In Blood and Worth Loving (17 page)

Neither Conner nor Jay had ever exhibited the proper respect for Marcella. Rather to
Adrian
’s surprise, Marcella had always shown a surprising tolerance towards them.
 
“Her name is Marcella. As you know, she hates being called Marcy.”

“Does she?”

Adrian
compressed his lips. “And leave her out of this.”

“Are you going to tell Brandi about her?”

“Marcella is none of her business or yours.”

Conner shrugged. “Still can't break the cord? You must know by now that Marcella isn't and never will be your blood.”

“You don’t know how I feel about either of them, Conner.”

“You and I both know that’s just not true. I’m sorry you’re feeling torn.”

“Save your sympathy for someone who needs it.” He turned and stormed from the room.

Conner flashed past him and leaned against the mansion’s front door.

He came to an abrupt halt to keep from running into Conner. “Get out of my way.”

“I will, but keep your temper under control,
Adrian
.”

“Get out of my way, Conner!”

Conner clamped a hand on the back of his neck. “Get a grip,
Adrian
. You’re in no condition to see her. She already needs reassurance. Take a little time to calm down.”

He clenched his right hand into a fist, half raised it, and then let it fall back to his side. As was often the case, Conner was right.
 

“When you see her, take her flowers and go out of your way to make her feel attractive.”

“If I didn’t find her attractive—”

“I’m not the one you need to convince,
Adrian
. She is. You weren’t very kind to her when you left.”

“Is that what she told you?”

“No, but we both know that’s true,
Adrian
.”

He sighed. “I didn’t intentionally…I…”

“I’m sure it wasn’t intentional and I know why you had so little control.”

He silently shook his head.

Conner nodded. “The time for denial is past,
Adrian
. 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.”

“And if I’m not you’ll be waiting to step in?”

Conner shook his head. “I was teasing,
Adrian
. I didn’t ask her out. My only interest in her stems from what she means to you and Rayna.”

“Did she…was she attracted to you?”

“No. She sat beside me wishing I were you.”

“You’re sure of that?”

“Absolutely.”

Adrian
blew out a relieved breath.

Conner slapped the back of his neck. “When you go see her, remember she doesn’t owe you any explanations. She’s free to see and sleep with who she likes.”

“No, she isn’t!”

Conner arched a brow. “It’s like that, is it?”

“Like what?”

“You get to fuck who you like and she gets to sit home waiting to see what kind of mood you’re in when you can trust yourself to see her?”

He narrowed his gaze. “You have a problem with that?”

“Me?” Conner shook his head. “Nope. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.”

Chapter Eleven

His twin’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this so damned much.”

Conner sighed. “Unfortunately you’ll get to return the favor one day when I meet a woman who turns my life upside down as she does yours.”

“I’ve known her for a weekend. I’ve only seen her twice.”

“So? What’s your point? No one can say how falling in blood will affect any given vampire. I don’t plan to fall within a single weekend, but clearly you have.”

He parted his lips.

Conner lifted a hand. “Don’t bother denying what we both know is true,
Adrian
. After you’ve had time to get your temper under control, go see her. Remember the flowers and that her birthday is approaching. Buy her a birthday present that conveys how you feel about her—even if you’re not ready to admit it to anyone. Make sure it’s something that will tell her just how much she and your child will mean to her.”

Adrian
swallowed hard. “My child? You’re assuming a lot.”

“It doesn’t take much of an assumption when you’re so out of control. Meeting her has obviously driven you into blood. I know this is a difficult time for you and you’re in turmoil, but you need to treat her with a lot more consideration, even going so far as to show way more affection than you did on Saturday night unless you want another male to raise your child.”

Adrian
took a slow, deep breath. After so many years of hoping in vain he’d go into blood, he’d given up hope of ever becoming a father.
 
Now, despite secreting blood with Brandi, he couldn’t quite imagine himself as a father. Nor could he imagine allowing any other male to touch Brandi—even if she weren’t pregnant. But he wasn’t about to admit that to Conner. “You’re assuming a lot,” he said again.

“Am I? We both know how our chances of getting a lover pregnant multiply when we’re in blood.”

“I’m not in blood. And even if I were, that wouldn’t mean she’s pregnant.”

“Do you want her to be,
Adrian
?”

The thought of Brandi carrying his child left him with mixed emotions. Part of him liked the idea of her having his baby. Another part dreaded taking on the responsibility of raising another child.

“Why?” Conner asked. “We didn’t do so badly with Rayna, Adrian.”

He arched a brow. “Didn’t we?”

Conner laughed. “Okay, she’s a spoiled brat who spends money like it was free and she’s determined to have her way. But she’s also kind, sweet, loving, and very quick to volunteer and work her ass off when the occasion calls for it. She’s a good girl. We did a good job with her and you’ll do a better one with your child with Brandi.”

His child with sweet, passionate, unforgettable Brandi Knight. He shook his head. “I don’t think she wants to see me again.”

“Of course she does.”

He glanced down at his nails. “Did she tell you she wanted to see me?”

“No.”

Damn. He looked up at Conner. “Then what are you basing that conclusion on?”

“She’d hardly have been so distraught if you hadn’t stirred her emotions.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “I forced myself on her. That’s reason enough to distress a human woman.”

“I’m sure it is, but you also stopped when she asked you.”

“After ignoring her initial pleas.”

Conner sighed. “No one’s perfect.”

He grimaced. “I’m sure she certainly doesn’t think I am.”

“Maybe not, but you didn’t see the look on her face when she thought I was you. Her eyes lit up and she was a second away from jumping up and tossing herself into my arms. She looked like a woman ready to forgive you. Trust me. She wants to see you again.”

Adrian
released a relieved breath. Did she still think there was something in him worth loving? “Do you think she…”

“I know she wants to see you again,
Adrian
. I also know you need to be as gentle with her as you can be. She’s afraid and badly in need of your assurance that you care about her. You do care about her. Don’t you?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what I feel.”

“The time to figure that out is before you see her,
Adrian
.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t know that I am going to see her.”

“You’ll need to make contact with her soon or risk losing her to her human lover.”

A knot of rage tightened his gut. “Unless this lover of hers has a death wish, he’d better keep his hands off her.”

Conner moved his hand onto his shoulder. “Don’t do anything that she might find impossible to forgive—like killing him. You’d do well to remember that she thinks a lot of him.”

“Then she’ll have fond memories of him to console her if he makes me kill him.”

Conner sighed. “Be careful,
Adrian
. And if you need me, call me.”

He nodded.

Conner stepped away from the entrance door.

Adrian
jerked it open and hurried down the front steps.

Conner cleared his throat. “And you’re going where again?”

Adrian
stopped. He didn’t know where she lived. Why the hell hadn’t he checked her wallet while she slept so Conner would have less to smirk about? He turned to face him. “I don’t know. Where am I going?”

Conner gave him the address. “Don’t go see her until you can be gentle and do not doom your chances with her by hurting the boyfriend.”

“If you want to ensure that, I suggest you contact him and warn him to stay the hell away from her.”

“If that’s what it’ll take to save you from yourself, I just might do that.”

Adrian
got in his car and left the mansion grounds. Several hours later, he lay naked in Marcella’s bed.

She sat beside him, stroking his hair.

He waited for her to point out that the sex they’d just shared had left a lot to be desired.