The Billionbear's Bride: BBW Bear Shifter BWWM Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant Page B

see his slicked-back hair and narrowed eyes. He was tall, almost as tall as Bruce, and nearly a broad and strong.
    His hand on her upper arm stopped her.
    "Is there something I can help you with?" The first frissons of fear began to take hold.
    He glared at her. It was more than just the irritation of a bumped stranger; she felt with a dark, deep dread that he hated her. Even though he didn't know her.
    "Yeah," he said. "You can come with me."
    Violet opened her mouth to say something, something that would make people come running, but as soon as she did he covered her mouth with a damp cloth.
    She gasped, and inhaled a sweet, pungent smell. There was something on the rag, she thought dimly. She tried to gather her wits to shout, to struggle, but fear made her breathing faster and dulled her mind. Wooziness set in, followed by blackness.
     

Chapter Ten
     
    Bruce
     
    It had been several minutes since Violet had gone to the bathroom. Bruce knew it was pathetic, but he missed her already. Normally he hated these things, so full of pomp and politics, but her presence had made it bearable. In fact, he'd almost been enjoying himself all evening. Now a nameless dread had crept into him. Was it the mate bond, or just his overactive imagination?
    He leaned over to murmur in his assistant's ear. "Shouldn’t she be back by now?"
    Wanda cast a glance in the direction of the bathroom. "She was right behind me," she said doubtfully. "Maybe something happened. I'll go check on her."
    She returned a few minutes later, laying a hand on his shoulder and looking decidedly more concerned. Though she spoke quietly, he heard the thread of worry lacing her voice. "She's not there, and I didn't see her anywhere. I also tried calling her. She didn't pick up."
    He pushed back his chair. He was much more concerned about Violet than what some la-di-dah society ladies would think of him.
    "We'll find her," he said, not sure if he was reassuring her or himself.
    Together, they checked the rest of the gathering, the hallways, and all of the other bathrooms she might have stepped into. Each time he saw Wanda, the concerned furrow in her brow had grown deeper. Violet was nowhere to be found.
    Outside, the cold air was bracing as he spoke to the limo driver that had chauffeured them. She hadn't seen Violet, and Violet wasn't in the waiting car. More than half an hour had elapsed since Wanda has last seen her.
    "My car's still here, too," Wanda said grimly, tucking her fingers into her armpits and shivering in her dress. "Not that she had the key, but I thought I'd check …"
    He scanned the lot, his fear mounting. When they'd arrived, he hadn't paid attention to the cars that were already here. Now he couldn't tell if any were missing. He cursed himself. If she hadn't left of her own free will, someone must have taken her.
    His mind returned to Jim's threat. He'd thought his ex-friend was all bravado. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't taken Jim seriously. He'd thought it was all bark and no bite; Jim liked to bluster. But maybe he'd been serious after all.
    And now Violet was in trouble, and it was his fault.
    "Do you think there are cameras out here?" he asked. "We might see something if she was taken."
    Biting her lip, Wanda looked around—at the cars, at Bruce's limo, at the doors to the building. Anywhere but at Bruce. Gradually he became aware that she was avoiding his gaze.
    "Wanda?"
    She jumped, and began babbling immediately. "I'm so sorry, Bruce. I was talking to her in the bathroom, and I asked if you had talked to her yet, and I might have upset her—I think she might have left because of what I said—"
    Bruce's mind was spinning in a panic. "You told her? About my bear?" In his shock he forgot to lower his voice. Fortunately, no one was around to hear them.
    "No!" she protested. "Of course not! But I told her to talk to you," she added miserably. There were tears forming in her eyes. "I think this is all my fault. She ran away