Page 131 of Bitten By Desire
“He’s a vampire. I don’t know why you don’t believe me…”
“I do. He even confessed it to me himself.”
Bennett stared at me like I was insane. “But you just said you don’t want to be with me because I’ll hurt you. The same applies to him. I can’t help what I am. He can fucking help what he does.”
“He doesn’t hurt anyone anymore.”
“Emma. You can’t be that blind. Yes, I morph into a werecat when I’m angry. And I lose control. I barely even remember what happened when I come to again. But he remembers every second of ending a life. He likes it.”
“He doesn’t…”
“And you’ll be next.”
I slapped him.
He looked surprised by my reaction.
And for a second I stood completely still. Waiting for him to transform. But nothing happened.
“See?” he said. “I can control it. To some extent. I try my best. And when I can’t, that’s what the watch is for.”
“Callum can control himself too.”
Bennett shook his head. “Even if he can sometimes…that doesn’t guarantee that he always can. And no, I can’t always control when I change either. I don’t have control over what happens when I do change. But Callum does. So who’s the monster?”
I swallowed hard as I stared at him. “I don’t think you’re a monster, Bennett.” I believed that he tried not to change. The only thing that made him morph in the bank was because he got angry at the thought of Otto hurting me. And Otto changed because he was jealous or something? This was all so fucked up. But I knew Bennett was trying his hardest not to hurt anyone.
“Then we’re on the same page.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think you’re a monster. But I also don’t think Callum is.”
“Emma.”
I stared back at him. “Bennett.”
“What other proof do you need to realize that he’s the villain here?”
“He’s not. He’s not a monster. And he’s not a villain.”
“Then why does he want the pocket watch back? He wants it for himself. Probably to control you.”
I shook my head. “That’s not it.”
“Then why?”
“I think maybe this whole things is a big misunderstanding. If you honestly think it helps you guys…”
“It does.”
“Then I’ll tell him that. I’ll ask him to let you keep it. He’ll listen to me.”
“I don’t want you to ask him to let me keep the pocket watch. I just want to keep you.” He looked so sincere when he said it. Like maybe he thought this was love. But it wasn’t. It didn’t feel the same as when I was with Callum. And I was sure there was someone out there for him. Hell, maybe Zoey was his perfect fit.
“I’m sorry, Bennett.”
He shook his head. “He’s going to hurt you. And I’m not going to be there to save you next time.”
If I couldn’t be with Callum, I didn’t even want to be saved. I knew I had more questions for him. A thousand of them. But I’d been in love with the man for ten years. And he’d been in love with me too. We’d figure out all the rest together. We would.
