A Broken Bond Read Free Page B

out a long, deep breath. He couldn’t just leave Rylie to fend for herself. His reaction to her made him believe she was in serious danger. If his protective instincts were running wild, it meant he had a responsibility to help her. Apparently, she was being mistreated. The problem, he hadn’t the resources to protect her. “You have nowhere to go?” he asked.
    “Nowhere, and no one to go to.”
    “I see,” he said, examining her. He didn’t doubt she was being truthful, but he did believe she was holding back. The story didn’t make sense, which meant he wasn’t being told all of it. Regardless, she needed protection. “Right then,” he finally said, settling back into his seat. After he shifted the car back into first, he hit the gas pedal and the car roared beneath him.
    “Where are we going?” Rylie asked, wiping her remaining tears.
    There was only one place Cash could think of to bring her. Only one person he knew and trusted would know how to handle this situation. He met her gaze, smiled reassuringly and said, “Somewhere safe.”
     
    * * * *
     
     
    To be safe sounded good to Rylie, but she doubted that was even possible. For some reason, she trusted Cash. Hell, could be because the man was built to defend. He filled his leather seat completely and nearly reached the back seat with the needed space for his legs.
    Just because she was scar ed out of her wits and lingering on some serious depression didn’t mean she couldn’t acknowledge his attributes. Ashy blond fauxhawk hair, eyes that were either green or blue¯she hadn’t quite decided. Blessed with chiseled features, a lower lip a little more plump then the top¯it was impossible not to notice him.
    Abruptly, she realized how inappropriate it was for her to ogle him. Focusing her thoughts away from the sexy wolf, she asked, “Have you always been rogue?”
    He quickly glanced to her and smirke d. “Enough about you¯onto me, is that it?”
    She nodded without hesitation. Sexy and smart. Her mind might wish to ignore his wolfish charms. Her body had other ideas.
    His smile grew as he looked back to the road. “No, I wasn’t always rogue¯used to belon g to the Montana pack.”
    The way his lips curved so invitingly caused a little stirring within her, warming her in all the right places. He held a mysterious air about him, as if he knew answers to secrets, and the effect on her made her cheeks burn. “So, this is your home then?”
    “At one time it was,” he answered.
    To belong to a pack and choose a rogue life, she couldn’t comprehend why he would want that. “Why did you leave?” She voiced her bewilderment. He gave her a look that she suspected was his way of telling her he didn’t want to talk about it. Well, she’d been known to put her foot into her mouth many times. “I’m waiting for you to answer me,” she demanded.
    The side of his mouth quirked up. His gaze remained on the road ahead. “Are you always this pushy?” Then, he met her gaze, and amusement lit his eyes.
    “Yes,” she snapped. For the oddest reason, which she had yet to figure out, not answering the question annoyed her. She wanted to know more about him and wouldn’t let him deflect her questions.
    He glanced back out to the road and shifted as if uncomfortable in his seat. “Two years ago, my mate died¯after that, I left.”
    And once again, Rylie wished she’d stuffed her foot in deeper and kept her mouth shut. “I’m...I’m...sorry to hear that.”
    He acknowledged her condolences with a quick nod.
    She sighed softly, looking out the windshield. The rain was beginning to settle. “Well, that’s something we have in common then. You’ve lost your mate. I’ve lost my family.” When silence met her, she glanced over to Cash who had his brow arched. She laughed, realizing just how sick she really was. “Guess that’s kind of morbid, isn’t it?”
    “Maybe to some” —He grinned— “it would be considered so.”
    The conversation