Page 64 of Bad Blood Panther

Chapter 24

The Broken Hill corporate jet looked just like a private jet in a movie. Jenny sat on a cream-colored leather sofa, holding Brandon close to her. There were ten other seats—some singles, some facing each other with tables in between them, like train seats.

She’d never been on the jet before—she wasn’t important enough in the clan hierarchy to be given the privilege.

Not until she was a prisoner. There was some irony for you.

Right now, all the seats were empty except for a single seat in the back. Tomas, one of Alton’s bullies, lounged there, idly extending his claws and pulling them back in. Her only other guard, Trace, was behind the curtain at the front of the plane, talking to the pilot.

The rest of the team had been left behind, “to deal with Fierro.”

She had no idea what that meant. She just prayed Flynn and the Bad Bloods had been able to keep Xander out of their hands. She should never have dragged him into this.

“Imma hungry,” Brandon whined. “An’ imma want juice.”

Jenny breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. She couldn’t panic. She had to stay strong, for Brandon.

Below the panic, though, was a white-hot rage that terrified her even more. They had no right to drag her and Brandon away from Xander, away from the Bad Bloods, away from the home they’d made. And if they tried to hurt Brandon, she’d kill every last one of them.

Trace ducked back through the curtain that led to the cockpit. He’d made a stop in the galley, and was carrying a bottle of water and a juice box, which he handed to her. That was it. No food. Apparently this was the no-frills flight.

“Hungry,” Brandon whined, louder.

“Is there anything to eat?” Jenny said. “You know how Brandon gets when he’s hungry.”

Trace snorted. “Jeez, haven’t you learned how to keep him quiet yet? You’d think the Bad Bloods would have smacked some discipline into him, even though Fierro’s a pussy.”

Jenny took another couple of deep breaths and didn’t answer. It wasn’t worth it.

Brandon frowned. “Where Xan-Daddy?”

“He’s home, baby.” Please, make that the truth. “Maybe we’ll be able to call him when we land.”

Trace grinned. “Oh, that’s been taken care of, Sweetness,” he said. Jenny wanted to barf at the name. To Brandon, he said, “You’ll see him soon, kid.” Under his breath he added, “If not for long.”

Cold fear stabbed through Jenny. What the hell did that mean? Had they captured Xander? Why? Alton had no reason to care about him—unless he wanted to kill him as some kind of “example.” Alton was big on examples, even if they made sense to no one but him.

Brandon was still frowning. “Where Bib Bear?” he demanded. “Where Alfacat?” He looked around, as if Tank and Flynn were going to materialize on the plane. She could feel a tantrum building.

Trace had lost interest in the conversation. “You’re not going to see them any more, kid.”

Bad move.

“Not?” Brandon’s eyes opened wide for a shocked moment. Then he got pissed off.

“I want Bib Bear!” he shouted. “I want Alfacat. I want Xan-Daddy!” Trace opened his mouth to speak, and Brandon drowned him out with an ear-piercing shriek.

Jenny made no attempt to stop Brandon’s tantrum. Why the hell should she? These assholes deserved to deal with it. She was pleased to see that his piercing screams were obviously painful to Trace’s sensitive panther hearing. Hers, too, but she was more used to it.

But when he drew his hand back to slap Brandon, she had her claws out in a second. “Don’t even try it, asshole. That’s your future alpha.”

Trace gave her an evil grin. “He won’t remember.”

Fucker. Jenny flexed her claws. “Don’t worry. I’ll remind him.”

Their gazes locked.

“Fine. Just shut him up,” Trace said, dropping his hand.