Page 104 of Missing Piece
Adam didn’t say a word, just raised an eyebrow at Vincent, waiting for an explanation.
Vincent’s lips quirked into a half-smile. “He was eavesdropping. I wasn’t.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Sure, whatever you say. What were you two worried about? That a cripple and a dude with frostbitten toes were going to duke it out WWE style out there?”
Vincent’s expression shifted, a flash of concern crossing his features before settling into something softer. “No. Marcus saw that Ophelia was up to something with Buttercup, and when I saw him get worried, I got worried about you. From what I hear, Marcus’s bedfellow is quite the fighter.”
Adam couldn’t tell if Vincent’s concern stemmed from genuine worry or jealousy over someone else capturing his attention. His heart fluttered at both possibilities. Either way, he didn’t mind. Being wanted—truly, deeply wanted—was intoxicating. “He was just asking if we wanted to join their polycule, chill out.”
Vincent’s cool, sexy demeanor cracked as he burst into laughter, the sound rich and melodic. “The idea of Marcus Graves being willing to share anything, let alone his precious Buttercup, is laughable.” He leaned in, kissing Adam tenderly even as his eyes flashed black. “And I’ll rip out the heart of anyone who so much as gives you a lustful glance.”
Adam’s pulse quickened at the possessive declaration, even as he raised a hand, palm out. “Calm your beast down, I wasjoking.”
Vincent’s gaze softened and his eyes returned to their usual shade. “Come on,” he said, brushing a thumb over Adam’s cheek, the touch sending sparks across his skin. “Let’s go be social before we defile another one of these beds.”
As they stepped into the room, Adam watched the vampires regard Vincent very differently from how they did Marcus. Sometimes it was a subtle nod or a flick of the eyes, but there was something about Vincent reentering the room that demanded their acknowledgment. It wasn’t just fear or respect—it was something deeper, something primal. A small part of him wondered how he’d captured the attention of someone so powerful, but as he caught Vincent’s eye and saw the way he looked back at him, like he was the only person in the world worth seeing, all those other faces blurred into insignificance.
Vincent’s hand found his, their fingers interlacing in a gesture that felt both possessive and protective, grounding Adam in the moment. They found a spot on a plush couch, sinking into the soft cushions. The living room buzzed with activity, vampires mingling, laughing. It should have been terrifying, being surrounded by creatures that could drain him dry in seconds. But with Vincent’s arm around his waist, Adam felt oddly at peace.
Vincent’s thumb brushed over the back of his hand in gentle circles. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said softly. “I’m glad you decided to come with me.”
Adam turned to look at Vincent, taking in the sharp angles of his face softened by the dim light. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Vincent’s lips, savoring the moment.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Adam whisperedagainst Vincent’s mouth. The words felt inadequate to express the overwhelming feeling in his chest, but they were all he had.
He leaned his head on Vincent’s shoulder, breathing in the comforting scent of him, content to watch the party unfold around them. The weight of Vincent’s arm around him felt like an anchor, keeping him steady in a world that had never held steady before. Adam knew this life wasn’t perfect. It never would be. But in a room full of monsters with Vincent by his side? It didn’t need to be perfect.
He felt…whole. Like the broken pieces of his past, the scars that had shaped him, they all seemed to fit together now, creating something beautiful and unexpected. Something worth fighting for.
THE END