I tilted my head as I studied his demeanor. Gone was the confident asshole and behold the timid caring man. “It could’ve been worse. If you all hadn’t shown up, I‘m not sure I’d be here right now.”
Jax let out a low growl and hopped down off the bed, swishing his tail at me as he went into the ensuite bathroom and pawed the door closed.
I rolled my eyes at his dramatics.
Thaddeus watched him leave and made his way toward the bed to sit next to me. “Just because it could’ve been worse doesn’t mean it won’t hurt, love. Your family may not have been killed, but they’re just as unattainable to you as if they were. That man gave up his life for yours. Grieving is more than expected.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Have you grieved for your family?”
The muscle in his jaw hardened. “Grieving is for the innocent.”
I reached out and pressed my palm to his cheek as he stared at me. “Thaddeus, it wasn’t your fault. You were used as a weapon.”
Pain was etched on his face as he leaned into my hand. “When I came to, I had their blood coating my skin and in my mouth, and I liked it.”
I gulped. Corbin’s death was horrific, but it wasn’t by my own hands. I couldn’t imagine what Thaddeus had been through.
“No. I can’t imagine that, but I do know that you didn’t know what was happening. You avenged their deaths by killing that vampire. You should be fucking proud of that.”
His eyes darted to my lips before snapping back to my eyes. “I should go.”
“Yeah, you probably should.” My thumb moved back and forth as I inched a little closer, the blanket slipping down to my lap. “I promised you I wouldn’t initiate anything with you, so unless you’re going t—”
He cut me off with his lips, and I melted into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and climbing onto his lap without a care in the world about being half-naked. His hands traveled down my sides and gripped my ass hard, fingers biting into my flesh with precision. It sent tingles of pain through the cheeks as his lips moved against mine.
I gasped as he stood and threw us down on the bed, his body pinning mine down.
He kissed down my jawline to my ear. “I’m going to regret this later, but can I just stop thinking for once?” His hot breath hit my skin, shooting a heatwave through me.
“Of course.” My fingers curled in his dark locks of hair. “Don’t think about anything. Just feel me.”
“I’m not like my brothers, love. I’m fucked up.”
“What if I like fucked up?”
His pupils dilated and his fangs descended as he leaned in closer. “I’d say you’re playing a dangerous game.”
My fangs lengthened. “Let’s play then.”
A growl reverberated from his chest, vibrating against me as he trailed his fangs down my neck to the upper swell of my breast. His fangs sliced my skin open with ease, leaving two parallel trails of black blood behind them. There was a slight stinging as my skin warmed, healing almost instantly.
A seed of desire sprouted somewhere deep inside me as his tongue darted over the lines his fangs made. I let out a breathless moan as my head fell back against the mattress. His tongue electrified every fucking nerve in my body.
“Fancy that, hmm?” His breath tickled my collar bone.
I jerked his head up by the hand fisted in his hair, and he smirked. I wasn’t sure where this side of Thaddeus came from, but I sure as hell didn’t want it to leave. “Lovedthat.”
He gripped my wrist until I eased up on my hold on him, and he pinned both arms above my bed with a warning growl. “I fancy watching you squirm more than I thought I would.”
I snorted. “Gee, thanks. Are you going to get on with it or just tease me all night?”
His tongue swept across his bottom lip as he stared down at me with mischievous as fuck eyes. “All night sounds promising.”
“But you’ll be gone in the morning?”
“I’ll be gone right after.”
My heart twisted a bit, but I knew Thaddeus would deprive himself of simple happiness. I was thankful he let down his walls for this night, and if tonight was all we had, I’d make damn good use of the time.
