Page 43 of Fighting Fate (Monsters of London #4)

Dax

Vince takes a few uncertain steps forward and comes to a sudden halt. I can’t stop staring at him.

I hope he really is here. That this isn’t some dream, that I’m not going to wake up and—

“The fuck is he doing here?” Patch mutters, scowling in Vince’s direction.

Oh, good. He’s real, then.

Vince takes a breath and, all at once, propels himself over to the bar. He must have come straight from the class. He’s still wearing his training clothes, and his hair is messy, like he’s been running his hands through it.

I breathe in his scent before I can stop myself. I pick up hints of the others, especially Sam, and underneath—

Ryan?

“Can I talk to you?” Vince says.

Patch shakes his head, rising from his stool. “You need to turn around and leave.”

Vince hardly even looks at him. He looks at me like he’s drinking me in, and I can’t help the way it makes my heart race.

“I mean it,” Patch growls, and now Vince does turn to look at him. “You hurt him. You can’t just walk in here and expect him to chase after you again.”

Vince scowls. “That’s not what I asked.”

I want to interject, but I don’t want to say something that will make Vince leave. I watch as he and Patch argue, not really sure what to do.

Ricky ambles up to the bar, sneering at Vince and Patch as he realises he can’t get past. He grumbles under his breath. They’re still sniping at each other, and Ricky scowls past them, at me, then at them again.

“For fuck’s sake,” he says. I’m not sure either Vince or Patch hear him. “It’s bad enough you’re behind the fucking bar, but now you’re bringing your drama here, too?”

Patch’s attention snaps from Vince to Ricky, but Vince is even faster. He spins on his heel, and when he squares up to Ricky, Ricky visibly swallows.

“Sit the fuck down and if you’re not going to say anything that isn’t hurtful, you can shut the fuck up, too. You won’t be the first person I’ve knocked on his arse for being rude to my m—to Dax today.”

Vince’s back is to me, so I can’t see the look on his face, but whatever the expression, Ricky pales. He swallows again and nods, and there’s not a peep from any of his friends, either, as he heads back to their table.

Patch stares at Vince for a moment. “Who else did you knock on their arse, then?”

“Ryan.” Vince scowls, and I swallow at the realisation. That’s why he smells like him.

“You… You did?” I ask, and Vince immediately focuses on me. “Why?”

He looks away, cheeks reddening. “He was rude.”

“What did he say?” Patch asks, but Vince shakes his head.

“I’m not saying it. Fuck him. Dax, please. Can we talk?”

Patch is looking at me too, kind of expectant, though he has to know what I’m going to say. I can’t do anything else. He nods, sliding back onto his stool, and I take a step back from the bar.

“Sure. Come on.”

Vince follows me silently into the back of the pub, and I’m sure he must be able to hear the way my heart is pounding against my ribs. He closes the door behind us. I’ve never been so nervous in my life.

He stands there for a moment, not speaking, and the tension threatens to choke me. “What’s going on?” I find myself asking, the words coming out almost desperate. “Why are you here, Vince?”

Vince nods to himself as though he’s come to some decision, and when he meets my eyes, his own shine with some emotion I can’t read. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.”

The world freezes around me. I can’t have just heard—

“What?”

“I mean, I think so, and even if I’m not quite there yet, I know I will be. And I figure if the others can handle all that bond stuff, then so can I. So can we. And I want to! I mean, I’m scared, but I don’t want to spend any more time without you and, well, it’s not like we’re nearly as fucked up as the rest of them, right? We’ll be fine?”

A laugh bubbles out of me even as a tear slides down my cheek. Vince’s eyes widen and he reaches for me but stops himself before he can touch. I shake my head. “I-I’m fine,” I say. “I mean, I’m not fine, but I—you—”

“Dax.”

“Yeah, please, yeah…” I reach for him, and he sighs when his hands circle my forearms. We’re not hugging, but we’re standing close enough that I can feel the heat coming off him.

“I didn’t want to make you cry,” he says. “I’m so sorry I told you to leave. I shouldn’t have.”

I swipe at my eyes, which is no easy feat with how Vince is holding on to me. “ I’m sorry. I should have told you as soon as I knew we were mates.”

“I’d have run.”

“I should have been ready to chase you.”

Vince squeezes my forearms. “Can we do this? Do you want to?”

“Of course I do.” My wolf howls, frantic that our mate still might not be certain. “I want you.”

“It’s not going to be perfect, you know. This bond won’t solve anything we aren’t willing to work on.”

“What do you mean?”

Vince smiles up at me, and there’s a sheen over his eyes too. “I mean, we’re going to argue, Dax. About mundane things. And serious things. We’re going to argue about the way we do things around the house and silly things we forget, and fuck, I don’t know, your wolf stuff and my human stuff—”

I frown. “Why would we—” I snap my mouth shut. I don’t know that I could argue with him about anything right now, not with him here in front of me, perfect and real. Vince shakes his head, but he’s still smiling.

“You’re a real romantic,” he says, and I flush, but he doesn’t seem like he’s making fun of me. “It’s not going to be perfect. We’re not perfect. But I promise I’ll try my best not to hurt you, okay? I’ll never betray your trust.”

I flinch. I betrayed his trust, didn’t I?

Vince shakes his head, and when he speaks again, his voice trembles. “I might waver. I won’t mean to, but… I’ll do my best, okay? I promise you that, too.”

My knees go weak. Am I awake? This feels like a dream, except his grip never feels so solid when I’m asleep. Vince’s breath goes short as he waits for me to respond. I pull him closer, and he trembles when I press our foreheads together.

“I’ll do my best, too,” I say, and swallow the questioning sound he makes. Vince kisses me softly, still holding on to my arms, his entire body straining with how he’s clearly holding himself back. “And I think we’ll argue about wolf stuff, too,” I say when we part.

Vince’s smile widens. His face is still close, and I want to kiss him again. “About what, you shedding on the sofa?”

“No!”

Vince laughs, sounding giddy, and I laugh along with him. He kisses me this time, one hand sliding around the back of my neck to hold me in place. He’s here. He’s here and he’s kissing me and he basically told me that he loves me—

“I was going to leave.”

Vince makes a questioning sound.

“I was going to leave London. Leave Axel’s pack.” I feel a stab of despair at that. Not from me.

“I can come with you.”

“Your family is here. Your flatmates, your friends.”

Vince stares up at me, and his smile is soft. “My pack.”

“Yeah, that too.” I wrap my arms around his waist.

“They’ll take you too, if you want.”

“Kieran said they would,” I agree, “but it’s not that easy.” What if Vince decides against this, the more the bond develops? What if I am dreaming?

“Hey,” Vince says, expression growing stern. “I can feel that. I’m not going anywhere, Dax. Not planning to, at least. You don’t have to join them now, but Kieran’s pack might be a good place for you, whether I’m there or not.”

“You’ll be there, though.”

“Yeah. And I’ll wait as long as you want. Okay?”

He leans up and kisses just under my chin. I tighten my arms around him so we’re pressed together, and the breathy laugh he lets out against my throat is… amazing.

“I don’t want to wait. I want you.”

“You’ve got me, anyway.”

“No, Vince…” I slide one hand over his lower back, and he leans against me more deliberately, his breath going shaky against my throat. “I want you.”

It’s not just about the bond, though I’m now keenly aware of it. He’s still apprehensive, but I don’t think of the idea of us. Perhaps of the truth of it.

“Can Patch cover the rest of your shift?” Vince rubs his face against my T-shirt. “I wasn’t lying. I can wait.”

“I’m supposed to work for another three hours. Billy’s off. I’m covering.”

Vince lets out a growl any wolf would be jealous of and leans up on his tiptoes, slamming a quick kiss on my mouth. I don’t have time to catch up before he’s whirling away towards the door. “Patch can cover your shift!”

I laugh and follow.