Page 54 of All's Fair in Lion and War
There had to be at least six, maybe eight males in the bar.
Too many.
They were outnumbered.
“Saul?” She crawled out from under the table looking for him. “Saul?”
“Stay under the table.” His words were a desperate bellow. A second later two or three lions were on top of him beating him with their fists.
She struggled, crawling across the floor toward him, begging her lion to come forward so she could help. But her lion was further gone than she was. There wasn’t enough energy left.
Arms closed around her waist.
She yelped. Pain and surprise paralyzing her.
“Hello, you fucking bitch. Been looking for you.”
Rivian.No.
Fear raced through her. Fear and something else. Something worse—awareness of what was coming next. Awareness of his cruelty and the realization that she wasn’t strong enough to beat him.
Saul had been right. She’d been a fool to leave the others. All she’d succeeded in doing was putting Saul and his tribe in more danger.
More tears blurred her vision and dripped from her cheeks. How could she have let her emotions get the better of her logic?
Rivian’s arm wrapped tightly around her body, pressing against her still-open wound.
An involuntary wail spilled from her lips. Then he tossed her over his shoulder and she thought she was dying all over again. She vomited, the pain was so much. So overwhelming.
“You smell like you’ve been whoring. Decided cheating on Tallix was acceptable? Or were you only rewarding the desperate male who stole you from me?”
Her stomach rolled. She heaved again, but nothing came up this time. She couldn’t have formed words and responded to his question even if she’d tried.
His words made guilt rise inside her, but she knew in her heart she hadn’t done anything wrong. Tallix had been gone for a year. Fate had given her another chance to heal and make a new life.
Rivian didn’t know her memory was healing itself. He thought she was still waking up in the morning confused and lost.
“Put her down, ya bastard.”
A blast went off next to Rivian’s feet, but the male carrying her laughed.
“You going to shoot the female? Risk her life?”
“Fucker. I’ll get you.” Liam again.
“No you won’t.” Rivian walked toward the front door. “Come on boys, we got our prize.”
Where was Saul?
Was he alive?
She was facing the door, not the dining room. She couldn’t see any of them.
Then they were outside in the pitch black. Rivian had taken her out of the bar.
A low keening roar echoed through the night.
Saul.He was alive.
