Sal (The Ride Series) by Megan O'Brien Read Free Book Online Page A

murmured, slipping out of the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.
    That’s when I caught a look at myself in the mirror.
    Holy fuck. I looked like death warmed over. No wonder he was freaked out. The skin around my eye was indeed black-and-blue; more black than blue, the bruising was so dark. My eye was bloodshot and the area was painfully swollen. But, what really freaked me out was the deep bruising at my neck.
    I shuddered, unable to tear my gaze from my reflection. Sal slipped back into the bathroom holding my clothes and immediately stepped close to me when he took in my stance.
    “I hadn’t um…” I stammered. “I hadn’t seen…” I tried to explain.
    “You didn’t realize how bad it was,” he finished grimly.
    “Yeah,” I breathed.
    “What happened, baby?” he asked gently, turning me away from the mirror.
    I shook my head in utter anguish. I knew Sal well, and I knew he’d absolutely lose his mind when I shared the details.
    “You’re going to freak,” I whispered hoarsely. Talking hurt my throat.
    I watched him stiffen as he eyed me warily. But then he must have seen how scared I looked.
    He pulled me carefully into his arms and held me. “You’re safe now,” he soothed, his voice low and deep, the vibration of it humming against my cheek. God, I’d missed being right here so badly. Even though it was temporary, I gladly soaked up the comfort.
    “Why are you here?” I asked again suddenly, unable to quell the question any longer.
    “Get dressed and then we’re gonna talk.” He held out the clothes he’d brought to me. “It’s long overdue,” he muttered.
    For some reason, I didn’t think a talk was a good idea as far as Sal and I were concerned. I held the clothes to my chest waiting for him to leave the room. I sure as hell wasn’t changing in front of him.
    “Right,” he muttered again, taking the hint and turning to stride out of the room. I threw on the yoga pants and soft hoodie he’d brought me. I brushed my teeth and hair, trying to feel a bit more human. Somehow, I forced myself not to look in the mirror again. I took a deep breath and headed into the great room where Mack, Sal, and now Cole all stood pensively by the kitchen. They made my place feel smaller because they were all tall and broad. I winced a bit at the attention as three sets of angry eyes turned to me.
    “Shit, Kat,” Cole bit out when he got a look at me.
    I wanted to come up with some sort of clever quip to lighten the mood but nothing came to me. I merely shrugged as though to say, “shit happens” and sat on the edge of the couch twisting my fingers together.
    “Scarlet wanted to come,” he told me quietly, his voice low and tense. “But I couldn’t let her until I knew the state of play,” he explained, sounding apologetic.
    I immediately felt panicked for my friend. “Is someone with her and the baby?” I demanded.
    The tension in the room grew thicker at the implication of my words.
    “Wes and Connie are over there,” Cole answered me tersely. “What happened?” he growled.
    I eyed the three of them hesitantly. All of the guys in the club were alphas with a capital “A” and they wouldn’t take kindly to this kind of threat.
    I took a deep breath, ready to begin. “My mom called me a few weeks ago. I hadn’t heard from her in over a decade. She wanted money,” I winced at the vulnerability in my voice. “She said her boyfriend knew people; that’s how they’d found me. I didn’t ask more about where they got their information. I just wanted off the phone so badly,” I admitted, feeling like shit about it now.
    “It’s okay, babe, keep going,” Sal coaxed quietly as he sat down next to me. I had to admit his closeness was comforting.
    “I’d been feeling like I was being followed,” I admitted. “For the last few months, actually. But it was always just a feeling.” I continued to twist my fingers under the pressure of their stares. “But then there was an