Rough It Up Read Online Free

jeans’ pocket. “No one will hurt you,” he announced as he crept closer to her. “I’ll take care of you, Alexa. I promise.”
    She was still shaking her head, her hair obscuring her face. She racked her hands down her thighs, her nails leaving deep gouges in the tender skin. “He’ll kill me. They told me he would kill me! I’ve been so very good. I have. I tried and I tried and I tried—”
    He couldn’t take it anymore. He pounced on her, and using his weight, forced her to lie down on the carpet. She growled, her hands flaying. One fist connected with the side of his head, but she wasn’t strong enough to do much damage. “I’m going to have to tie you up,” he finally acknowledged. “Let’s go back to bed, all right?”
    “Get off me!” She tried kicking him with her legs. “I need to leave!”
    “You’re not going anywhere. Not on my watch, darlin’.”
    “I want you to leave. I don’t need you anymore. I’m fine. I’m just fine!”
    He chuckled, the sound dry even to his own ears. “If you think I’m going to believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. Right, let’s go.” He stood up without letting go of her, her body going limp as soon as she got to her feet. Bracing himself against the nearest wall, he turned toward the direction of her bedroom. That’s when her foot found his shin. She tried to run away. She did. Except all she did was crumple to the ground.
    “Alexa!” He was at her side in an instant. She laid listless on her side, her pulse far too rapid, her skin a mottled red. He took her in his arms and slowly, carefully, carried her back to her bedroom.
    Hurry, Dad , he thought as her body flopped onto the bed. He wouldn’t be able to take being inactive for long. His lion pawed at him, wanting to help the female, needing for her to be better.
    “I know,” he said out loud, his fingers clenching into fists.
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    Jay knew he needed his cell, otherwise, it would already lay shattered in a corner of the room. His father couldn’t find Alexa’s stepfather. He’d looked everywhere within the Pride domain, but the man was nowhere to be found. That wouldn’t be suspicious in itself, if any of them had known his wife had a daughter from a previous relationship. Things like that never stayed quiet. They didn’t need to, to be fair. After all, Red Rock prided itself on its numerous members. The more, the merrier, was his father’s motto, and had been for years. So, why had O’Shea hidden Alexa’s existence?
    She’d only woken once since her earlier botched escape attempt. She’d tried to sit up in bed, her curves as enticing as usual, her skin just as soft, but her eyes had been dark and her face drawn. She’d cursed him out as soon as she’d realized he’d tied her to the posts; scarves he’d found in her closet now laced around her wrists. He’d tried to make her hear reason, had tried to explain it was for her own good. She’d kicked him. Again.
    He sighed as he stared at her prone body. She’d fallen asleep just a few minutes ago, just like that, almost as if she was giving up. He hadn’t moved a single inch since then, unsure of what to do next. If only his dad could find the damn man to interrogate. He knew his father could deal with it, and yet he hated being stuck here with no solution at hand. She was slowly dying, and he couldn’t do anything about it!
    He opened his mouth and roared, his lion so close, he knew he would shift at the slightest provocation.
    Take it out.
    He froze. “What?”
    Take it out! What the bad man put inside her. Take it out! I need out!
    He licked his lips. Her lioness was talking to him again. That wasn’t a good sign. “What bad man?” he finally asked.
    Her womb! Take it out! Take it out!
    Alexa’s back arched, her skin rippling almost as if she were going to shift. But she couldn’t. She was a mixie! “I’ll take it out. I promise,” he replied as calmly as he could to the