Broken Bear: Unleashed Passion Read Online Free Page A

learn her lesson. He knew she was scheduled for two days off, so he’d make sure she stayed home. Shoving her in the guest bedroom, he padlocked the door and left her to think about what she did. She wouldn’t lie to him again, the conniving bitch.
    Her cries for help were left unanswered. And living on a wooded lot on four acres, nobody heard her screams or pleas. She spent the first hour sobbing on the bed. The next hour, she realized she could break a window and climb out. She’d have to jump from the second floor, but the guest room was near the front porch. There would be a small roof she could try to land on. It was pitched, and she might roll off of it, but the state of frenzy her husband was in, she wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t come back in and do something much worse.
    She looked at what she’d have to do to get out. It was scarier than she pictured. There was a tree, but it was too far to jump to, and the roof was steeper from this angle looking out. Lily’s heart raced knowing her choices were few and far between.
    If she stayed, her husband might get even more violent and either end her life or tear her to pieces. He might beat or rape her. She honestly didn’t know what he was capable of at this point. She just knew she feared for her life. She needed to escape, and the sooner, the better.
    Ice ran through her veins when she saw him outside, looking up at her through the window. He had a ladder...and boards. He was going to cover her only exit. While he was outside, she ran for the door and shook it as hard as she could, terror plunging through her. This wasn’t an accident. He had plans. She wasn’t going to be going anywhere if he had it his way. The fact that he was coming to board up the windows gave her chills.

Chapter 9 Phoenix
     
    She never showed up. Phoenix refused to talk to the doctor. How could he talk about himself when he knew something was wrong? His instincts spoke to him, his senses were heightened, and yet there was nothing he could do.
    Maybe she got called into work. Maybe he was over reacting. Maybe she decided she’d gotten in too deep. Maybe she was ill. Looking over at the empty chair, he felt an empty pit in his stomach. He’d wait for Lily; she’d be here. She was always here, either before or after work, and she said she’d be here for the appointment today. But she wasn’t. Something was wrong.
    He wanted to pace, but if he showed distress, they would misread his intentions and end up restraining him again. He couldn’t show anything. Keep it inside, old boy, keep it inside.
    Phoenix waited. She never came. Still he waited. He felt like a caged beast. He wanted out of there. He wanted to find her, and yet he had no idea where she was. Sure, his bear sense of smell was good, but it wasn’t that good. He wasn’t some kind of god damn super hero. He was simply a bear and a man…nothing more, nothing less. And his bear hadn’t been free in longer than he cared to admit. Being locked up in this hospital kept him subdued, and he wanted out. He needed to find her.

Chapter 10 Lily
     
    She’d have one chance. He’d boarded the first window, but he’d have to go down the ladder to get the second board. The window was her only option; the door wouldn’t budge. If she timed it just right and could get through the window, she could tip the ladder while he climbed on it, throwing him back. That would give her time as he writhed below. She felt like a caged beast trying to escape from a zoo. She needed to get out. Panic was setting in.
    He was trying to close her in, shut her down. He had no intentions of letting her go. It was him or her. Lily knew what she had to do.
    He stepped onto the ladder and started to climb down for the second board. Terrified, but using the last bit of adrenalin she could find, Lily burst through the window, glass shattering around her. She landed on the small porch roof-top, thankful she didn’t roll off. He quickly realized what was happening