Shattered

Chapter 19: Strong Bond

Kaden's POV:

"My heart is at home when my hand is holding yours." - Gabor Timis

I glanced down at my phone, rereading Violet's text to see the name of the bar she was currently at. I looked up, seeing it across the street and sliding my phone back into my pocket. I felt a buzz but ignored it. If it was Violet, I'd see her in a minute, and if it was Tess or Xander... I wasn't in the mood. They wanted to come with me tonight, hovering somehow even more than before after the weird reaction I had to Cassie's brew. I told them they couldn't babysit Violet and I and left before they could keep arguing with me.

Overprotective. They were both ridiculously overprotective.

I crossed the street and walked into the bar full of people. Our bond stood out to me more and more every time so even though it was a crowded Saturday night, it took me no time at all to find her sitting at some circular couches in the back of the bar, laughing at something someone said.

My heart started racing when I saw her for two completely different reasons. One was relief to see she was okay despite her fight with Lola, and the other because of her clothes. Combat boots up to her knees and red shorts that showed much more skin than anything else I'd seen her in. The black, long-sleeve shirt she was wearing dipped low down her chest and I had to take a slow breath in.

Slow, you need to take it slow, I reminded myself.

If that wasn't bad enough to get our bond going into hyperdrive, what made it worse was when the guy sitting next to her set his hand on her bare leg to get her attention. He leaned in close and whispered something to her. She laughed and nodded, then addressed the rest of the group and he took his sweet time taking his hand off her. The growl that came out was low enough in the loud bar I didn't need to worry about it, but fuck, who was this guy she was totally fine with touching her?

Our bond was already pulling me to her, telling me to get between them, telling me to claim her right then. It wasn't so awful I couldn't control myself but then she looked over, her eyes meeting mine and I felt like all the air left me. Goddess, she was so fucking beautiful and our bond was intense.

She smiled shyly and set down the glass she was holding, bracing her hands on the couch to help her stand. I started to her as she came my way and we met in the middle, pausing a few inches away from each other. "Hey," she said, sliding her hands into her back pockets.

"Hey," I said, clearing my throat and trying to focus. "You look beautiful."

"Oh, thanks," she said, darting her eyes away. "Alek talked me into shopping."

"I believe I've asked this before, but tell him I said thanks again."

"Jesus, that didn't take long," she said, darting her eyes away and biting back the smile.

"What?"

"The shameless flirting," she said, gesturing to me.

"I'm sorry but..." I gestured to her. "Am I just supposed to not acknowledge how incredible you look?"

"You're a dork," she said, rolling her eyes. "Come on," she said, inclining her head to the couch of people. "I'll introduce you."

I followed behind her and the relief I felt when she told the guy sitting next to her to move over and make room for me was palpable. We sat on the couch and she was close to me, no longer next to the guy. Thank Goddess.

"This is Kaden," she introduced, then gestured to the guy who moved to the other couch and all the people next to him. "Kaden, this is Farris, Courtney, Lance, Erika, Josie, Gordon, and the birthday girl," she said, gesturing to the girl next to her. "Marnie."