In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover (6 page)

* * *

After a very forgettable night of carousing with a succession of fems who meant absolutely nothing to him, Conner arrived at his Rittenhouse Square condo just after two p.m. to find his identical twin brother pacing the length of his living room. He suppressed a sigh and tossed his jacket onto the sofa before sinking down onto his loveseat.

He narrowed his gaze. What part of
I need some time alone
had Adrian not understood during their last phone conversation?
“
Adrian? Is that you?
”

Adrian stopped pacing and turned to frown at him.
“
What the hell, Conner? Is your eyesight failing along with your commonsense?
”

“
My eyesight is fine, along with my commonsense. I
’
m just unaccustomed to seeing you without Brandi attached to your hip. Well, actually, you
’
re usually the one attached to her hip. How does it feel being out on your own?
”

“
What
’
s your point, Conner?
”

“
You
’
ve become more than a little needy with her. Don
’
t you think? Wanting her with you so often I
’
m embarrassed for you.
”

“
What the fuck, Conner. She
’
s my blood and I make no damned apologies or excuses for admitting that I like being with her. Hell, I think I
’
m even in love with her.
”

“
Love? Are you talking romantic love?
”

“
What other kind of love would I feel for my wife?
”

“
What the fuck? Romantic love, Adrian? Really?
”

“
Yes, Conner. Romantic love. Really.
”

“
Adrian
–
”

“
No. I mean it. I didn
’
t think I was capable of feeling romantic love anymore but I am. I feel it for her.
And you know what? I like the feeling.
”

“
And I suppose Jayvyn imagines he
’
s in love with Cayenne too
and likes the feeling
?
”

He arched a brow.

“
Romantic love? This is what comes of dating human women. They make a full-blood crazy. My god, Adrian, listen to yourself. First you and now Jayvyn. You
’
re both pathetic.
”

“
If you want to know how Jayvyn feels, I suggest you ask him
. Do
you know what
he and I have
in common?
”

“
Raging madness induced by allowing yourselves to be seduced by human women?
”

Adrian laughed.
“
Call it whatever the hell you like, but even you
’
d have to admit that we
’
re happy. And I think we can agree that you
’
re not happy. So yes, Conner, I
’
m in love with Brandi. If you have a problem with that, it
’
s your problem. Don
’
t try to make it mine because I
’
m happier than I
’
ve ever been.
”

“
You
’
re serious.
”

“
Damn right I am.
”

“
Pitiful.
”

“
Yeah? Well, call it what you like, but don
’
t you dare make any of your nasty remarks in front of Brandi.
”

“
Or?
”
he challenged.

Adrian stalked across the room to glare down at him.
“
Or I
’
ll rip you a new one.
”

The rage that was never far from the surface lately, quickly spread through him. He rose to face Adrian.
“
I
’
m not in a very good mood and I
’
d strongly suggest you not try ripping me a new one.
”

“
Perhaps if you pulled your head out of your ass long enough to admit the obvious, your mood might improve. And I meant what I said. Say whatever the hell you like to me, but you
’
d damn sure better watch what you say to Brandi. Do or say anything to hurt her and I just might forget we
’
re brothers.
”

He wanted to insist he didn
’
t care about Adrian or Brandi, but the words wouldn
’
t come.
“
Fuck off, Adrian.
”

“
Why the hell won
’
t you admit that you
’
re as ready to settle down as I was when I met Brandi?
”

“
Because unlike you, I am not going to dance to some manipulative human woman
’
s tune.
”

“
I
’
ll tell you what you told me when I was being an ass and refusing to admit that Brandi was my blood: it
’
ll be easier for you if you accept the inevitable.
”

“
You
’
re delusional, Adrian.
”

He shook his head.
“
Again, as you told me about Brandi:
‘
The time for denial is past. We both know what
’
s happening…what has happened to you. Because she is who she is, you have to be very careful with her.
’
“

Having his own advice tossed in his face pissed him off.
“
In case you haven
’
t been paying attention, Adrian, I haven
’
t been around her.
”

“
So I
’
ve heard and that
’
s a problem. Rayna had lunch with her today and she
’
s planning to go out on the prowl tonight.
”

He tensed.
“
What?
”

“
Take care of her needs, Conner or someone else will.
”

A knot of rage tightened his throat.
“
What makes you think I care how some silly human bimbo wannabe spends her Friday night?
”

Adrian narrowed his gaze and compressed his lips.
“
There
’
s no need to use such disrespectful language when talking about her. You know she deserves better than that shit from you.
”

“
Whatever! She
’
s free to see whoever the hell she likes. If she wants to behave like a slut, she can do that too!
”

“
There
’
s no need to talk like that. Just give her what she needs. She
’
s your blood.
”

“
That
’
s a determination only I
’
m qualified to make, Adrian!
”

“
Are you going to deny that you secrete blood when you make love to her?
”

Many full-bloods only secreted blood during sex when they were
in blood
or in love. The secretion of blood during sex increased a vampire
’
s admittedly slim chan
c
e of impregnating his partner. Even though Adrian was in blood with Brandi and secreting like a bat out of hell, he given up any hope of getting her pregnant.

Conner sucked in a breath.
“
I
’
ll let you know when and if I actually make love to her.
”

Adrian frowned.
“
What? Are you telling me you
’
ve never fucked her?
”

“
Isn
’
t that what I just said?
”

“
Why the hell not? No wonder she wants to look elsewhere.
”

“
Just because I haven
’
t fucked her doesn
’
t mean I haven
’
t satisfied her.
”

“
Whatever you
’
ve done clearly isn
’
t enough. So give her what she wants. I
’
ve rarely met anyone more willing. Why deny you both what you want and need?
”

“
How many times do I need to tell you that I am not going to fall for her, Adrian?
”

“
You can say it as many times as you like. Each time you do, we both know it
’
s pure, unadulterated bullshit. You might be able to convince others you don
’
t need her but not me, Conner. We
’
re two parts of one whole. Just as you know what I feel, I know what you feel. I know what you feel and how deeply and desperately you feel it.
”

“
This conversation is pointless. Now is there anything else we need to discuss before you leave, allowing me to shower in peace?
”

Adrian hesitated, staring at him.

He frowned.
“
What
’
s wrong?
”
he asked, suddenly concerned by the reserve he felt in his twin.
“
Is Rayna all right?
”

“
You
’
d know that yourself if you stopped avoiding her.

“
I
’
m not in the mood to be
handled
anymore by her.
”

“
Why not? You have to admit she has a rare gift. She
handled
Jayvyn and
me
beautifully.
”

“
I
’
m not you or Jayvyn and I want to pick my own blood in my own time.
”

“
It
’
s a bit late for that attitude, Conner, but keep up the pretense if it makes you feel better.
”

He compressed his lips.
“
If it
’
s not Rayna, is it Brandi? Is she okay?
”

“
She
’
s fine,
”
he said after a long pause.

“
Are you sure? Look, Adrian, I was pissed but you know I
’
m fond of her.
”

“
Fond of her?
”

He shrugged.
“
Okay. I love her like a sister-in-law. Satisfied? I didn
’
t mean anything by my remark about your being joined at the hip with her.
”

Adrian nodded.
“
I know.
”

“
So if she
’
s all right and Rayna
’
s all right, what is it? I know Jay
’
s all right because he called me last night. What are you not telling me?
”

“
It
’
ll keep for now. Just please be careful, Conner. You know how very easily you can hurt Desi and we both know you don
’
t want to do that.
”

“
Why the fuck do you think I
’
ve stayed away from her? To keep from hurting her like you did Brandi and Jay did Cayenne. We won
’
t even talk about Jane.
”

“
No we won
’
t talk about her. What happened to her was tragic but
she dictated her own fate. It’s past time that you forgave
yourself.
”

“
Even if I did forgive myself, she
’
s still dead.
”

“
That
’
s an unfortunate fact that you can
’
t change. Deal with it and move on with the present with Desi. You
’
re hurting her in a different way and you
’
re dragging this
in blood, not in blood with her
shit out far longer than I would have thought possible.
”

“
T
hat
’
s because I
’
m not in blood
–
”

“
You know what, Conner? I don
’
t give a flying fuck how much you deny it, she
’
s your blood. Vamp up and admit it before she decides you aren
’
t the only full-blood worth loving. She
’
s going to flee to the arms of another full-blood if you don
’
t get your shit in gear and make a damned move.
”

“
Fuck you, Adrian! When I want your advice I
’
ll ask for it.
”

“
When you need advice, I
’
ll give it whether you ask for it or not
–
as you rightly did with me when I was the dickhead of the hour.
”
Adrian suddenly reached out and put his arm around his shoulders.
“
You
’
ve always been the sane one and the glue that
’
s held
us
together as a family. We need you back, Conner. Do what you need to do soon. Please. When you have, you and I need to talk.
”

“
We can talk now.
”

“
It
’
ll keep for a while longer.
”
He glanced at his watch and grinned suddenly.
“
Now it
’
s time I left so I can rush home and reattach myself to my lovely wife
’
s hip.
”

“
Give her my love.
”

“
I will and you know you have hers, Conner. It goes without saying that you have and always will have mine, along with my eternal loyalty and willingness to die for you if necessary.
”