Read Online Jace (River Pack Wolves 2) (Paranormal Romance) by Alisa Woods - Free Book Online Page A

okay?”
    “I’m fine.” Piper grimaced—the MPs had a bit of fun with her dignity, shoving her around and leering at her when her father wasn’t present. Not that it would have mattered if he had been—he’d done far worse to her himself back when she was still living in his house. Never outright physical or sexual abuse, just the mental kind. And the MPs didn’t harm her beyond the bruises from the cuffs and a sore shoulder from when they’d thrown her to the ground, then yanked her back up again. As if she’d done anything close to resisting arrest.
    Besides, she would take a beating any day—it had happened a couple times in the field when she’d messed up, not been careful enough—rather than endure the cutting words that came out of her father’s mouth. Somehow, with a single, carefully placed sneer, the Colonel could reduce her to that eight-year-old who innocently asked him why he didn’t love her. He’d told her in military-precise terms why she wasn’t worthy of his love. The Colonel favored his sons over her, but he was really a monster to everyone—he’d branded Daniel and Noah each with a special kind of abuse. She could still see the emotional scars plastered across Daniel’s face, even though he’d never admit to it. When both Noah and Daniel were sent overseas, she breathed a sigh of relief just to have them out of the Colonel’s zone of influence. Noah saw their father for what he truly was, but somehow, Daniel never did.
    Piper must have been subconsciously rubbing the bruises on her wrists because Jace was scowling in spite of her assurances that she was fine.
    “What did they do to you?” he asked. There was an audible growl in his voice.
    She growled right back. “I told you, I’m fine.”
    Even Daniel looked concerned now, throwing a glance over the seat at her and scanning her body for signs of injury or something, instead of watching the road.
    “Eyes forward,” she said, but without too much harshness. “I am not going to die on a side street in Washington just because you forgot how to drive.” Her sass didn’t seem to deter their concerned looks. She sighed. “Look, they just cuffed me a little more roughly than necessary. It’s nothing. Trust me, I’ve seen a lot worse in the field.”
    That seemed to reassure Daniel, but Jace’s expression just darkened further. What was his deal? Why was he even here? She wasn’t sure she bought this whole rescuing all the shifters thing. Was anyone really that heroic?
    “I don’t understand why the Colonel let you go.” Daniel’s voice had returned to his normal mode of disapproval.
    “Would you rather he turned me over to the FBI?” she asked, her ire rising again. “Thanks, bro.”
    “I’m just saying, it just doesn’t make sense.” He scowled at her again.
    Jace twisted around to face her, his eyes alight with curiosity. “How far did you get?” He still had that rough, just-tumbled-out-of-bed look, and her wolf responded to that direct gaze more than she would have liked.
    “What do you mean?” she asked, trying to recover from the sudden flush of lust. For God’s sake, she didn’t even understand why he was here. Or why a single, piercing look from him was enough to set her nether parts on fire.
    Jace gave her a small smile. “I’m assuming you earned the cuffing. What did you find out before you were caught?”
    She huffed a short laugh. Was he flirting with her? “Actually, I didn’t get far. Couldn’t even access the central database. They must have known I had a false ID from the jump and just waited to see what I was up to before nabbing me.”
    Jace nodded. “Makes sense. Which begs the question of why they let you go. It’s not like falsifying classified access ID isn’t a crime, you know.”
    Piper shrugged one shoulder, and Jace looked like he was holding back a smirk.
    Daniel had no humor on his face whatsoever. “Once again, you get off scot-free,” he grumbled. “And I’m going to