Tears streamed down Vengeance’s face when he lifted his head. “I miss her.”

“I know.” Wrath reached out and gripped his shoulders. “We will find all of them but this is wrong. We don’t hurt females. It’s one thing to use their own fear to make them talk but force breeding them is something our enemy would do. Take a walk, let your rage cool, and tend to your needs. It will help.”

The bald man bent, grabbed his discarded clothing, and rushed out the door. Lauren was confused, terrified, and in pain. It was apparent that the thugs were insane. Wrath slowly turned and she was not sure what he’d do.

“Are you all right?”

“No.” Hot tears poured down her cheeks now that the danger had passed. She’d come close to being raped. Nobody would be okay after that.

“Easy.” His voice lowered to a husky tone. “I will take care of you.”

She didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. Was that mobster talk for he’d kill her? She wouldn’t put anything past them now. He strode closer and a soft noise came from his parted lips.

“Your wrists are bleeding.”

He gripped the slanted table and leveled the thing until her weight no longer pulled against the cuffs. Gentle, warm fingers carefully touched her skin near where they ached. He unlocked the cuffs and freed her.

Lauren jerked her arms down, covered her bra with her hands and stared at the face hovering above hers. She flinched when he touched her again but his hand only cradled the back of her neck while he helped her sit.

“I’m going to take my shirt off to give to you. Stay calm. Your clothes are destroyed and you must be cold.” He hesitated. “I have a first-aid kit inside my room. No harm will come to you there.”

Lauren sniffed, trying to fight back tears.

The guy hesitated. “I am so sorry.” His voice came out raspy, almost sounded sincerely apologetic, though she knew better. “This went too far. We were just trying to frighten you. You believed the worst of us and we needed to locate Bill. No one was supposed to harm you in any real way. Even Shadow was careful not to bruise you when he flipped you over on the table. His hands braced you to keep you from hitting your head or landing too hard. It still worried me enough to call a halt to your interrogation when I saw your reaction. I nearly hit him because I couldn’t stand to see you that terrified. You’re little and I am just very sorry. That is why we left. We were discussing how to get you to work with us without using fear.”

He backed away and she noticed for the first time that the vest he’d worn earlier had been removed. He worked the shirt over his head, managed to keep the glasses on, and she wondered why he wore them inside. Maybe it was so she couldn’t identify him later and that gave her hope once again that at some point she might survive her ordeal. Of course she’d seen the bald man’s face so that probably was a bad thing.

Wrath had saved her from a horrible fate. That had to mean something and he had apologized a few times. Maybe he was a thug with a conscience, despite having such a horrible nickname. She could work with that. Her mind began to plot and she wanted him to see her as a real person. She’d read once that if a kidnapper grew to care about the victim that the chance of survival was better.

“Thank you.” It was tough to force out those words.

She couldn’t help but notice how buff he was. Maybe he and Vengeance had shared a prison cell since they both seemed to have spent a lot of time working out. They’d have to, to gain that kind of mass. He worked to right the inside-out shirt while she stared at his flat, six-pack abs. Her gaze lifted to his arms, watched his muscles flex and she shivered. She wasn’t going to be the one to suggest he give up a life of crime to perhaps start competing in bodybuilding competitions. He probably could win them.

He held out the shirt to her. “Here, female. Please allow me to help you. I wish to soothe some of your fears.”

“My name is Lauren.” Her hands trembled as she accepted it. The material was still warm from his body and held his masculine scent as she pulled it over her head. It was large on her—something that made her shiver since she wasn’t a small woman—which only emphasizing how much bigger he was. She tugged it down her body to hide her underwear from him.

“Let me help you.”

She froze up as he gently rolled the too-long sleeves until her hands and injured wrists were revealed. He stopped when they were almost at her elbow. They were a bit bulky but they wouldn’t get blood on them from the scratches the cuffs had caused.

“Your feet are bare and the floor will be cold. Don’t be alarmed. You are safe with me.”

That was the only warning she got before he scooped her up into his arms, pressed her against his hot skin, and turned with her. He strode to the door and carried her into the hallway. Lauren closed her mouth firmly, didn’t protest, and fought down her fear.

Be nice to the kidnapper and maybe the kidnapper will be nice to me.

Wrath was furious as he carried the female down the hallway to his room. He was glad he’d decided to check on her and heard her screams. He’d felt very guilty while watching Shadow use her assumptions about them against her. Fear made humans talk more easily but it had been hard to see her tremble at times.

His blood boiled over Vengeance’s behavior. The male couldn’t just force a female to be his. Why didn’t he know that? Perhaps he shouldn’t have been assigned to the team. The fact that Vengeance had caused her to bleed, had stripped her of her clothes, made him want to beat the male. No one should harm a female physically.

He inhaled and bit back a growl. She was so soft, smelled so good, and the feel of her in his arms turned him on. She rested her cheek against his chest, her silky hair tickled slightly, and his fangs dug into the inside of his lower lip. The last thing she needed was to fear him more and she would if she realized how she affected him. It confused him that he felt attracted to her.

The door was difficult to get open with her in his arms but he managed, kicked it open, and turned to get them inside. He pushed it closed with his foot and glanced around his barren room. It was a square room with dull bricks for walls and concrete floors. He only had a bed with one nightstand and the bathroom to call his own. He gently placed her on the mattress, wished the blanket was softer, and released her.

“Stay.”

Big blue eyes stared at him with trepidation. Guilt ate at him. She was a little thing compared to the females he was used to, softer, and obviously not accustomed to stress. Her hands trembled when she tugged at his shirt, trying to hide her blue panties and the tops of her creamy thighs. She looked as if she worried he’d attack. It wasn’t a stretch of her imagination after what Vengeance had pulled.

“Easy,” he crooned and tried to express that he wasn’t threatening as he backed away. “Do not run. There is nowhere to go and Vengeance is out there.” He hated to use that threat but figured it would be effective. The terror that widened her eyes assured him he’d been correct. “I’m getting the first-aid kit to take care of your injuries.”

He spun quickly to stalk into the bathroom and flipped on the light. The kit was a white box with a red cross on it and was hooked on a peg inside the door. The female didn’t attempt to flee in his absence. She sat huddled on his bed with her arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

She started when he crouched before her. His heart hammered as strongly at them being so close but she needed medical attention. Tim’s team wouldn’t return until morning and that left just him to tend her. Brass was above, using the telephone to speak to Justice while Shadow had gone to eat. He sure wouldn’t allow Vengeance near her again.