“Oh, cos, that wasn’t the problem,” the vampire said, bringing the
attitude down a notch. “I was watching. Hell, I couldn’t take my eyes
off it.” Dante left that line of thought at Beck’s low growl. “I think
she’s more perfect for you than you could have hoped. She enjoyed
it.”
Beck twisted his long, dark hair. It would be a bitch to comb out.
“That was the bond. I flooded her with it. I pushed myself at her.”
“That is your nature,” Dante said quietly. “But I think you are
underestimating her nature. She was happy afterward. She wasn’t
ashamed. You made her feel that.”
Beck pointed an accusatory finger at his cousin. “You don’t
understand. Maybe you vampires treat consorts with such blatant
disrespect, but we do not dishonor our bondmates in such a fashion.”
When Dante spoke next, he had to talk around his fangs. It let
Beck know just how irritated his cousin was. “We vampires make
damn sure that our lovers are satisfied, and after they’re satisfied, we
thank them and cuddle them. We find out what they need and give it
to them. If what my lover needs runs counter to what society or my
father taught me was acceptable, then fuck society.”
“Don’t you talk about my father,” Beck warned.
“Of course, it all comes back to your father. He was a good man,
Beckett, but he wasn’t perfect. He wasn’t a perfect king, and he damn
sure wasn’t a perfect father. He pushed you too hard, and he
completely ignored Cian. Cian was supposed to be king, too. He
didn’t value Cian’s input, so he focused all his time on you. No one
could live up to his standards. Gods, Beck, when are you going to be
who you are and not who he thought you should be?”
“Get out.” Beck would not listen to anyone talk about his father
that way. He hadn’t been able to save his father, but he could damn
sure preserve his memory. “Get the fuck out of here. Go back to your