back and smashed it against his face, ripping a grunt from him. The scent of blood laced the air and his grip on her loosened, and she broke free, stumbled a little as she landed with one foot on one step and the other further down the stairs.
“You little bitch.” He lunged for her.
She ducked beneath his wild swing and punched him in the groin.
Twisted and ran down the stairs.
Shrieked and drew up short as he dropped right in front of her, his landing shaking the floorboards.
His blue eyes flashed dangerously as he advanced on her.
“You give Saint this much trouble? No wonder he needed a walk. Surprised he didn’t kill you.” His grin was cold as it stretched his lips. “Don’t expect me to be so nice, Ember.”
She had been about to run, but locked up tight before moving a step as his words hit her.
“Ember?” She frowned.
He grabbed her while she was distracted, twisted his hand into her black hair and ripped a cry from her as he hauled her to him. She bumped against his chest, fought to ignore the pain in her scalp as her heart and thoughts raced, and focused her mind.
She brought her knee up hard between his legs and he released her as he doubled over.
Snarled. “You hit me there again and I’m going to get angry.”
Holly made a break for the other end of the couch to him, not missing how she was replaying exactly what she had done last night, or the fact that this time she was terrified. She didn’t have time to examine why she hadn’t feared Saint as she feared this male, shoved it aside for later and focused on evading him as he hurled himself at her.
She nimbly leaped to one side, watched him sail past and land hard on the floor.
Made a break for it.
Ran right for the door she had ignored several times when doing this same dance with Saint.
She yanked it open and wind slammed against her, knocking her back, and snow blinded her, the bitter bite of it swift to chill her skin.
The male grabbed her from behind again. “Not a chance. Saint will kill me if you go running back to your mate on my watch.”
“Mate?” Holly frowned and pieced something together. “You called me Ember earlier. You think I’m Cobalt’s mate.”
That was why Saint had talked about Cobalt coming to save her.
They all thought she was Ember.
Anger was swift to rush through her, heating her blood and boosting her courage. They had meant to take Ember from Cobalt, had wanted to hurt both her best friend and a male who was coming to mean a lot to her too.
Holly hissed and growled, wrestled against the male’s hold and when he only tightened his grip, she lifted her feet and braced them against the kitchen counter and the wall.
Bears were strong.
But cougars were made for jumping.
She gritted her teeth and snarled as she kicked off, as she sent both her and the male flying. He grunted as he landed hard, as wood cracked beneath him and she landed on top of him, half of her expecting to go straight through the floorboards. The bear’s grip on her went lax and she sprang from his arms, swiftly turned and brought her foot down hard onto his stomach. His legs and shoulders lurched upwards, his arms flying to his waist as he grunted.
“You son of a bitch!” She levelled another kick, striking him hard in his side, and leaped backwards when he made a grab for her ankle. “I’m not Ember. I’m her best friend… and you’re going to pay for trying to hurt her.”
She flexed her fingers, her nails transforming into short claws as a hunger to hurt the male shot through her, as thoughts of her beloved Ember being held as she had been, treated as she had been, darkened her mood.
Holly yelped as the male grabbed her leg and pulled, loosed a grunt as she slammed onto her back and the air exploded from her lungs.
Before she could muster the strength to move, the bear was on top of her, his legs pinning hers, his hands tightly clutching her wrists to hold them to the floor above her head.
She stared up into his blue eyes, her pulse pounding faster, her instinct to fight giving way to a desperate need to escape as fear rocketed through her. Thoughts of hurting him turned into nightmarish visions of him hurting her.
He tightened his grip