RaleighPointRescueSue Read Free Page B

mirrored his as she met him at the
door.
    “I’ve got the closest spare room ready. It’s across from
yours.”
    Mac nodded gratefully as he followed Cassie. He laid Lisa
down gently. She’d closed her eyes again.
    Cassie’s hands flew to her mouth as she took in the state
Lisa was in. “The poor kid.”
    Riley stepped forward, a frown of concentration on his face
as his hands hovered above her head. Mac knew his brother had zeroed in on the
blood visible in her hair and was checking that out first.
    “Cassie?” Riley murmured quietly without opening his eyes, “I
need you to help undress her.”
    Mac growled softly. He couldn’t help it. He knew what Riley
was doing, and he would trust his brothers with his life.
    Riley’s eyes flew open at the sound. “Really?”
    “What?” Cassie asked, her eyes flying back and forth between
them.
    Mac sat down heavily and gazed at Lisa. “She’s my mate,
Cassie.”
    “Oh, but that’s wonderful, Mac.” Cassie’s mouth curved in
understanding.
    Mac was grateful Riley didn’t say anything, and he was
completely amazed that Zack hadn’t. There was no way his brother wouldn’t have
noticed his behavior on the way home. Mac moved uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure
he would have given his brothers the same break.
      Riley lowered
his arm. “I need to check her side, Mac. There’s a lot of pain coming through
from that area.”
    Mac nodded, concerned. “I never knew you could sense pain,
Riley.”
    “No, it’s new.” Riley glanced up and shrugged. “I think some
of my senses are more acute recently.”
    Cassie gently eased Mac’s sweatshirt off Lisa. Lisa had her
eyes closed, head lolling to one side slightly. Mac cupped her face so her neck
wouldn’t hurt while Cassie removed her clothes. Cassie looked at the grubby T-shirt
and hesitated. Mac nodded, and he and Riley turned away while Cassie pulled it
off.
    Mac heard a sound and turned back. Cassie had half pulled
the T-shirt up and had frozen in horror. Lisa’s side from her ribs to her
abdomen was black. Layer upon layer of yellow, black, and purple bruising stood
out against the white of her skin.
    Mac’s chest heaved on a breath, struggling for control, and
he could feel hair sprouting through the skin on his forearms.
    His brother’s hand gripped his. “Rein it in, Mac. I can’t
afford to expend energy calming you down. Your mate needs all I’ve got, and
then she needs you. That’s the human you, not the big
badass five-hundred pound, hairy you.”
    Mac nodded curtly and forced his bear to recede. “What can I
do?”
    “To be honest? Not a damn thing
yet. Cassie’s going to clean her up best she can. Is she aware of you?”
    Mac started to shake his head. He knew Riley was asking if
she was aware they were mates, but as he started to deny it, he remembered the
soft hand on his face in the hospital.
    “Maybe, but she doesn’t even know what she is yet.”
    “Then sit quietly and hold her hand. She will be able to
take comfort in your touch, even if she doesn’t know why.”
    Mac sat. He very gently took a spare washcloth from the
supplies Cassie had brought and bathed Lisa’s face and hands as Cassie worked
on the rest of her. Cassie quickly cut the grubby T-shirt off and buttoned a
loose shirt around Lisa to give her some privacy.
    Riley sat, pale and sweaty, as if all the energy had left him, and Cassie squeezed his shoulder.
    Riley swiped a tired hand over his eyes. “Okay, so I have no
idea what she did to her side. I’ve healed three broken ribs. I’d have said she
either had a bad fall or was in a car wreck except they weren’t all broken at
the same time.” Riley looked at Mac, concerned. “To be honest, I think she’s
been kicked, repeatedly. She has a lot of tissue damage and very extensive
bruising.”
    Mac wanted to stand. He had to physically choke angry roars back
down. Red spots dusted his vision, and it took all his strength to calmly sit
and hold Lisa’s hand.
    “I know.”