Page 28 of Bear Boss's Mate
“You bitch,” Mick seethed, and punched her in the face one more time.
Marcy’s head jerked to one side from the force of the blow. Mick’s physical assault continued.
Her vision dimmed while her mind ceased to work properly. She thought she’d heard a faint voice coming closer. It was familiar, yet she couldn’t recall why. The edges of her vision grew darker.
One final thought of Austin flitted through her mind. If only she’d given him a chance. As her eyes closed, hurried footsteps filled the night. Someone was coming. Suddenly, they were running.
Mick was standing next to her, kicking her over and over. Jabs of pain hit her like bolts of lightning, striking her head and upper body. It felt as though her skull had been split open.
She prayed it would all be over soon. Marcy tried to reach out with her arm, but he kicked her again.
Darkness finally took her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
OVER THE PAST WEEK, Austin checked the car park each night after everyone left. If Marcy’s car was there, he stayed behind. There was no way he was going to leave her in the building all alone, even if she would disapprove of him keeping an eye out for her.
Each night, he had watched her drive out of the parking lot. With the shorter days, darkness fell much more quickly, and Austin didn’t like the idea that Marcy was going home so late.
He knew she did not approve of him wanting to protect her. She was independent, strong-willed, and determined to deal with Mick on her own. While he admired her strength, he also knew Mick was unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
He would continue to watch out for her. He was not going to let Mick or anyone else harm her.
Tonight as she drove away, something inside told him he should drive to her place to check on her. He hadn’t gone so far as to do that yet, because she’d gone home earlier on the other days.
Tonight, he waited in his car outside her building for a few minutes. When he didn’t see her, he assumed he’d missed her and she’d already gone inside.
Something still niggled at him. He had to know if Marcy was okay before he headed home. He waited about five more minutes and called her cell phone. There was no answer.
He got out of his car, hurrying to the front of the building. The sound of a woman’s voice crying out made him pause. He walked around the corner to check out the parking lot, and her voice got louder.
He couldn’t see anything at first, but he caught a scent mixed with terror.Marcy.
She was out there, and she was in trouble. “Marcy,” he called, and began to race toward the sounds.
In the dark, he could see someone on the ground with a person standing over them, kicking furiously. As he got closer, he realized it was Mick, and he was kicking the shit out of his precious mate.
She wasn’t moving.
Rage took over, and he lunged at Mick, tackling him to the ground.
Straddling him, he punched him in the face until Mick lay bloodied and unconscious. Mick didn’t stand a chance to fight back, just as Marcy clearly had not.
Austin’s chest continued to heave as his rage eased. He ran to her. Carefully, he moved strands of hair from her bloodied and battered face.
Tears filled his eyes at the sight of her as his heart shattered into a million pieces. “Please be alive,” he whispered. He felt for her pulse. It was weak, but she was alive.
His heart began beating again as he pulled out his cell phone and called emergency services. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he spoke.
Glaring at the piece of crap that did this to his beautiful mate, he wanted him to suffer the way he’d made Marcy suffer.
Austin let out a grief-stricken roar.
He sat on the ground next to Marcy, holding her delicate hand in his. He pressed his lips to it and placed his hand to the side of her bloodied face. She looked so fragile it twisted his heart.
“I’m here, my beauty. I won’t leave you.” His heart lodged in his throat, making it impossible to say anything else.
He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. It was his fault she’d gone through this. His bear thrashed angrily, wanting to be released. Austin knew he could never forgive himself.
