I held her gaze, wishing with all my might that I could lie to this girl.But I wouldn’t, never again.My previous deception left her unprepared for a fight she could never possibly win, an error in judgement I’d never forgive myself for making.
With a heavy sigh, I admitted, “Yes, it is a very big deal.”
Her shoulders deflated and it took every ounce of willpower I had not to pull her into my arms for comfort, but we had to do this now.The conversation could not wait any longer and we’d proven that we couldn’t be trusted to communicate—with words, anyway—if our bodies were too close together.I couldn’t allow myself to get swept up in her until I’d come clean.
And she’d obviously withheld a few things from me as well.
“Tell me about the blood bond, the deal Franco made...How much do you know?”
“Not much.”She sucked her teeth as she considered.“My mother died in childbirth, but somehow,Ilived, and now Eli’s blood runs through my veins.So...connect the dots, I guess.”
I nodded, having gleaned that much from things he’d said after they fought, but connecting the dots wasn’t as easy as she might have hoped.“The thing is, vampires can’t procreate, not unless both have royal blood, and unless your mom was somehow—”
Jacqueline snorted.“I don’t think my mom was a royal vampire, if that’s what you mean.”
I offered her a small smile.“It’s not the craziest thing to ever happen.I mean, vampires have been around a lot longer than humans realize.Hundreds of years before the treaty and our subsequent exposure to the masses.It’s not completely off base to think that Elias isn’t the only remaining royal on this continent, but...”I grimaced.“But that would mean...”I trailed off, reluctant to voice the direction my thoughts were intent to travel.
“That would mean Elias is my dad, and mydadis...was...not my dad.”Jacqueline sighed.“I don’t think so.Elias seemed shocked that I had his blood in my veins, and as annoyed as I was that he could hear my thoughts.I think...if he’d been with my mom...”
Her eyes went wide and I tensed.“Jacqueline...?”
She blinked, then shuddered.“Sorry, just thinking about that...”Shaking her head, she said more firmly, “No.There’s no way Eli is my dad.He hit on me.”
I stiffened, but I’d assumed as much.I’d witnessed their obvious interest in one another and—
“It wasn’t, like,outright,” she whispered.“More of a feeling I picked up on, some of the things he said or maybe just the way he said them.”
I nodded, too incensed to speak.
And then, as if the devil had been listening for his cue, he appeared.
Below, in the parking lot that backed up to the shop and apartment, two car doors slammed shut.Elias had returned.And he wasn’t alone.
I flew off the couch and Jacqueline gasped as I strode toward the door.
“Vinny?”she whispered.“What’s wrong?You’re scaring me.”
Her words stopped me in my tracks.I closed my eyes, tilted my head back, then exhaled, pushing my anger and that blinding rush of possessiveness out with my breath.Then I turned back around, walked to the couch and bent over it, cradling her face in one hand as I held her gorgeous blue gaze.“I’m sorry, sweet girl.I never want to scare you.”I placed a tender kiss on her forehead and added, “We have company.”
