Waking the Beast Read Online Free PDF Page A

into the office, leaving her on the bike.
    “Wait here,” she mimicked in a very unflattering tone. She sat and waited and waited some more, before jerking the helmet from her head and shaking her hair loose. “Sure. I’ll just sit here on the bike, Utah. No, I’m good. Thanks for asking. Bathroom? No, my bladder is lined with lead and can hold water like no one’s business. Am I sore from the ride, you ask? Why no, no, I’m not. I’m sure I could ride for hours longer before the feeling is completely gone.”
    A throat cleared, and she glanced up to see Utah looking at her with a spark of humor in his eyes. She just glared, but had a feeling the full brunt of her displeasure was lost on him.
    “We’ll stop here for the night. Grab some food and sleep. And talk. I need some answers, Abby.”
    He needed answers! He had no idea!
    He stopped in back of the motel and parked the bike. Thankfully, he helped her off. She swore she was still vibrating in places that really didn’t need to be vibrating while Utah was touching her. Her legs were shaky, and he frowned down at her in concern.
    “I’m sorry, Abby. I didn’t think.”
    “I’m fine.” She forced her legs to move as normally as she could manage as she walked beside him to the door of the room he’d gotten them.
    He inhaled and seemed satisfied, at least enough that he swiped the card and pushed the door open. The room at least smelled clean. She did a quick scan and headed toward the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.
    “I’m going to run next door and grab some burgers and fries. Don’t leave the room. I’ll be back.”
    She ignored him as she turned on the sink faucet to cover the sound of her peeing. Just in case he was waiting out there for her to answer him. When she finished, she washed her hands and splashed some water on her face before using the hand towel to dry off.
    He was gone when she opened the door. They were going to need to have a talk about him ordering her to stay while he left. She wasn’t a pet, and she wasn’t going to be treated like one. She took in the huge bed in the middle of the room and did her best to ignore the fact it was the only one. There was a dining style table and two chairs over by the window and a bedside table with a phone on the side of the bed closest to the window.
    Grabbing the remote, she turned on the TV sitting on the dresser across from the bed and flipped through the local channels until she found one playing the news. No mention of a dead body with its throat ripped out, and she was pretty sure a story like that would be all over the news if Southy had been found.
    She paced the room, leaving the television on to soothe her nerves, as she finally let her mind replay what had happened.
    Utah had ripped free of chains. Chains for Christ’s sake. And she’d checked them when she’d released the cuffs from his wrists and ankles. They had been solid. His eyes had been pure gold and angry, so angry. He’d roared, and it had almost taken her back to a day from her past she didn’t want to revisit. But none of that compared to watching him grab Southy by the neck and fling him as if he were a rag doll.
    Though Utah had been slightly turned from her, she swore she saw claws emerge from the tips of his fingers just before he ripped Southy’s throat out. But she’d held his hand several times, and there’d been no claws. She’d cleaned the blood off with her sweatshirt and found nothing but his hand, big and powerful, but with nothing more than close-cropped nails.
    She shook her head. She’d have to let the memory go for now and focus on what she could prove or disprove. She’d taken a good look at the remaining needles, and she thought she knew what Harlan might have hit him in the chest with.
    Adrenaline.
    Why would Harlan give Utah a straight shot of adrenaline? It could have killed him. It should have.
    She sat down on the edge of the bed. Oh, God. She’d been right. She clasped her