Another Curvy Girl and Grumpy Vamp (Just Another Girl Meets… #5)

8. Merri

Merri

W ill I ever get tired of this view? Umm, that's a big hell no. Baden’s penthouse windows offer a wraparound, eagle-eyed panorama of the city. But it's not just the view or the to-die-for-shower, a shower he doesn't trust me to be alone with , it's being here with him. In a place that has quickly gone from his place to ours . Over the past week, this place has transformed, my stuff sneaking in piece by piece—textbooks on the coffee table, my hoodie draped over his spotless leather couch. A pair of sneakers he claims he doesn’t even notice anymore sit just under the edge of his bed. A bed which, right now, is barely visible under a layer of crumpled sheets and tangled limbs.

I prop myself up on an elbow, watching him. His good looks and washboard abs beat the window view, topping the leaderboard. His chest rises and falls in an easy rhythm. He looks so different like this, his usual stormy visage softened in sleep. If only he were this relaxed when he was awake, we’d probably be having a much smoother ride. But, the biggest bump in the Baden road is his overprotectiveness.

It's a phantom that haunted me, little by little, every day this week. A ghostly presence as his eyes follow me, his hand resting protectively on the small of my back or the way he positions himself between me and the world when we go out. He means well, I know he does. But mate or not I’m still me. And he's driving me more than a little stir-crazy.

I sigh, reluctantly pulling the sheet over him and slipping out of bed. Stealing a last look before heading to the kitchen. I’m blending a smoothie in the brand new, state of the art blender, when I hear his footsteps padding up behind me. I don’t have to turn around to feel his eyes on me, awake now and carrying that same watchful intensity. Instinct is a bitch, and I tell herto slow down and relax. I refuse to give in to the same fight-or-flight reaction of any other prey around an enormous predator.

“Couldn’t resist an early start, huh?” he murmurs, voice husky with sleep as he steps closer, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

I roll my eyes. “Couldn’t resist, or trying to escape the vampire shadowing me?”

He nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck. “Protective instincts come with the territory. If I could keep you here, safe, I would. Preferably forever.” There’s a hint of something deeper there, an edge to his words that makes my chest tighten.

“Well, lucky for us I’m not a captive” I turn in his arms, pushing gently against his chest. “Because I don't think I'd make a very good prisoner. Enjoy my freedom too much.”

"Freedom's overrated. And if we're together, why would you need to escape?” He leans down to rest his forehead on mine. "I'd happily be your prisoner." His voice drops. "Where would you chain me? To your bed? If so, have at it."

“Baden,” I say, frustration rising as I look up at him, “it's not funny. You can’t keep me on a leash just because you’re afraid of what might happen.” I shake my head, feeling a pang of resentment that I can’t quite push down. “I want to be with you, Baden. But I can’t do that if it means giving up who I am.”

His gaze darkens. “It’s not a leash. It’s a precaution. The world is dangerous. You’re mortal, and I—” He hesitates, jaw tight as he seems to search for the right words. “I just want to protect you." Baden steps away and takes an unnecessary deep breath. A move he uses when he knows I won't like what he says next. He crosses his arms over his chest and says, “I’ve been thinking. This week has been great." He waves to my laptop bag on the kitchen's marble island where I do most of my work. "You've gotten a lot done here. Working here hasn't been so bad. We could continue—" My brows shoot up and he rushes the rest. "If I buy your ride-share company—it would give you a lot more study time. It would also provide you with protection. So, a win-win." He talks faster, ramping up his words while I ramp my temper. "You’ll still be free," air quotes, "to take shifts, but I’ll have a hand in the security.”

“You… want to buy my company? Don't you dare.” My jaw tightens at the stubborn set of his chin. A tic telling me that if he hasn't already, he plans to do so soon. Aargh. Damn him. My fingers itch to do something dramatic, like throw my smoothie in his face. Instead, I growl, “It’s practically house arrest, and you know it.”

“It's a compromise. It’s a way to keep you safe. You didn't like when I bought out your rides. So…"

“Compromise?” I let out a humorless laugh, turning back to the sink. “This isn’t a compromise, Baden. This is you trying to cage me.”

“Merri. Try to understand. If something happened to you…” His voice trails off, but the weight of his words. “I wouldn’t survive it. You are… everything .” He wraps his arms around me pulling my back to his front. "I don't know how we got here. But here we are. I can't lose you. I wouldn't take the Luca way. But the havoc I would wreck on this world— wouldn't be soft or easy."

I yank out of his arms. “If you do, that's not on me." I hiss. "This is the type of bull shit guilt trip my dad gives my mother. But if I’m everything, then you have to trust me. You can’t control every detail of my life just because you're scared of me living it.”

His face shutters, that mask of stoic composure slipping back into place as he processes my words. “If I trust you,” he says slowly, each word low and guarded, “what if that trust leads to a mistake? One I can’t...” He trails off as if he can’t bear to finish.

“I guess that’s a risk you’re going to have to take,” I whisper, steeling myself. “Because I’m not giving up my life for you or anyone else. Not even to be your One.’”

***

By the time I’m out the door and on my way to my ride-share shift, a mix of guilt, anger, and stubbornness churns in my chest. Part of me regrets how I left things, but another part of me knows it had to be said. He has to see that I’m not something he can lock away for his own peace of mind. I know this. I've seen what happens when a mateuses the mating bond to manipulate. It's a terrible thing to tie a mate to you with jealousy and guilt. But even as I know this: every block, street, mile away from him is gut wrenching. I don't want his tether but even without the bite I feel the cord that connects us. This should not happen. Does not happen , or it’s not often when the bond between potential mates is so strong they feel it before the bond finishes.

It's all the damn lovemaking. We spent the week living in each other's scent. Drowning in each other's sweat. Swapping fluids like middle schoolers trading Halloween candy. Greedily. Voraciously.

I'm so in my thoughts that I let my next passenger hop in my car without giving him my usual once over. Pick ups is female owned and friendly. Linda Sue started the business when she was a struggling single mom. Her son is autistic, and she needed flexibility in her schedule. Her rule is; if it doesn't feel right, keep driving. She has no problems with issuing a refund and she trusts our instincts. I watch my fare in the rearview and my gut churns.

He’s quiet, barely glancing at me, but there’s an edge to him that sets my nerves on end. Something in his expression, the way he shifts in his seat, sends warning signals up my spine. Shit. I've only refused a fare once—he should've been number two.

“Everything okay?” I ask, trying to keep my voice light as we pull onto the quieter part of his requested route.

He nods but doesn’t say anything, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the windshield. The silence stretches, growing heavier, until finally, he clears his throat. “Pull over here,” he says, his tone far too calm for the way he’s looking at me.

I swallow, glancing at the darkened road where he’s pointing. “You sure? This doesn’t exactly look like the destination you mentioned.”

His lips curl in a slow, unsettling smile. “I said pull over.”

A rush of fear chills my veins, but I force myself to stay calm, fingers tightening around the steering wheel. I keep my tone casual, unbothered. “Actually, I think I’ll just take you to your destination. Company policy and all—”

His hand clamps down on my shoulder, his grip too tight, his fingers digging in painfully. My heart races, adrenaline flooding my system as I realize just how alone we are on this deserted stretch of road. The fear is paralyzing, all my bravado from earlier slipping away as his grip tightens. And then, without thinking, I focus every ounce of panic, every terrified thought, on one single word: "Baden." I push his name through the tendril that binds us. Forcing it along that thin thread with enough force to snap it. It shouldn't work. We're too new. Our bond is too fragile without the bite. But this guy is forcing me over to the side of the road. I try speeding up, but he wrenches my arm and if I don't stop, we'll crash. I have a better chance of fighting him off if I'm not injured. Our eyes lock in the mirror and my stomach rumbles, preparing to retch.

Before I can, there’s a shift outside the car. The door wrenches open, and in a blur of motion, my passenger is gone, ripped from the seat and tossed onto the ground as if he weighs nothing. Baden stands there, his face is mask of lethal calm. But his fangs have dropped, and his eyes have shifted. They are completely crimson. A ruby red blaze of fury as his gaze darts between me and the man crumpled on the asphalt.

The man scrambles backward, eyes wide with terror, correctly reading death in Baden’s cold, predatory stare. Without a word, Baden steps forward, the command in his stance enough to send the would-be attacker crawling away in a desperate attempt to escape. But there is no escaping Baden tonight… for either of us.

"Say the word," he growls to me with teeth and fangs. As he picks the guy up and shakes him like a ragdoll.

It takes a minute for his words to register and when they do, I shake my head and leap out of the car. "No, Baden, don't." I'm gripping his arm, but it doesn't budge an inch.

"Give me a reason," he says to me still holding the guy's neck while he dangles him over the pavement.

"Because you're better than this."

"Not even a little bit."

"Baden." I'm stumped. Because I kinda want to have a go at him myself. I was terrified. Still am. What if Baden hadn't gotten to me in time? Blood is dripping down Baden's arm as he waits for me to give him a reason to keep the guy alive. There's only one, "Because I said so."

"Fine," he says, releasing the guy who falls to the ground. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice is barely a whisper, but his intense gaze is anything but soft.

I nod, swallowing hard and burrowing into his arms. “How… how did you know?”

His jaw clenches, a muscle ticking as he hesitates, as if he’s weighing whether or not to answer. Finally, he says, “I felt you. Heard you. I can't explain it. I've never experienced anything like it before. It was like a string pulling me—an irresistible yank that drew me here.”

He says it so simply, but there’s nothing simple about the way he looks at me—like he’s both relieved and terrified. My hand tightens around his, grounding myself in his touch, letting the remnants of my fear melt away.

“So… that’s it?” I whisper. “You just… sensed me?”

“I couldn’t ignore it. It was like I was being dragged to you.”

“And that’s what you think the bite would… strengthen? This connection?”

He nods slowly, “Yes. The bite completes the bond. If you were in danger, I would know. It would mean I could protect you in ways I can’t right now.”

"Hmph," I say as we wait for the police to arrive. The night has been unsettling, but his words are even more so.

***

Back at the penthouse, the silence settles over us, but there’s something different now—a rawness that wasn’t there before. Baden paces by the window. Thank God, he's walking on hardwood floor. He would have worn a hole in carpet.He’s deep in thought. A shift in his stance tells me he's ready to finally talk. I slide over on the couch, patting the space beside me. He hesitates, then joins me, the tension in his shoulders easing as he leans back. We sit side by side, and I let the silence do its work, giving him room to open up.

His eyes are still intense, but there’s no guarded mask, no steel walls this time. It’s just him—vulnerable, human, in all the ways that matter. I reach for his hand, he takes it without hesitation, his fingers intertwining with mine.

“Baden, what happened out there… it showed me something.” He shifts, his jaw tightening, but I continue, squeezing his hand. “I can’t live in this weirdlimbo, always looking over my shoulder, half in, half out. You keep trying to protect me, but all it does is push me away.”

He looks down, his grip tightening on my hand. “I thought… if I could keep you safe—keep you close—then maybe I’d never have to face what happened with….”

“Claudia.” I say it gently, not as a threat or a ghost, but as a truth that needs to be laid bare. His eyes meet mine, and I see the pain there, the scars of loss he’s been hiding behind his need for control. But I don’t back down.

“Baden,” I say softly, “I’m not Claudia. And you’re not Luca. I’m here. I’m real. And I want to live my life… with you, not under you. If we’re going to be together, then we need to face this, not avoid it. That’s what tonight showed me. I was running away, and ran straight into danger.”

His eyes meet mine, and for the first time, there’s something breaking in that guarded expression, something I haven’t seen before. “You think I haven’t tried to let you in? That I don’t want this?” His voice shakes, raw with something close to desperation. “I want you, Merri. I want everything. But I also know that losing you would… destroy me.”

“Then don’t lose me,” I say, voice steady, fingers reaching up to cradle his face. “If you love me… if you want me, then let’s face this together. No more trying to keep me safe by keeping me at arm’s length. No more holding back.”

He closes his eyes, leaning into my touch, and I can feel the battle waging inside him. Every instinct is telling him to protect, to pull back, to keep me from the dangers he’s known too well. But there’s something else, something stronger—an unspoken promise between us.

“Merri,” he says in a whisper, “if I do this—if I bite you—it won’t be for protection. It will be… everything. A bond that we can’t break. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

I nod, resolved.Yes. Because I’d rather live a life completely connected to you, than spend a million lifetimes in half-measures. I want it all.”

He takes a shaky breath. “And you deserve it. But I swear to you,” he says, voice thick with emotion. “If something happens… if you’re taken from me, I’ll find you. I’ll search heaven and hell to bring you back. I’ll never stop, no matter how far I have to go.”

I lean forward, my lips brushing his. “Then, no more hesitating.”

His hand shakes as he lifts it to my neck, brushing the hair aside and leans down. His lips graze my skin, soft and tentative. The small hairs on my skin raise, seeking him. His scent sets me on the damn edge. Just do it already, I want to scream. I don't. It took me too long to get to this point. So, I give him time to catch up.

Finally, his fangs pierce my skin, warmth radiates from the bite, mingling pain and ecstasy. Connecting us…

Holy shit!

I can't read his mind, so I know we're not one. But he feels like an extension of myself—an extra appendage. Just another part of me that is, was and always will be. The bond flares, bright and intense. Every barrier, every wall we’ve built falls away. Leaving me with—his love, his fears, his unspoken devotion, all of it pouring into me like a raging waterfall. And I know he feels me too, the vulnerability, the trust I’ve given him, My… love.

I'm embarrassed. I want to hide. I'm still processing my feelings. It's been a helluva day. But this bond thing is a busybody gossip. As bad as high school girls passing notes. He says he likes you. Tell him I like him, too, and it does it. It keeps no secrets.

I have got to tell Nina. She will lose it when I try to describe mating. It's not becoming one at all. It's discovering another side of yourself. Aside you didn't know was missing. She decided to wait for her mate. I'll tell her it will be so worth the wait.

When he pulls away, there’s a softness in his eyes, a look of pure, unfiltered love that takes my breath away. I reach up, brushing a hand over his cheek, and he catches it, holding it to his lips.

“You’re… different,” he whispers, his voice breaking. "Stunning." He reverently brushes the sides of my face. "With the vaccine, everything was tinted gray. But you—you're far more beautiful than I imagined." He takes my lips devouring me in another soul crushing kiss. "You taste fucking amazing," he growls, spitting out the compliment, like an accusation. "But it’s not just you. Everything looks… brighter. I'd forgotten all the colors—so many hues. I don’t just feel resurrected, Merri—I'm reborn. A whole new creature.” He pulls me in, claiming my mouth in another fierce kiss. “And all because of you… and a damn parking space.”

His gaze sweeps over the room again before it lands on me. “You're my One. If we needed proof—this proves it.” You did this for me. Given me a gift no other could give." He cups my cheeks. "I love you. Love you for so many reasons. But this tops the list." He kisses me again. His lips smacking mine in excited furor. As if he can't get enough of the taste and feel of my mouth. And all of his joy, his wonder, his excitement fills me.

"You know, you'll never get rid of me now, right?" He asks while stroking my tongue.

"Yeah, I figured. Good thing, I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

I smile at him and when he returns it, his smile smothers the red flames in his vampire eyes, letting the man—the one who loves me—shine through.