Her Billionaire, Her Wolf(68)

She gave no other sign of life as powerful arms snapped the rope like a worn shoelace, only to catch her and lower her gently to the floor.

Yellow eyes gazed down at her intently, then their color softened into a deep amber that was filled with the image of the woman. Her, and only her. Nothing else existed for the man who took the place of the beast.

His fellow shape-shifters drifted in close, then backed away again as he waved them off.

With no other choice left to him, Braze did what came more naturally to him in that moment than breathing itself. He held her to him and he waited.

And from faraway, Sara heard a familiar sound. It was like a distant war drum that drew nearer with each beat. It should have been a frightening thing. Only, there could be nothing more frightening than what had just shoved her back down inside herself. Rather, it was a comfort to her and in time, she stirred and nestled her head more tightly against his chest.

Under her ear, his heart beat for her, she knew. In his arms, she was safe and soon it would all come to an end and they could at last live out their lives in peace.

Braze bent down to press his lips to her forehead, then Sara tipped her head back and his mouth was on her mouth. They kissed with a hunger that threatened to devour them both, then Sara broke away as the unmistakeable scent of raw blood at last registered in her numb mind.

The hands that held her were bright red, as were his arms on up as far as his elbows.

Braze watched her and in answer to the question he read in her eyes, he nodded toward something on the floor nearby.

“I apologize. For all of this,” he said, “I know that I had promised you I would bring it upon a platter.”

Sara looked over at what he indicated, seeing a fist sized, bloody red mass...then looked back to Braze, before saying at last, "Is that...is that what I think it is?"

Braze nodded slowly, then replied, "That man will never trouble you again, Sara. Such was my promise and I keep my word."

She looked away, thinking that she had always believed such things to be larger. But the truth was that she knew Jackson had always been a stupidly cruel, small-hearted man.



~~~



Flair drove them back into the city. The ride was quiet except for an occasional murmur between the two women squeezed into the front seat beside the driver.

Sara did not know who they were. She did not care.

Strong arms held her as she stared out the car window. The city did not care either, its lights shining brightly as they passed along its dark arteries. Then, like a bastion out of legend, the tower known to the world over as the home of Abraxis Industries loomed into view.

What the world, however, did not know was that it was also the home of the secretive billionaire, Brazier Abraxis, himself.

Sara felt him lean forward and watched as he tapped Flair on the shoulder.

“No need to park the car within, Flair. Take the Twins home, then go home yourself. Everyone deserves some rest this night.”

“Yes sir,” Flair replied as he brought the car up to a curb just before the tower.

Without missing a beat, he was out of the car and holding their door open.

Sara shook her head as he held a gloved hand outstretched to her.

“It’s ok, Flair. I’m fine,” she said as she climbed out of the car, then, despite what she had just said, stumbled slightly before catching herself.

Braze was at her side, then, his arm around her shoulders, steadying her with his presence alone.

The closest entry was the parking garage level, so he led them down its sloped drive and past the night guard’s booth.

The man within nodded to them both, no doubt recognizing Braze, then Sara caught herself snapping a look back at him.

Thick glass and shadow did not allow her to see him clearly, but from what she did see, the man seemed strangely familiar. He was large, maybe even with a shaved head, and bore a strong resemblance to the man who had knocked a lunchtime cocktail all over Sara not so long ago.

“Hey. Is that..?” she started to ask, but Braze shushed her at the same moment a brushed steel door slid open and the two of them stepped into his private elevator.

“Shhhh..,” he whispered into her hair, both his arms around her again.

“Know that you risk nothing, my darling,” he said, “You are safe here. There is no danger that can penetrate this place.”

She did not respond, content to simply rest her cheek against him as all thought of the security guard slipped away along with all the rest of that day’s terrible events.

It was just one more detail that did not matter as her man held her and told her what she needed to hear.

She was safe.

After a long moment, the elevator door slid silently open and while Sara had not really considered what she expected to see when they did, it was far, far removed from the wildest dreams she might have had.