Blake, Abby - Suddenly Bear (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read Free Page A

twisted her hair tighter, cuffed her hard enough across the side of her head to make her ears ring, and then forced her to her knees. Her vision wavered and she almost fell on her face, only just managing to get her hands beneath her as he pushed her down to the floor. Panic streaked through her as she realized his intention.
    But a moment later, with a final harsh tug on her hair, he was gone. She couldn’t quite comprehend how he managed to fly through the air and land in a crumpled heap just outside her front door, but she was very grateful for it.
    Shaking in reaction, she barely registered the words she could hear, but then Jayden was there lifting her into his arms.
    “Shhh, babe. I’ve got you.”

    * * * *

    Jayden couldn’t believe what he’d found as he’d opened the door. He’d picked up Bruce’s scent as he’d come into the building, and he and his brothers had run full speed up three flights of stairs. Jayden wasn’t even supposed to be home yet, but he thanked every deity known to man that his brothers had dropped by the coffee shop unexpectedly, and the boss had given Jayden the night off. Otherwise, he’d still be at work, and Violet would be at the mercy of a brutal, dangerous asshole.
    She shook so violently in his arms that he considered taking her to the hospital. Jayden had smelt Bruce’s arousal the moment he’d walked in the door and known exactly what the man had been about to do. Adrenaline had spiked through Jayden’s body, and he’d been hard pressed not to shift into his furry alter ego. But he hadn’t suppressed his strength. He’d picked the larger man up and literally thrown him out the door. The guy had hit the floor with a satisfying thud and groan, and then Jayden’s brother, Brandon, had closed the door and locked it.
    “I’m s–ssshhorry.”
    “Shhh, Violet. Everything’s going to be all right.”
    “I’m sh–ssshhhtill sh–ssshhorry.”
    A sob tore from her throat, and he could sense her embarrassment. “It’s okay, babe. He’s gone now. Everything will be fine.”
    He glanced at his brothers. He’d been so happy to see them earlier that he hadn’t even gotten around to asking why they’d come so far without telling him, but he was very glad he wasn’t handling this alone. He carried Violet into his room, placed her in the middle of the bed, and then climbed onto the mattress beside her. She seemed drowsy in a drunken way, and he was again considering taking her to the hospital a moment before she passed out and stopped breathing.
    Frantically, he called his brothers into the room.

    * * * *

    Declan felt the woman lose consciousness. His beast growled a distressed sound in his head as he and Brandon ran into the room. All three of them gathered around her, using their healing magic to assess the woman’s condition. They had no idea what had happened before they’d arrived, but considering that there was no external sign of trauma, they were probably dealing with internal injuries.
    Jayden had his hands on her head when he quietly informed them of what he’d found. The tone of his voice suggested that he was using his training as a doctor to stay calm, but Declan could feel his terror. This woman meant the world to Jayden, and losing her would devastate him. But with human medicine, even if she survived the wait for an ambulance, the trip to the hospital, and the surgery to repair the damage a hard blow had caused, it was still very likely the brain tumor Jayden had just found would kill her eventually.
    Declan glanced at Brandon, who nodded in agreement. As bear-shifters they had the ability to heal her completely, but using that much magic would mean making her one of them. They had no idea what this woman would decide if given the choice, but they had no way to ask her now.
    “Please,” Jayden said to both of his older brothers. He managed to keep his hands steady and his eyes dry, but it was obvious to the brothers who knew him better than he knew