the voice he used to compel created a throbbing pulse between my legs, but I ignored him.

“What are you doing?” Vinny asked. “You already proved you can’t—”

Eli chuckled. “Seems she likes the way I sound, even if I cannot bend her to my will.”

“Oh my god,” I groaned, throwing my hands up into the air. “Get out!”

Eli just winked and continued to watch me struggle through my thoughts.

But this revelation felt heavy and not just because Eli couldn’t control me.

I swallowed hard as I considered what my brain was missing. Something was definitely missing. I glanced at Eli and he raised one eyebrow.

If Eli and Vinny both assumed that Eli could influence me, as he’d clearly tried to do when he very firmly instructed me to invite my ex-boyfriend into my home, then was that something all vampires could do?

My eyes narrowed as my thoughts began to head in a disturbing direction.

Eli smirked, inclining his head as if to say yes, you’re onto something .

I scowled at him, then rounded on Vinny. “Can you influence me?”

“Oh fuck,” Gannon muttered, reminding me that he was still outside the apartment. My gaze flicked to him just outside the open door, then back to Vinny, who shook his head.

“Jacqueline, I—”

I raised my hand and closed my eyes as I took a deep, steadying breath. I didn’t know if I wanted to hear Vinny’s answer either way.

The balcony out front squeaked as Gannon shifted his weight and my heart sank. I wasn’t a person who could leave someone out in the cold. Gannon broke my heart, yes, but I wasn’t like him. I wasn’t a bad person. With a sigh, I said, “Gannon, please come inside.”

The door closed softly behind him and I exhaled deeply. How had my life turned into...this? A vampire I swore to put down sitting in Daddy’s chair. A vampire I’d fallen for standing before me with an answer on the tip of his tongue I was too afraid to hear.

And my ex-boyfriend, the boy who’d broken me when I needed him most, standing somewhere nearby, the subtle scent of his cologne as familiar as that crease between his brow when he was deep in thought or that freckle on the top of his thumb.

He’d been my whole world, and now... he might as well be a stranger.

“If it helps, love, the boy is absolutely sick over what he’s—”

“No,” I said firmly, glaring at Eli. “Don’t do that. Don’t act like you know us.” I tilted my head back and stared at the ceiling instead of meeting any of their waiting gazes.

I needed a minute. Or an hour. Maybe a few days?

I had too much to think about, an entire year to reflect on, to go back through every interaction with Vinny to try to unveil whether or not he’d swayed the outcome of our relationship in one way or another.

My stomach dropped out as the implications of that thought tore at my emotions.

The feelings I’d developed for Vinny... were they even mine ?

Had he somehow influenced me to fall for him?

I bit back the whimper that tried to slip from my lips.

“Vinny,” Eli said, interrupting my thoughts and pulling me back from that deep chasm of hurt. “Let’s try something. Give the girl an instruction—”

“What? No .” Vinny straightened, crossing his arms defensively over his chest.

I tilted my head, eyes narrowed as I looked at this man who’d been inside me mere hours ago, who’d spent a year making me stronger, tougher, better ... who’d spent the last two weeks cherishing me like I was a delicate treasure.

He’d worshipped my body in numerous ways, nourished me, held me... he’d healed the invisible scars Gannon left behind... and now I didn’t know if any of that had been real .

Could I trust Vinny? Had he tricked me?

I swallowed hard and realized I needed to know. No matter how much the answer might wound me, I couldn’t move forward with him if I didn’t know.

“Wise choice,” Eli murmured. “Only one way to find out, I’m afraid.”

Shooting him a quick glare, I said, “Eli’s right.” To Vinny, I asked, “What could it hurt?”

Vinny’s eyes widened. “What could it...?” He scoffed. “Are you hearing yourself? What could it hurt?”

“If you can compel me—”

“Then what, Jacqueline?” Vinny’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared. “Then you’ll assume I’ve done it before? That I’ve been compelling you this whole time? You’ll assume this isn’t real between us?”

Maybe Eli wasn’t the only mind reader in the room.

I opened my mouth to respond, but I couldn’t argue with his predictions. If he could somehow force his influence over me, would I ever trust that he’d never done that before? That he’d never whispered words or swayed my ideas?

In all the time we’d spent together over the past year, how easy could it have been for him to persuade me to this moment, walk me right into letting him inside—my home, my heart, my body.

With pain twisting icy fingers around my heart, I dropped my head.

“I can’t...” I buried my face in my hands and tried to make sense of my emotions.

The heavy weight of betrayal fought for dominance in my mind, and as I lifted my head and looked back and forth between Vinny and Gannon, who was now propped up on the edge of the couch, I realized I’d never be able to forgive Vinny if he’d betrayed me.

After Gannon’s betrayal, I couldn’t handle another man breaking my heart like that—

“Jacqueline.” Vinny stepped forward and cupped my face in his hands. “I love you.”

I sucked in a breath as tears sprung to my eyes and a flutter of wings set loose within my ribs.

“I’ve never tried to compel or persuade you with anything but my charm.” He searched my gaze, eyes bright with determination as he said, “Now get on your knees.”

I frowned as his voice changed into something deeper and darker, the sound of it sending a chill down my spine.

His words, spoken in a powerful, commanding tone I’d never heard before, made my heart skip a beat.

The authority in his voice was evident, even more so than when he kicked my ass around the mat or reprimanded me for doing a poor job of defending myself while we sparred.

I wanted to get on my knees for him, if for no other reason than the fact that I wanted to worship this man the way he’d been worshipping me for weeks.

But as I remained standing, lost in my thoughts, Vinny smiled.

And I realized what he’d just given me.

Proof that he’d never compelled me before.

Because I wasn’t compelled now. I wasn’t on my knees.

“Wonderful,” Eli said from behind me with a slow clap that snapped me out of the moment. The old leather of Dad’s chair squeaked and groaned as he rose to his feet. “That’s not to say he never tried , but at least we know it’s not just me who cannot bend you to my will.”

Vinny smirked, dropping his gaze to my mouth and sending a lightning bolt of desire straight down to pool between my legs. “Oh,” he murmured, voice low and sexy as he winked. “I’ve bent her to my will a time or two.”

I shivered even as embarrassment heated my cheeks, and he leaned forward, slanting his mouth over mine to claim me in a searing, possessive kiss as if no one else was in the room with us.

Or maybe because they were.