The possessive need that had come from the asshole in regards to Kenzie had been nearly as strong as Bram’s, but what the panther didn’t have was that connection to her like he did. They were mates, and nature dictated he had supremacy over any douchebag who fucked with her. Bram didn’t doubt the prick would come for her, because he sensed the obsessive need in the other male and knew he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted, and it was clear he wanted Bram’s female.
But what the panther didn’t know was that Bram would fight dirty for her, and if that meant pulling out every resource he had to accomplish it, then so fucking be it. Although he didn’t mind using his bear’s strength to defeat his opponents, he would go bare knuckle with this fucker.
He quickly got out of the truck and walked around until he reached the passenger door. When he had the door open and Kenzie gently cradled in his arms, he took a second just to look at her. She was passed out, and what had been peach-colored flesh back at the bar looked a sickly shade of gray.
But still, she beckoned him like no other female had. Her eyes were closed, and he couldn’t see the beautiful steel-colored eyes that had stared up at him so innocently. He had no doubt his wee mate had been horribly abused at the hands of the panther, but he clenched his jaw and pushed those thoughts away, for now. He couldn’t think about that right now, not when his first priority was tending to Kenzie.
Once he was inside, he laid her down on the wide leather couch. She seemed so small on it, and that sight had his chest clenching in discomfort. Bram left her only long enough to get the first aid kit. Kneeling beside her had the scent of her blood filling his nose.
Her jeans were covered in blood, and her shirt was torn almost completely off at the side. Gripping the torn shreds of her top, he ripped the material the rest of the way. He unbuttoned her jeans, pulling the zipper half down. A fierce growl left him. The claw marks that marred her delicate, smooth skin were deep.
They ran from her ribs to her hipbone. He had a suture kit, and even though he had sewn himself up plenty of times after a fight, had even done so to his brothers, he was hesitant to pierce Kenzie with the needle. The thought of causing her any more pain was like a dagger in his heart, but it had to be done. Bram disinfected the wounds as gently as he could and went about suturing her up. He was just thankful she was still passed out and unable to feel what would no doubt cause her even more pain.
It was a lot different from suturing up his brothers, because with them it was just do it and get done, but with Kenzie, he went slow and easy and kept glancing at her face to make sure he wasn’t causing her any discomfort. A light sheen of sweat coated her forehead, but once he was done patching her up and had a clean dressing on the wounds, he let his ass hit the floor.
Damn, if that wasn’t one of the most stressful things he ever had to do, then he was in for one hell of a trip when she was healed up.
Bram ran a hand over his jaw and stared at her. What in the hell was he going to do? He knew damn well he wouldn’t and couldn’t let her go. Even if she weren’t his mate, it was clear that psychopath wasn’t going to leave her alone, so that only meant one thing.
He would have to kill the fucker.
After putting everything away and draping a blanket over her, he walked to the breakfast bar and leaned on it. Having her in his home made him feel a bit calmer, but he was still feeling his animal pacing within him.
The motherfucker wanted blood and wouldn’t be sated until it got what it wanted. A glance over his shoulder showed that she appeared comfortable, which went a long way in relaxing him. After grabbing the Crown from his liquor cabinet and drinking it straight from the bottle, he finally felt the exhaustion from his numerous fights of the night settle within him.
His chest hurt like a bitch, and when he looked down to inspect the damage, he was surprised there wasn’t any bone showing for how fucked up it looked. He needed a shower hot enough to wash away his blood as well as the blood of the fuckers he’d knocked down.
Taking one more long pull from the bottle, he set it aside and headed into the bathroom to do just that.
9
Kenzie came awake in a start and sat up, but the rapid movement caused her to gasp in pain and clutch at her side. Sweat broke out along her face and neck, and when she glanced down at her side, she could see fresh blood start to seep through the white dressing that covered her from rib to hip.
She looked around the rustic cabin but realized it was only part of the décor, as it had all modern updates.
The kitchen was to her right, and a lot of dark wood, stainless steel, and black granite adorned it. The couch she was on was leather and warm beneath her. A fireplace was to her left, and a big-screen television hung right above that. Aside from that, there were no pictures or other things to decorate the house. Bram’s smell saturated the interior, but even if she hadn’t been able to smell him, she would have known a male lived here. It screamed bachelor pad.
Kenzie looked down at her side once more and started
