Mating Brand(4)

She turned. “What would you like for lunch?”

The pride leader waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t give a damn. Just feed me.”

Motion drew her attention and she met the glare of her mate. Her spine stiffened at the malevolent look he directed her way. He stalked closer to his father. “Feed me as well. You can rub my feet after you’re done.”

Hatred warmed her entire body and Charma found herself wishing she had some poison to sprinkle over anything she fed Garrett. His sense of smell wouldn’t allow that fantasy to ever become a reality. He’d make her drop to her knees in front of everyone just to humiliate her. He’d beat her if she refused.

He could do worse. She just spun away and jerked open the small fridge in the corner of the room. She’d never forgive Garrett for even a tenth of the horrible things he’d done to her over the years. He really enjoyed humiliating her in front of the enforcers and his father whenever possible.

She quickly made a stack of sandwiches and took some to Percy first. He didn’t thank her, never had, and she’d fall over in shock if he ever did. She glanced at the monitor while she waited for him to take the plate. The face on the screen made her freeze.

No. It can’t be. Her gaze lowered to the name under the picture. Brand!

“My food,” Garrett growled. “Now.”

She automatically responded to years of taking his commands and twisted away from the sight that shocked her to the core and rushed back to grab the second plate. She avoided looking directly at him as she handed the food to Garrett. He accepted it with one hand and painfully gripped her shoulder with the other.

“Rub my feet.”

“Not now,” Percy snapped. “Make her do that later. I want her to print out four copies of the map they sent. She takes my orders while she’s here.”

“She’s my mate.” Garrett’s grip tightened until she whimpered from pain.

“Let her go!” Percy roared.

Garrett shoved her away and Charma stumbled to her chair. All the men followed Percy into his office and the door slammed. She lunged for the monitor to twist it her way. She quickly halted the flashing pictures to back them up a few frames and stared at a face she’d never thought she’d see again.

Brand had grown out his hair. Small lines bracketed his mouth and marked the outer edges of his sexy eyes as he smiled at whoever had taken the picture. He wore faded blue jeans and a navy tank top. She stared at his buff, tan arms, remembering the feel of them wrapped around her. Her heart lurched.

He’s in danger. That sank in.

“Where are those damn maps?” Percy roared from the other room.

“They didn’t send them,” she lied. “I’m pulling some up and downloading them.”

“Hurry up,” her pride leader demanded.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she frantically worked. Percy had never been known for his patience. It took only a few minutes to pull up a map, scramble the names of a few towns to make certain the attack party got lost if they followed the driving directions she changed, then quickly printed out the copies. Her knees felt weak as she entered the office.

Her mate stuck out his foot as she walked toward the desk, tripped her, and she slammed into the floor on her belly at the feet of two of the enforcers. She pushed up to her hands and knees to shove the papers on Percy’s desk. Randy’s firm hand gripped her elbow to assist her to stand. She shot him a grateful look. He didn’t release her though. He frowned as he drew air into his nose. His gaze left her to stare at Garrett.

“Your mark is fading from her. It’s faint.”

“So?”

“So it’s my job to keep the peace and some of the males might go after your mate unless you cover her again with your mark. I can barely pick it up. I don’t want to have to bury any of our members when you tear them apart.”

Garrett snorted. “Nobody would want her. She’s useless. She’s infertile, a rotten lay, and unless I’m smacking her she doesn’t even move while I’m nailing her.”

Charma wished the floor would open up under her feet. She could sense every male watching her. She should have known her mate would retaliate for what had occurred the night before when he’d entered her area of their home in a drunken stupor. It had been one of the rare occurrences when he’d sought her out but she’d spurned his sexual advances.

“One of the pride will attempt to fuck her if you don’t strengthen your scent on her,” Randy persisted. “You might not think so but she’s very pretty.”

“I don’t care what happens to her.”