Read A Jaguars Touch for Free Online

opposite, actually.
    “Was it consensual?” Vic demanded.
    Kenzie glanced away then closed her eyes and nodded. “Yes,” she whispered, and though she couldn’t see, Vic watched her flinch and curl into herself when Holt moved away. Whatever Kenzie was dealing with, Holt wasn’t helping.
    “Go get some fresh air, Holt. I want to chat with Kenzie alone,” Vic said bluntly.
    Holt glanced at Kenzie then met Vic’s stare and nodded. Without saying a word, he turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
    “I’m not sure he’s your best choice of confidant,” Vic said when they were alone. “The man’s still in love with you.”
    Kenzie laughed, but it wasn’t a sound of amusement. “He’s hurt and angry and…being the best friend I don’t deserve at the moment.”
    “What’s going on? I’m not going to ask if you’re okay. I can see you’re not. Do you need me to hunt this bastard mate of yours down and drag him back here? Or better yet, do you want me to slit his throat and leave him as road kill?”
    “You have no idea how much I’d love to say yes,” Kenzie said. “But hurting him would only destroy me more.”
    Vic snorted. “So I won’t kill him. Just maim him a bit, help him see the fault in his choices. You’re already in pain. Let’s make him suffer, too.”
    “We’re already connected,” Kenzie said softly, arms wrapped around her waist. “And I have no one to blame but myself.”
    “What?”
    Kenzie nodded. “When he found me, rescued me, he would have walked away without mating me. But I saw the raw need in his eyes, smelled it on his skin, and I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt this was the one person meant for me. He’s mine.” Her brown eyes flared a yellow gold at the claim. “I gave him no choice. As soon as he released me, I bit him.”
    “So you forced the bond?”
    “I started it, but once I did, he was more than willing to participate.” She jerked her shirt to the side, and Vic saw the bite that marred her skin. “He took me until I passed out from the pleasure and walked away from me. He gave me the best moment of my life then ripped it away from me. And I can’t even fully hate the bastard because we’re fucking connected. Do you know how messed up that is?”
    “My offer to rough him up is always there,” Vic assured her, not sure what to say. Kenzie’s pain was so evident it made Vic’s heart ache for her.
    “You know my whole life those who should love me, want me, are always walking away from me. My parents gave me away because they thought I was human. Humans didn’t want me because my shifter senses made me odd. I figured the one person I could count on to stay would be my mate. Joke’s on me. Even my mate walked away and left me.”
    “This pride won’t walk away from you, none of us. All you have to do is tell us what you need, and we’ll do everything we can to help you. We’re your family,” Vic vowed.
    “Even though Gabriel talked to Tah and told him to watch over and keep me safe?” Kenzie asked softly. “I saw Gabriel after he left here. I met him when I was heading back by myself. I wanted to think, to make sense of what happened. Instead, I met up with my mate again. He told me leaving me was the hardest thing he’s ever done.”
    “Bastard,” Vic said.
    “I could feel the truth in his words. I could feel how much it was killing him to walk away. But he still did. He wanted me, but he chose to leave. He’s destroying us both so he can be the Angel the people need. I want to hate him for that. I want to walk away from him, from this.” She pointed at the spot where Vic has seen the bite mark. “Just like he did, and it’s ripping me apart inside. I feel this hunger, this fire in my bones. Sometimes I swear I can’t breathe because my emotions are so overwhelming. I want to hate him. I want to hate everyone who depends on him and counts on what he represents.” She closed her eyes and seemed to shrink into