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Ten minutes later, we’re sitting side by side, coffee cups in hand and shoes by the front door. The leather jacket and hoodie are neatly folded on the chair and for the first time in a long time, I feel comfortable. The couch is larger than I thought, with wide cushions, meaning my feet don’t quite touch the floor with me sitting all the way back.
The coffee is delicious. I don’t know what he did to it, but it’s even better than the fancy one at Lucy’s coffee shop.
“So, that talk. I hate to bring up things you don’t wanna talk about, but the club has been doing some digging.” He turns a little on the couch toward me, so I shift and bring my legs up, crossing them and facing him. I can’t blame his friends for wanting to do their research. If anything, it says how much they love Bear, and I could never be mad at that.
“Okay.” I sigh deeply and nod, ready for whatever he has to say. Maybe he’s going to suggest that I leave anyway, whichwould be great because that’s the plan… so why does the thought hurt so much?
“We know about The Firm.” He pauses when I take a sharp inhale, unable to hold back my reaction to the name of the organization I hoped to never hear of again. I silently gesture for him to continue. “My brothers spoke to the guy who stopped you and Mac yesterday.”
“And by spoke to, do you mean beat up?” Paxton has been giving me the lowdown, as he called it, on how a motorcycle club runs. They basically love and protect each other with their lives, meaning sometimes they have to do bad shit. Again, Paxton’s words. The way he spoke about it wasn’t like a scared child though, it was like he was in awe of them, and I can practically feel the respect the club members have for each other every time they’re around. Minus the whole punching that guy thing, but I could tell Bear felt bad about it afterward.
Bear chuckles. “Yeah. I mean beat up.” He clears his throat. “We have a guy hacking his phone for information, but he said he didn’t tell anyone he’d found you or knew where you were.”
“Wow. That’s… something.” I don’t know what to say, I’m shocked, but I’m also… I think happy? Everything suddenly seems a lot clearer, easier somehow, and why I ever believed that I would be safer on my own is a mystery. “Thank you.” I’m not going to tell him that what they’ve done or are doing is wrong or that they shouldn’t bother because I’m where I’m supposed to be.
In my heart, I know that I came here for a reason, and while the home for women I was supposed to go to was burned down, I found something even better. I know I have Moirai to thank for that.Fate.
“You’re welcome.” Bear huffs a low laugh and shakes his head. “You’re something else, Baby Girl.”
I raise my brows in response, sipping at my delicious coffee, and shrug. I know with all my many quirks that I’m not confident and strong, I’m aware of how I come across to strangers with how skittish I can be. But being aware doesn’t stop it from happening. With Bear, it all feels different. I’m drawn to him like a bee to a flower.
“There’s more.” His serious face is back.
“Do I need to get more comfortable for this?” I flutter my lashes.
He laughs. “If you want, Baby Girl.”
“Okay, hang on.” Pushing my personal limits, I slowly uncurl my legs and begin to stretch them out. Bear watches in amusement as I carefully place my feet on his thick thigh, leaning myself back into the arm of the couch with my coffee in both hands. “Ready.”
As soon as my feet make contact with his thigh, he grips one of them in both of his large hands, and it practically disappears, but when he starts rubbing… oh, wow…
“What are y—”
“As soon as it’s too much for you, just ask me to stop, okay?” He searches my eyes for any discomfort, but he doesn’t find it and I nod. “Words, Baby Girl. I need you to understand that I’ll stop as soon as you want me to.”
Nobody has ever rubbed my feet before, and I don’t think I want him to stop. It feels so good.
“Please don’t stop.” My cheeks heat, but being so forward, being honest about what I’m feeling, is easy with Bear.
“Good girl.”
Oh, gods, I swear he sets all my nerve endings on fire in the best way. His gentle touch, his praising words, I could get used to this. But what can I really give him? I find myself going in circles with every decision, questioning what’s right in front of me.
Doing that is never going to get me a new life, though. One worth living.
“I think you should move in with me.” There was no beating around the bush with that. I almost forgot he still wanted to talk and I certainly didn’t expect that. “So the club and I can protect you. Keep you safe from The Firm if they try to find you again.”
My eyes widen at the statement because, let’s face it, that wasn’t a question. It’s almost like he’s preempted my wanting to run and has come up with a different solution, one that actually makes a lot more sense… just as much as it doesn’t.
“I was going to leave when my truck is ready tomorrow.” He was honest and straightforward with me, I owe it to him to do the same. “I was going to run away and never look back.”
“Why?” He looks sad at my admission.
“To protectyou.”
Chapter Fifteen
Bear