Page 13 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Four

“Fine.” She makes her way for the door. “But don’t talk to me.”

“As if I have anything to say to you,” Cal says.

“Jerk,” Sam says.

“Brat,” Cal says and follows her through the wreckage of the front door.

“That’s either going to be a match made in Heaven or a train wreck,” I say as I watch them leave.

Bran sets the canister of sugar on the counter and comes over to me. “You—”

“Oh, don’t start with me too.”

“I owe you an apology,” he finishes.

That pulls me to a stop.

“Umm…really? You owe me an apology?”

“Don’t get cocky about it,” he says.

“Me? Cocky? Never.”

He takes my hand in his and brings my wrist to his nose. He inhales, his eyes slipping closed. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression you should be worried about me or about us.” He opens his eyes again and there is the hint of sharp fangs in his mouth. “We have a lot to figure out and much to discuss, but I don’t want you worried about us.

“We stand side by side,” he adds. “Partners. We will not hide from one another. Promise me, Mouse.”

I lick my lips as his mouth drags closer to the thumping pulse point in my wrist. “Tell me the truth.”

“About what?”

“Are you afraid of me?”

Dropping my arm, he takes another step closer, closing the final gap between us. His thumb drags over my bottom lip. “I trust that this mouth will do only what it needs to do. No more and no less.”

My tongue darts out to meet him and his eyes flare to life.

“But I need you to trust me, Mouse.”

“I do.”

“No. I mean it. You may have more power than either of us expected, but I have centuries worth of experience.”

I roll my eyes at him. “That feels very close to mansplaining to me.”

His expression doesn’t change. If anything, he grows more serious. “I need you to trust me.”

I tip my head to look up at him, his eyes starting to bleed to that bright gold. “Okay. But I need you to let me make mistakes.”

I hear his teeth clench. Loudly.

“That’s the promise I need from you.”

“Mouse—”

“I can’t become who I’m supposed to become by being coddled.”

His eyes close again and the breath he takes is long and deep.

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