Page 51 of A Bond Beyond Blood (The Butcher’s Daughter Trilogy #1)

J ack

During one of my many visits to Vinny’s gym, nearly two months after the fight with Elias on Christmas Eve, I ran into the doctor who’d stitched me up back then.

He’d never returned to my apartment to check on me during my recovery, but I’d chalked his absence up to my overprotective boyfriend monitoring my progress and keeping track of my healing—then reporting back to Dr. Bianchi.

“Ah,” the doctor said as he strode toward me. “You have healed as impressively as Vincenzo said.”

And just like that, my assumptions about Vinny monitoring me were confirmed.

I grinned as I spun in a small circle. “Good as new.”

After a quick assessment, the doctor seemed pleased with my recovery and gave me the go ahead to return to all levels of physical activity.

Ironically, I was dressed in my workout leggings and sports bra, drenched in sweat from going a few rounds in the ring with my ex-boyfriend, so it was obvious that I’d already returned to physical activities without explicit authorization.

But I never was very good at patience or permission.

When Dr. Bianchi mentioned that I could return to sexual activities, I snorted, but quickly covered my mouth, thankful that Gannon had already headed upstairs to Vinny’s apartment for a shower.

I didn’t have the heart to tell the doctor I’d been having sex since, what, week two, I think? Maybe earlier?

Whoops.

Who could blame me? Vinny was a beast in more ways than one, and I found I absolutely loved the way he couldn’t keep his hands off me.

Motion caught my eye and I turned to see Vinny enter the gym, his shit-eating grin all the warning I got before he opened his mouth.

“You hear that?” he said and I groaned.

I implored him with wide eyes, shaking my head.

“Doc says we can start fucking again.”

My cheeks heated and I dropped my head into my hands.

“Wonder what we’ve been doing all this time, then...” His words trailed off and I shook my head as I ran my tongue over my teeth.

“Right,” Dr. Bianchi said as he picked up his duffel and turned toward the locker rooms. “Well, as long as you keep it vanilla—”

“Oh my god.”

Vinny snorted, but thankfully didn’t comment on that suggestion.

“Have you given her any of your blood, Vincenzo? That would certainly explain the rapid healing—”

“Careful, Doc, she’ll murder us both for even suggesting such a thing.” Vinny chuckled as he thanked the doctor and walked him to the locker rooms.

When the door was closed and we were alone in the fight area of the gym again, I glared at Vinny. “I hate you.”

He smirked as he strode back to me. “That’s definitely not what you said last night, sweet girl.

” He winked and I swung at him, which he caught easily enough because not only was he Vinny Ricci, the vampire, but he’d been a trained fighter before his death and, frankly, pretty fucking impressive when it came to his physical, um, performance.

He released my wrist and dropped his hands to his sides, propping them on each hip. My gaze skated down his ripped torso, to that deep V cut of his muscles that disappeared into his—

“Christ, woman, again ?”

My eyes widened. “What?”

He stepped toward me but I took a step back, stopping when his nostrils flared and red started to seep into the whites of his eyes.

Raising my hands, I said more firmly, “No, you know I have plans with Gannon tonight.”

The playful curve of his lips sank into a deep frown. “Play with me instead.”

I sighed, even though his pout was somehow sexy as hell. “We talked about this.”

“Yeah, and I told you to let the kid handle his own problems. Is it not enough that I let him move into my place and date my girl?”

I snorted. “Yeah, like giving up your apartment was such a hardship for you. Living with your girlfriend must be really rough.”

Vinny’s eyes narrowed. “How much time do you have?”

My heart skipped a beat as crimson eclipsed the whites of his eyes. “Vinny...” I warned, my gaze flicking up to the apartment above. “Gannon’s right there .”

Vinny narrowed his eyes. “It wouldn’t be the first time he heard me make my girl scream, like a—”

“Vinny!”

Tilting his head, he let out a big, dramatic sigh. “Sharing time?”

“What?”

“I guess the kid can play, too.”

My eyes widened. “ What? ”

“Let’s see if he’s ready to really work for your forgiveness, sweet girl.” He rushed forward, bending quickly at the waist and tossing me over his shoulder like I weighed less than a sack of flour. As I squealed, he ignored me, the brute, and hauled ass up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

“Vinny! Put me down!”

The door to the upstairs apartment flew open before we even reached the landing and I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing Gannon was getting an eyeful of my ass in these workout pants. Oh god, there was probably a line of sweat down the ass crack and everything.

“I found this one wandering around downstairs,” Vinny said. “You recognize her?”

“Yeah?” Gannon’s voice was cautious.

“Says she has to do you a solid tonight, but...” He patted my butt and I yelped. “I don’t think she should be doing you favors; you know what I mean?”

“Okay...” Gannon said hesitantly.

“Vinny, stop,” I warned. Gannon needed me.

No matter what Vinny said or did, I wasn’t going to abandon Gannon when he finally found the courage to visit his mom.

Even before we fell in love, he was my best friend.

No matter what he’d done to break that bond, I wasn’t that person.

I wouldn’t turn my back on him when he needed me most.

“My girl,” Vinny said, setting me onto my feet, “I’m just saying, he should be the one doling out favors.” His lips twitched on a smile, then he turned toward Gannon. “He owes you. Don’t you?”

Gannon nodded, the whites of his eyes starting to bleed crimson.

“ Get on your knees,” Vinny commanded.

A shiver tore down my spine so quickly that I shuddered with the force of it. That voice, holy shit.

I wanted to get on my knees for Vinny.

But it was what happened next that sent a rush of heat pooling between my legs.

Gannon couldn’t be compelled by Vinny because Vinny was neither his maker nor a born vampire, but that voice apparently had the same effect on him as it did on me. His eyes flashed with red and locked onto mine as he lowered to his knees.

Dressed in nothing but a towel and still damp from his shower, my ex-boyfriend on his knees was a sight to see.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, my voice thick with desire. I’d never seen anything so fucking hot in my entire life.

“I think it’s time for an apology,” Vinny said as he circled Gannon. “Do you like seeing him on his knees for you?”

I sucked in a shaky breath and nodded.

Stopping right behind Gannon, Vinny lifted his hand and curled his fingers, beckoning me forward. “Come here, please.”

I nearly stumbled in my haste to obey, stopping immediately in front of Gannon.

Vinny tilted his head back and breathed deeply, humming with satisfaction.

“Doesn’t she smell good, kid? Like the most decadent dessert, something you’ve been denied which only makes you want it more.

” Vinny looked at me and winked, then walked around to stand behind me.

“You’re in control, sweet girl,” he whispered into my ear as he reached beneath my arm and cupped my breast, massaging me gently. “You say stop, and we stop.”

I closed my eyes as he worked my nipple into a stiff peak.

“Tell me you understand.”

“I understand. I’m in control.”

“Kid?”

Gannon cleared his throat, then said gruffly, “She’s in control. Always.”

“Very good.” Vinny slid both hands over my breasts, then tucked his fingers into the band of my bra. “I’ve been watching these tits bounce all afternoon... Why don’t we set them free? Is that okay with you?”

I nodded and lifted my arms.

Vinny kissed my shoulder. “You’re such a good girl.

” He pressed his nose into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply.

“The scent of you is like a drug. I can’t get enough.

” He tugged my sports bra up and over my head, then pulled it off my arms and tossed it aside.

“How about these pants?” He traced the waistline, tickling the bare skin of my midriff.

“Please,” I whined.

“See how she begs, kid?”

I opened my eyes and looked down at Gannon, whose gaze traveled all over my body, then locked onto Vinny’s hands as he began to roll the waist of my pants down.

Gannon’s fangs popped out and his gaze flicked up to mine, his panic quickly edging out that crimson lust.

As Vinny dragged my pants down over my ass, down my thighs, I bent over and pressed my lips to Gannon’s ear. “I’m not afraid of you.” I brought my lips to his, then paused to look over my shoulder at Vinny.

My heart beat an unsteady, frantic rhythm. This was still so new, so foreign. I didn’t want to cross a line I couldn’t come back from, and the thought of losing either one of them was too much to bear.

I needed them for a million different reasons in a million different ways.

“Breathe, Jacqueline. We’ve got you.” He focused on my backside, reverently running his hands down the backs of my thighs. “Go ahead, little Fiorino, take what you need.”

I slanted my mouth over Gannon’s and kissed him until he believed me.

I’m not afraid of you.

One of his fangs caught on my tongue and I winced at the flash of pain. He tried to pull away, but I wrapped my hands around his neck and held him to me.

“Easy,” Vinny purred as he ran his hands up my bare legs, then circled my ass before leaning in to bite playfully into the meat of it.

I squealed and arched, breaking my lips away from Gannon’s, then Vinny rose to his feet behind me and pulled me up against his body. “You gotta give the kid a chance to acclimate to the taste of you.”

Still on his knees before me, Gannon panted, his eyes so red I could barely make out the deep, gold-flecked chocolate of his irises. My blood was smeared across his lips, and when his tongue licked out to taste it, I whimpered at the sight.