Page 73 of This Blood That Binds Us

“She lives in London now.”

“London!? All the more reason to plan a trip. Do you not ever think of traveling?” Aaron scooted closer to me as the wind blew the smoke closer to his face.

“I guess I didn’t. Not alone anyway.”

Aaron’s smile widened, and I knew what he was going to say. “Well, you’re not alone now, are you? You have me...and my brothers. Not sure if you want them, but they are there.”

I contemplated the truth in his words. I wanted to believe them. But Aaron’s brothers didn’t know about me, and I doubted Zach and Luke would be happy about me knowing their secret. But the small, hopeful part of me dared to imagine a life where they did.

If we were to have told them, then they’d find our rogue vampire a lot easier. Best-case scenario: once we solved our mystery, we’d get to move on. We could continue to go to Black Forest University together and go to football games in the fall. Maybe the people following Aaron and his brothers would give up eventually, and we could all be safe...together.

I shuddered at the thought. That was the first time I had allowed myself to contemplate a future with anyone else for more than a few seconds. I sat for a minute and allowed myself to think on it and hope.

Aaron’s laughter turned cold as he stared into the fire. “Kim...I need to tell you something.”

I hugged the wool blanket wrapped around me a little tighter. “Okay...”

“No matter what happens...if we have to leave, I promise that I’ll come back for you. I would never leave you here alone, and I won’t just leave without telling you. So, if I disappear because something happens to me, I just need you to know how important you are and that I wouldn’t abandon you.”

“You’re . . . leaving?”

“No! No. Just. I don’t know how this is all going to play out, and I wanted you to know that just in case.”

My heart was beating harder in my chest, and I couldn’t look away from Aaron’s gaze. No words would form on my lips.

“I’m sorry I dragged you into all this.” He smiled softly, little bits of his blonde hair resting on his brow.

“Come on, no more apologizing. I think we are past that, aren’t we?”

“I guess you’re right.” He was close to me, our knees touching. “W-Would you be okay with telling my brothers? I’m kinda wondering if that needs to be our next step here. We’re out of leads, and I don’t want you to get hurt. It’s harder and harder to get my brothers to keep you safe without telling them anything.”

“I’ve had the worst feeling about it when I think of telling them ever since the formal. I don’t know why...but I want to. If I ignore that weird feeling, I think it logically makes sense to tell them.”

Aaron grabbed a twig and drew a smiley face in the dirt. “Mad at me, definitely. But you, no.”

“Okay, let’s do it, then,” I said, my heart beating faster at the thought.

“Cool. We’ll tell them tomorrow, then.” Aaron studied me. “I still don’t get why you’re not totally freaking out and running away from me after everything I’ve put you through. You’re so...calm.”

“I’m just happy with my choices. I don’t want to run away from this...from you.”

Aaron’s eyes pierced right through me. Crickets echoed in our silence.

“You don’t want to run away from . . . me?”

“Yes, believe it or not, Aaron, I enjoy your company.” I pushed out a laugh, feeling a little breathless.

“I enjoy yours, too, Burns.” He smirked, closely watching my face.

I admired him for a moment, looking at the way his eyelashes touched the wisps of his hair. His golden-brown eyes sparkled in the glowing flames. My heart thumped louder in my chest.Aaron had an incredible magnetism to his soul. I often struggled to get out of his gravity, but my attempts were futile. Aaron’s warmth was inescapable, unavoidable...inevitable. I wanted it close. To warm up the coldest parts of my own soul.

A smirk danced on his lips. “You know, the dance was a disappointment for a lot of reasons, but it disappointed me for another reason entirely.”

I waited in the silence, still not fully understanding.

“Will you dance with me?” He stood and brushed the dirt from his pants. He beckoned to me graciously, holding out his hand.

“You’re kidding.” I grimaced. “With no music?”