Bared for Her Bear (13 page)

front of a lot of unsuspecting people, children included. No, she would bite her tongue, hope her

pastries were almost ready, and walk away from him.

“Ma’am?” She turned and saw the baker handing her the box filled with her baked goods. Her

face heated even further at the knowledge that Frank would no doubt have a comment about that. And

just like on cue, he spewed his hurtful thoughts.

“I still see you’re still eating like the world’s gonna end.” He started cackling that distinctive

laugh jackals had. Her face felt like it was on fire, and she snatched the box, said thank you, and

started to walk away. A hand on her arm stopped her, and her heart raced.

“Damn, Ary, the least you can do is say hi to the man whose heart you broke.”

Yeah, if she had broken his heart by leaving then the world really had ended. Just days after

she broke up with him she’d seen him all over a human female. Shaking over his icy touch, she

straightened her shoulders and told herself she would not let him get to her.

“I have nothing else to say to you.”

The saccharine smile he wore vanished, and he narrowed his eyes. She went to turn again, but

his hand gripped her wrist in a tight hold and he refused to let go.

“You bitch. I put up with your shit for a whole fucking year, and now you act like you’re too

damn good to even talk to me? You fat fucking bitch—” Before he could continue on his rant he was

thrown across the aisle, slid along the polished floor, and landed at the base of a soup can display.

Chicken noodle soup cans fell all around him, and he moved away before he got buried in them.

Charlie stood a foot in front of her, and looking at his profile showed his rage and the fact he was

seconds away from shifting. Knowing she had to defuse the situation before it got worse, she took a

step forward and placed her hand on Charlie’s forearm. The heat that came from him told her his

muscles were contracting, preparing to shift and fight.

“Looks like Ary found herself a protector. She’s gonna need a big bear to watch all of
that
.”

The fact he was making yet another reference to her weight wasn’t lost on her, but then again she

didn’t care at the moment. There was no doubt Charlie could easily kill him, but then that would just

open up a lot of problems that she didn’t want Charlie to deal with.

“Come on, Charlie. It isn’t worth it.
He
isn’t worth it.” Frank had since stood, and she could

tell he was doing everything in his power not to attack or make another nasty remark. He had never

been known for his restraint, but clearly he knew what he was up against and was actually thinking

about the repercussions for once in his miserable life. There was no contest that a bear could take a

jackal, but Frank had never been the brightest male, and his temper and arrogant attitude had gotten

him into a lot of trouble when they were dating.

Exhaling the breath she hadn’t known she had been holding in, Ary was able to steer Charlie

out of the grocery store, although she knew he was allowing it or it wouldn’t have happened. Once

they were back in his truck all she wanted to do was drive out of there and never look back, but he

didn’t start the truck or pull away from the store. He had a tight grip on the steering wheel, and his

knuckles were white as bone.

“Charlie, please let’s go.” She kept her voice purposefully soft, and placed her hand gently on

his thigh. His muscles twitched beneath her palm, but he covered her hand with his and looked at her.

“That was the ex I take it?” He practically said it through clenched teeth. She nodded once, and

a muscle under his jaw jumped. He returned the nod and went back to staring out the front windshield.

“I could have torn him in half for what he said to you and when he put his hands on you, Kitten.” His

voice was scary low, and she didn’t know any way to make things better aside from just leaving.

“I’m glad you controlled yourself, because he isn’t worth the air he breathes. Come on,

Charlie, I’m excited to meet your brothers and tell everyone the good news.” She placed a hand on her

belly and offered him a smile that she hoped didn’t look unsteady.

He turned his upper body so he was facing her. His smile was forced, but still there. “I didn’t

mean to frighten you, baby.”

“I know, but when I said he isn’t worth it that is exactly what I meant. I don’t want you getting

in trouble because of some asshole like him. I love you, Charlie.” He exhaled, and his smile wasn’t

forced this time.

“I love you too, baby.” He kissed her on top of the head, and she closed her eyes and felt

herself relax since the whole altercation started. They finally left and headed to toward Bram’s cabin

not far from where Charlie lived. She just wanted to put everything that had to do with Frank behind

her, and thought she had until she had seen him tonight. Maybe she wasn’t as stable with her self-

worth as she originally thought.

Melissa and Candace kept passing around the ultrasound picture,
oohing
and
aahing
at how

cute the baby looked. Charlie and his brothers were at the dining room table drinking beer while they

stayed in the living room.

“Is it awkward for you, Melissa?” Ary took a drink of her lemonade.

“What?” Melissa handed the pictures to Candace and looked up at her. “Awkward about

what?”

Ary tilted her head toward where the guys were at. Melissa waved her question off.

“Just because we
almost
slept together, but I ended up going home with someone else isn’t a

big deal, Ary. We parted ways on good terms. In fact, I saw him leaving with some redhead, so it’s all

good.” She smiled. “Besides, I had a nice time with Nick.” She wagged her eyebrows, and they all

started laughing. “I found myself a lion shifter, and let me tell yah, they make wolves seem like

inexperienced teenagers.” Melissa fell back against the couch and fanned herself. “I think I’m in

love.” This had Candace dropping the pictures in her lap, and both of them looking at Melissa like she

had grown two heads.

They both said in unison, “Really?”

Melissa grinned. “Hell no, but he is still fun in bed, and man does he have some tricks up his

sleeve that make me scream like a damn opera singer.” This had all three of them laughing so loud the

guys stopped their conversation and looked over at them curiously. They smiled innocently, which had

all three guys narrowing their eyes suspiciously, but going back to their conversations nonetheless.

“So, things are good with you two?” Candace asked her.

A flurry of butterflies started in February’s belly, and she felt her cheeks heat when Melissa’s

and Candace’s matching grins met hers. “More than okay.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice.

“He told me he loved me, and I said it in return.” For once Melissa was speechless.

“Oh my God, Ary.” Candace clasped her hands together and covered her mouth.

“Dammit, why can’t I find a hot bear shifter and have everything fall into place?” Melissa said

in her whiney, teasing voice voice, but Ary could tell there was no heat behind her words.

“So you’re seeing that lion shifter again? Not really your style, Melissa.” Candace grinned, and

both Ary and Melissa glanced over at their normally quiet friend. Candace had a little bit of bite in her

tonight, and Ary decided it suited her quite well.

“You bitch.” Melissa poked Candace in the ribs and grinned. “Yeah, it isn’t my style. I’m kind

of the love em’ and leave em’ kind of girl, but hey, it isn’t like I have anything better to do. Besides,

he said he wanted to take me to dinner and dancing this weekend. And also, he’s a manly man, you

know, the kind that can crush an opponent with his hands.” She squeezed her hand as if to emphasize

her point.

That brought back the memory of Frank and Charlie almost getting into it at the store. If

February never had to witness something like that again she would die a happy woman. She certainly

didn’t want to have Frank’s vileness seeping into her current life, and she didn’t want Charlie involved

in any of that. Frank was part of her past, and that was where she wanted him to stay.

****

Charlie could hear the females laughing in the next room, and the sound of Ary’s happiness

made him smile.

“Man, you got it bad for your girl.” Bram’s words were filled with brotherly love. Charlie

looked up at his brother, saw the fresh split lip and slightly swollen right eye, and sighed out loud.

“Bram, when are you going to chill on the fighting?” His youngest brother cracked his

knuckles and smirked.

“Listen, it helps me with all this extra energy that builds and builds inside of me until I feel

like I’m going to explode. Besides, I like breaking a few noses. It’s fun.” Charlie rolled his eyes, and

Ford grunted in amusement. Out of the three of them Bram had always been far more bear than

human, and Charlie knew he took after their father in that regard.

“Anyway, enough about this and his need to kick some ass, and more about you and your girl.”

Ford made a low, annoyed sound when Bram play punched him in the arm.

“Dick.”

Charlie chuckled at his brothers’ banter.

“I never thought I’d see the day when you’d get pussy whipped,” Ford said absently. His

attention was on his cell that was on the table in front of him. His brow was puckered, and a look of

concentration was written across his face. When Charlie looked over at Bram he saw a worried

expression on his brother’s face. He didn’t need to ask Bram what was wrong, because when his

brother mouthed the word “Mina” Charlie knew Ford was slowly going down a slippery slope of anger

and pain. Ford had never discussed what had really happened with him and Mina. One day they were

happy and in love, and the next she was moving out of Sweet Water. Ford had gone on a sexual frenzy

of sleeping with random females, getting shitfaced and starting bar fights. Ford would most likely be

out tonight, drinking to numb everything that he was feeling, and Charlie would be there picking him

up and most likely stopping an all-out brawl that Ford had started. Yeah, he could see it all playing out

in his head now, and knew it was going to be one hell of a night.

****

and looked at Charlie fumbling with his cell.

“Yeah?” The sound of a male voice coming from the receiver could be heard, but it was too

muffled so she couldn’t understand what was said or who it was. “Fucking hell, Bram.” He scrubbed a

hand over his face and sat up in bed. “We both knew this was going to happen, so chill the fuck out.

You shouldn’t have let him get to that point.” A beat of silence passed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there in

ten.” He ended the call and set it on the table. “I’m sorry, baby. Ford is piss-ass drunk and starting shit

down at Slater’s.”

Worry instantly settled into her. “The rundown biker bar right outside of town?” She was wide

awake now and stared at his naked, muscular back. “I’ve heard that place is pretty dangerous.” And

where the scum of the earth liked to hang out. Charlie was going there, in the middle of the night no

less?

“Yeah, and it is only getting more dangerous with Ford there starting a bunch of drunken shit.”

He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. Go back to

sleep, baby, and when you wake up I’ll be right next to you.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the

forehead. She watched in silence as he quickly shoved his legs into a pair of jeans and pulled a t-shirt

over his head. He kissed her once more before he strode out of the house and to a place that

nightmares were made of.

She lay there alone, in his huge king-sized bed, smelling his scent surround her, and wishing

she wouldn’t worry so much. He could take care of himself, had been long before she came around.

She had heard horrendous stories about prostitutes, drugs, and near murder at Slater’s. Why were

Charlie’s brothers at a place like that anyway? Why that bar hadn’t been shut down was beyond her,

but one thing was for sure, there was no chance of her going back to sleep anytime soon.

****

place to get drunk at told him that whatever was going on with Mina was some deep shit. He parked

his truck beside a line of Harleys and made his way inside. Slater’s was on the outer limits of Sweet

Water city limits, hidden behind a thick line of trees and off the main road. Because of its location it

made it damn near impossible to see from the road. So if you didn’t know it was there, you would

never stumble upon it. He took the long, winding dirt road that took him past the pines and blue