Page 44 of Heartbeat Girl

“But it wasn’t me she was responding to.” Pete smirked.

“Your attraction is mutual, Liam.” Steve frowned.

I sucked in a breath as the sensation rocked me. It wasn’t my imagination. Not if they noticed, too. Raking my fingers through my hair, I looked back and forth between the guys. “I’m going for her. And you won’t stop me.”

Steve sighed. “It’s pointless. I saw it when you touched her bruised face that night. I knew you were a goner.” His lips flattened. “I think it’s the mating bond. Liam, I think Jayne’s your mate.”

Jayne’s your mate.

My skin tingled as the words echoed in my head.

“Come on, you know that’s not a real thing and Jayne’s human,” Pete said as Steve slung his arm over my shoulders. “You found her again. You’ve gotten this close to her. Now what?”

I hummed before answering him. “Eventually, I’m going to have to tell her I do bite.”

Pete laughed.

But my brain wouldn’t stop thinking about what Steve said and how stoic he was being about it. Jayne wasn’t a vampire, so how could I—

Could we be—

Mates?

One word and everything inside me made so much more sense with Jayne. It didn’t matter if such a thing existed or not with vampires. My feelings were infinite for that scared human. In the end, that was all that mattered.

When Steve caught me staring, he smiled slowly and muttered, “Not going to lie. I might not speak to you for a week if you feed from her. She smells heavenly, and you’ll be wrong keeping her to yourself.”

I punched him.

Chapter Sixteen

JAYNE

“Why do you keep calling me?” Barbara, Ruth’s mom, grumbled in my ear like she always did when I called.

“Because I miss you,” I replied. “How’s Moose?”

I’d grown attached to the dog after six months of living with him. I would have brought him with me on tour if I were braver. Handling three men seemed like a lot already, so I left him with Barbara for the summer.

“Getting fur everywhere,” she muttered.

I laughed. I’d seen her enough with him to know she loved the dog. She secretly gave him all the food Ruth never let him have. I’d probably have to put him on a diet when I got him back.

“It sounds busy there. Why are you bugging me when you should be working?”

I glanced at the workers lifting equipment backstage. Barbara was right about the noise. The place bustled with it.

“The stadium is busy. I’m not right now.”

I would be after the concert. I mentally groaned. How would I manage those three amidst their fans? I couldn’t. I’d just let the band do as they always did.Watch and observe.That was the goal. My plans failed last night. It was time for plan C—catch The Oppressors drinking blood.

“So you’re bored and trying to annoy me with your boredom. The dog is fine and stop calling.” Barb hung up on me.

I stared at the phone and murmured, “You hateful woman.”

Then I smiled.

“There she is!” I heard the familiar voice and turned.

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