CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

B rayden grinned as he caught Willow in his arms. He hadn’t smiled all day, yet less than a second in her company, and his face muscles were getting a workout.

“Oh!”

He loved how flustered she was. Suddenly his face fell. “You’re dressed up. Are you going out?”

If she said she was going out with another male, he’d be ending a life tonight. No question about it. He felt his fangs aching.

God, things were really escalating.

“I thought you were still unwell, so I accepted an invite to dinner.”

They stepped back in the house, and he pulled the bag off her shoulder. Her eyes followed the bag, then looked back up into his eyes.

He lowered his lips to hers and let them gently and seductively open hers. When he slipped inside, all hope at going slow disappeared.

She was like a drug. Passion fired within him like the fourth of July fireworks. He grasped her head, her body, pulling her up against him, her pebbled nipples pressing through their clothes. The little moan which escaped hit the spot, and his cock went from excited to completely invested in the outcome in a split second.

This female undid him.

“Hi,” she said when they finally had to stop for oxygen.

“Bedroom,” he instructed huskily.

“I can’t.” His eyes darkened at her refusal. She touched his bicep and squeezed. “I have to go, or I’ll be late. Why don’t you come with me?”

“That’s what I was trying to do,” he growled into her hair.

“Stop it.” She giggled.

“You don’t want me to stop, Willow. How long do we have?” He stared heatedly at her, and she knew he had no intention of stopping.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Twenty minutes, but traffic...”

He flipped her around and pushed her up against the wall. “Stop thinking. I’ll get us there on time. Now, panties off.”

While she followed his instructions, he undid his fly and removed his shirt; it would only get in the way. His cock sprung free.

“Brayden, be gentle.”

He ran a hand up her thigh, lifting her dress. “I will, baby.”

He kissed her neck, forcing his needle-sharp fangs to stay put. She groaned and arched back into him. He had to be so careful from this point on. If he bit her, it would trigger her change, and he was not fucking doing that.

Cock firm in one hand, he pushed Willow’s legs apart with his foot. A few fingers told him she was already wet enough, so he lifted her and pushed inside.

“Oh God, yes,” he cried. He needed this so badly. To feel her around his cock, to know it was her and no one else.

Willow clutched the wall while he rode her gently but with greed. He needed to go deeper. Slipping out, Brayden led them to the sofa. “Here, baby.” She stepped into his outstretched arms, straddled his body, and sat down on his cock. Wet, slippery, and tight. “Fuck, yes.”

Sucking a nipple, then the other, he rubbed her clit and watched Willow’s face change as the ecstasy built up. Gripping her hips, he sped them up, pressing her into him to increase the friction and pleasure as she glided up and down his hard cock.

He knew she was ready. His cock swelled.

“Yes, fuck, Willow,” he said as she let go and he simultaneously filled her with his need.

She collapsed against his chest, and he kissed her head, running his hands through her hair. He didn’t say it out loud, but in his head, he said I missed you.

“You okay?” He probably could have been much gentler with her, but his need to possess her made it difficult. He was a vampire, so was already holding back his natural strength, and now he had to keep his fangs out of her skin. It would only get worse the more time they spent together.

“Worth it,” she mumbled against his chest. He tipped her chin up to look at him and delighted in how spent she looked.

“Your eyes!” she exclaimed, touching his face.

Oh crap.

Of course she’d notice his eyes. They spent a lot of their time gazing at each other like a fucking Hallmark card.

“Oh. Contacts. Different ones,” he lied.

She nodded and lay back on his chest. Patting her bare bottom, Brayden reminded her they had to get moving.

Moments later they stepped outside, and Brayden pulled her into his arms. “Forgive me. You won’t remember this in a moment.”

He ported them to the Venice Beach restaurant and silenced her squeal with a kiss. Capturing her gaze, he rearranged her memory.

Forget that happened. We caught an Uber here and made it in good time.

No way was he wiping her memory of their sexual encounter. He wasn’t crazy.

Willow looked around, then grabbed his hand. “This way!”

They headed toward the restaurant, and Brayden prepared himself for an evening socializing with humans, something he’d not done, aside from with Willow, for a long, long time.

“Hey!” a voice shouted out and a hand waved in the air. A woman with long curly red hair, who was sitting next to two men, called them over.

He pulled Willow to a halt.

“Willow,” he said darkly. “Is this a double date? Are you being set up?”

She looked over at the table, back at him, and burst out laughing. His eyes narrowed at her. A bonded male was dangerous. Brayden dug deep for patience, knowing his human had no way of understanding what was going on with him.

“Hell no. That’s Mark and Simon. They’re about as interested in my vagina as a blind man in sunrises.”

Or a vampire.

He instantly relaxed.

“Not a fan myself,” he muttered and nudged her toward the table.

“Sunsets?”

“Much more my taste.” He grinned, taking her hand.

“You’re so romantic.”

If staying alive was romantic, then yes, he was Mr. fucking Darcy. A round of hellos, introductions, and handshakes ensued as they joined the group.

“Please excuse my rudeness, Brayden, but helloooo, Willow, you never told me you were seeing someone.”

He watched Willow blush and realized they hadn’t discussed this. Likely she’d planned to have a chat during the drive over, but he’d taken the opportunity from her. The way she was glancing around the group, it was clear she was uncomfortable. He decided to take the lead, hoping he was doing the right thing.

“It’s my fault. Willow didn’t get my text saying I was coming over, so she felt obliged to invite me tonight.”

Talk about a nonanswer.

“I doubt it. Our Willow never feels obliged,” Simon quipped, sipping on his fruity cocktail.

Our Willow?

No. She was his.

“Brayden’s only in town another few days,” she said, offering her friends an apologetic glance and another nonanswer.

They were quite the pair.

Everyone politely nodded and smiled, jumping to their own conclusions.

Brayden would have moved on. However, the dominant bonded male in him was still stuck on Simon’s comment.

He knew modern human women considered dominance as controlling and a potential danger, but he needed the world to know she was his. Because ripping the male’s head off was not good dining etiquette, he slipped an arm along the back of Willow’s chair and ran his thumb across the arch of her neck.

Brayden had ignored it for days, but now it was obvious. If a fellow vampire saw them together, they would know he was bonded.

Well, fuck.

“So, what’s good here?” he asked, smiling at the group.

When he was asked the usual questions during the meal, he gave them his elevator pitch—the one that had changed and evolved over the years to fit into the human world.

Property investment was boring when you forgot to mention you were a vampire and owned castles on three continents, mansions in over one hundred and twenty global locations, commercial property, and an island.

“I hear you’re painting your house, Brianna.”

The swift change of topic had nervous eyes darting around the table. Yeah, he knew he’d stirred up the hornet nest a little, but he wanted the attention off him.

“I am. Actually, I have some of the paint swatches with me if yo—”

“No.”

“Nooooo.”

“God, no, please.”

Willow’s friend took another bite of her fish tacos and shrugged. Brayden didn’t miss the way she squinted before masking her pain. Or that Willow had noticed.

“Just paint the damn house, Bri. You can always change it if you don’t like it,” Mark said. “I’ve redone mine three times in the past five years.”

“You’re a decorator and change your style more than your underwear,” Simon said, tossing his drink and waving for the waiter.

“It’s true, you do.” Willow laughed. “Anyway, change of topic please.”

Brayden watched Willow reach under the table to pat her friend’s hand. He wanted to help the girl, and when he got the chance, he would. She was clearly a good friend of his mate, and for that alone, he’d help her.

“Anyway, what gives with the Hawaiian shirts?” Willow asked.

“We’re starting early. Oh, you don’t know. We’re going to Hawaii on Monday.”

“So lucky. I love Hawaii,” she said dreamily. “Have you been, Bray?”

He shook his head.

Tropical islands weren’t an easy place for vampires to visit, which was why they’d purchased and set up their own island.

“You love the beach, though, right?” she asked.

Brayden made a mental note that the ocean was important to her. Just like his mother. Guiliana Moretti had often spoken of her love of the sun and sand. His blood chilled. If she was his mate, Willow would hate him for taking that away from her.

“Yes. My favorite time is at night, just after sunset.”

“I agree. Speaking of, how about we head down to the pier and get ice creams for dessert?” Mark proposed.

Willow grinned. “Yes!”

The cold around his heart melted as he watched her face lit up at the simple idea of ice cream at the beach.

Then she glanced at him, and the watery sparkle in her eyes sent a hint of unspoken emotions. Did she feel more than just a physical attraction for him? As his mate, she should. Like him, her feelings would be developing rapidly and be confusing.

The others walked ahead of them discussing flavors as he wrapped his arm around her. She tipped her head into his shoulder.

“Thank you for coming tonight.”

“Where you are, I am.”

“For another few days,” she said as they reached the ice cream parlor. It was full of people looking to quench their sweet tooth and stay cool in the warm Californian night air.

“I plan to kidnap you and bring you home with me.” He wasn’t entirely joking. Brayden’s smile widened as he watched her eyes sparkle with laughter.

“Do you now?”

He whispered against her lips. “Yes.”

The others took their ice creams and sat down, and Brayden stepped up to the counter to order. As he was about to speak, out of the corner of his eye, he saw metal.

“Hands in the air!” a voice yelled. In stepped a mask-wearing man holding a pistol. He pointed it at the young man who had been serving. “Nobody move and there won’t be any trouble.”

He waved the gun around, and Brayden wanted to snap the moron’s neck. He pushed Willow behind him, her heart beat thundering in his ear. Sure, he could hear all the humans around him going into a state of shock—blood pumping, gasps, little cries. Yet it was Willow’s heart rate that was front and center.

“Oh God,” she exclaimed as she clenched the back of his shirt.

His eyes remained on the gunman, studying him.

“I said don’t move, asshole,” the guy yelled at him. Brayden nodded. If there was one thing a vampire did well, it was stillness.

The perp’s eyes were covered in gauze, so the option of manipulating his mind was off the table. Damn.

“No problem. How about you let my girl go?” he asked calmly.

Brayden did a quick scan of the room. Only one guy. One gun. Two exits. Security cameras. They wouldn’t be monitored.

A shitload of people.

He knew his vampire speed would allow him to reach the guy before he shot him. Not that Brayden cared if he did. He’d heal. What he couldn’t guarantee was a stray bullet wouldn’t hit Willow. She was directly behind him and would likely take the hit.

He wouldn’t take the risk. She was too important.

Brayden realized at that moment how his life had irrevocably changed. No longer was the king his priority. His mate was.

“She stays put. You all stay put. Move again, I shoot.”

Yeah, no, you won’t, you little fucker.

If Willow was hit, he could save her life with his blood, but that would turn her. So no. He wasn’t taking the risk. He’d made the promise to always give his mate the choice of becoming a vampire or not, and he was following through with it. No fucked-up junkie was going to change that.

“Just take the money and go,” the shaking server said.

The gunman waved the gun between the young guy and Brayden. He suspected this was his first robbery, or he could be on drugs. It didn’t matter either way—he simply wanted Willow safe.

The guy became fixated with him, his vampire size and presence likely intimidating the gunman. For once, his size wasn’t serving him.

Willow gripped his waistband and he slowly wound his hand behind him, rubbing her back. “S’okay, baby.”

“I said shut it.” More wavy, wavy of the gun.

He’d had enough. Another sweep of his eyes, and he had his strategy. He caught the eye of the ice cream server and locked on.

Put the money into the bag. Slowly. Do it now.

All he needed was a distraction of a few seconds.

Craig, need you to port to me right now. Guy with a gun. Secure the shop and prepare for some memory rearrange.

Roger that.

A second later, Craig appeared beside him. Head-to-toe black sweats, no shoes. He’d been working out.

“What the...!”

Ignoring the humans, Brayden gave his commander half a second to assess the situation before he gave him instructions.

He’s mine. Move Willow and get the door so nobody leaves.

The server began filling the bag with money, and as predicted, the gunman’s greedy eyes followed the green notes.

In three, two, and GO.

Brayden jumped the counter with vamp speed, whipped the gun out of his hand, and elbowed him in the face. He went down.

“Arrghh,” Willow cried as Craig whipped her across the room.

Brayden jumped back over the counter and took her arms while Craig flashed to the door. He hated the look of terror on her face. Grabbing her chin, he spoke, “I promise to explain all this one day, but for now, sleep, baby.”

She collapsed in his arms, and he laid her gently on the ground. Craig had heard every word, despite the cries and screams going on around them. He’d have questions, but Brayden wasn’t going to answer them tonight. Right now, they needed to finish cleaning up.

“My God, how did you...?”

And cue the typical human questions.

“Are you special ops?”

“If special means I want to drain your blood, then yes, ma’am.” Craig smirked as the woman gasped. Brayden rolled his eyes.

“Stop fucking around.”

Craig grinned wider. “Hey, just having some fun while cleaning up your mess, my prince.”

He ignored the smartass comment. He wasn’t the prince right now, though technically that wasn’t possible. Craig was right; tonight, he was a friend helping him out of a mess.

“Just get on with it, Brad Pitt.”

The guy snorted at their private joke and began to whip around the shop. In a few short minutes, they had wiped everyone’s memories, and all fifteen of the humans were currently in a temporary trance.

Brayden grabbed the young server and raised him to his feet.

Forget any of this happened. When you wake, wipe the security tapes and carry on with your job.

Over his shoulder, Craig short-circuited the cameras. They’d done this a thousand times, and likely would a million more.

“You want me to clean this up?” Craig kicked the gunman. Brayden stared at the collapsed human. The sad reality was that the guy was probably desperate and hungry, trying to feed his family.

He kneeled and shoved a hundred in his pocket. “Drop him a mile away.”

“Gotcha.” Craig looked around. “That it?”

Brayden nodded, then lifted Willow off the floor. “I need you to keep what you saw—”

“Don’t fucking say it, Jesus, Brayden.”

His jaw tightened. “I’m the prince, Craig. You know the repercussions for her.” He watched his commander and friend lower his eyes and take in the human lying in his arms. His eyes followed. “I’m still getting my head around it.”

Craig ran his hand over his short hair and let out a long breath. “Shit, man.”

He pressed his lips together and nodded.

“All right, I’m out of here. See you back at the pad.” Craig ported out, taking the gunman with him.

Brayden looked around at the sleeping humans. He eyed Brianna slumped in her seat, and with Willow still in his arms, he walked over and crouched down until he was level with her empty stare.

It’s time to heal your broken heart, Brianna. You still love your husband and honor his memory, but now you move forward and live your life. Paint the house, open your heart, and live.

Human life was so short. Over his lifetime, he’d seen so many people live and die in what felt like a blink of an eye. Even with his immortality, he recognized life was a gift. So many of them wasted their precious time dwelling on anger and pain. It did nothing more than extend their suffering. It made no sense to him.

Forgive and move on. Or kill the offender. But yeah, humans usually couldn’t do that.

He placed Willow on her feet, arm around her, then said, “Awaken.”

Around him, the room came to life. The server immediately swung into action and disappeared out the back to delete the footage. People resumed their all-important discussions about ice cream flavors, chatting away as if nothing had happened.

As he and Craig had dictated.

“What are you having?” Willow asked beside him. “I’m going crazy and getting double chocolate chip.”

“I’ll have the same.” He kissed her nose, enjoying the view of her perky bottom as she stepped up to the counter to place their orders.

Brayden turned to check on Brianna. She gave him a little smile. Beside her, the twins were sucking on their fingers. Ice creams were melting at a fast rate all around them, and there were some confused faces. Yeah, he had thought about it, but it hadn’t been a priority. Still, he smiled at the amount of high-speed licking going on.

He winked at Brianna and her smile widened.

“She looks happy,” she said, nodding at Willow.

He followed her eyes and found his human laughing, conversing with a handful of people. They were joking about upsizing their ice creams or some such thing. His heart swelled.

“She is. And I promise she always will.”

Something had passed between them when he’d healed her mind. Trust. A type of bond.

“That’s all I need to hear.”