Page 20 of Another Curvy Girl and Grumpy Vamp

“I couldn’t ignore it. It was like I was being dragged to you.”

“And that’s what you think the bite would… strengthen? This connection?”

He nods slowly, “Yes. The bite completes the bond. If you were in danger, I would know. It would mean I could protect you in ways I can’t right now.”

"Hmph," I say as we wait for the police to arrive. The night has been unsettling, but his words are even more so.

***

Back at the penthouse, the silence settles over us, but there’s something different now—a rawness that wasn’t there before. Baden paces by the window. Thank God, he's walking on hardwood floor. He would have worn a hole in carpet.He’s deep in thought. A shift in his stance tells me he's ready to finally talk. I slide over on the couch, patting the space beside me. He hesitates, then joins me, the tension in his shoulders easing as heleans back. We sit side by side, and I let the silence do its work, giving him room to open up.

His eyes are still intense, but there’s no guarded mask, no steel walls this time. It’s just him—vulnerable, human, in all the ways that matter. I reach for his hand, he takes it without hesitation, his fingers intertwining with mine.

“Baden, what happened out there… it showed me something.” He shifts, his jaw tightening, but I continue, squeezing his hand. “I can’t live in this weirdlimbo, always looking over my shoulder, half in, half out. You keep trying to protect me, but all it does is push me away.”

He looks down, his grip tightening on my hand. “I thought… if I could keep you safe—keep you close—then maybe I’d never have to face what happened with….”

“Claudia.” I say it gently, not as a threat or a ghost, but as a truth that needs to be laid bare. His eyes meet mine, and I see the pain there, the scars of loss he’s been hiding behind his need for control. But I don’t back down.

“Baden,” I say softly, “I’m not Claudia. And you’re not Luca. I’m here. I’m real. And I want to live my life… with you, not under you. If we’re going to be together, then we need to face this, not avoid it. That’s what tonight showed me. I was running away, and ran straight into danger.”

His eyes meet mine, and for the first time, there’s something breaking in that guarded expression, something I haven’t seen before. “You think I haven’t tried to let you in? That I don’t want this?” His voice shakes, raw with something close to desperation. “I want you, Merri. I want everything. But I also know that losing you would… destroy me.”

“Then don’t lose me,” I say, voice steady, fingers reaching up to cradle his face. “If you love me… if you want me, then let’s face this together. No more trying to keep me safe by keeping me at arm’s length. No more holding back.”

He closes his eyes, leaning into my touch, and I can feel the battle waging inside him. Every instinct is telling him to protect, to pull back, to keep me from the dangers he’s known too well. But there’s something else, something stronger—an unspoken promise between us.

“Merri,” he says in a whisper, “if I do this—if I bite you—it won’t be for protection. It will be… everything. A bond that we can’t break. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

I nod, resolved.Yes. Because I’d rather live a life completely connected to you, than spend a million lifetimes in half-measures. I want it all.”

He takes a shaky breath. “And you deserve it. But I swear to you,” he says, voice thick with emotion. “If something happens… if you’re taken from me, I’ll find you. I’ll search heaven and hell to bring you back. I’ll never stop, no matter how far I have to go.”

I lean forward, my lips brushing his. “Then, no more hesitating.”

His hand shakes as he lifts it to my neck, brushing the hair aside and leans down. His lips graze my skin, soft and tentative. The small hairs on my skin raise, seeking him. His scent sets me on the damn edge.Just do it already,I want to scream. I don't. It took me too long to get to this point. So, I give him time to catch up.

Finally, his fangs pierce my skin, warmth radiates from the bite, mingling pain and ecstasy. Connecting us…

Holy shit!

I can't read his mind, so I know we're not one. But he feels like an extension of myself—an extra appendage. Just another part of me that is, was and always will be. The bond flares, bright and intense. Every barrier, every wall we’ve built falls away. Leaving me with—his love, his fears, his unspoken devotion, all of it pouring into me like a raging waterfall. And I know he feels me too, the vulnerability, the trust I’ve given him, My… love.

I'm embarrassed. I want to hide. I'm still processing my feelings. It's been a helluva day. But this bond thing is a busybody gossip. As bad as high school girls passing notes.He says he likes you. Tell him I like him, too,and it does it. It keeps no secrets.

I have got to tell Nina. She will lose it when I try to describe mating. It's not becoming one at all. It's discovering another side of yourself. Aside you didn't know was missing. She decided to wait for her mate. I'll tell her it will be so worth the wait.

When he pulls away, there’s a softness in his eyes, a look of pure, unfiltered love that takes my breath away. I reach up, brushing a hand over his cheek, and he catches it, holding it to his lips.

“You’re… different,” he whispers, his voice breaking. "Stunning." He reverently brushes the sides of my face. "With the vaccine, everything was tinted gray. But you—you're far more beautiful than I imagined." He takes my lips devouring me in another soul crushing kiss. "You taste fucking amazing," he growls, spitting out the compliment, like an accusation. "But it’s not just you. Everything looks… brighter. I'd forgotten all the colors—so many hues. I don’t just feel resurrected, Merri—I'm reborn. A whole new creature.” He pulls me in, claiming my mouth in another fierce kiss. “And all because of you… and a damn parking space.”

His gaze sweeps over the room again before it lands on me. “You're my One. If we needed proof—this proves it.” You did this for me. Given me a gift no other could give." He cups my cheeks. "I love you. Love you for so many reasons. But this tops the list." He kisses me again. His lips smacking mine in excited furor. As if he can't get enough of the taste and feel of my mouth. And all of his joy, his wonder, his excitement fills me.

"You know, you'll never get rid of me now, right?" He asks while stroking my tongue.

"Yeah, I figured. Good thing, I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

I smile at him and when he returns it, his smile smothers the red flames in his vampire eyes, letting the man—the one who loves me—shine through.

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