Page 14 of His Bear Hands (Bear Creek Grizzlies #1)

14

ZOE

Z oe stormed toward the river, hands clenched at her sides and muttering to herself with each step. Unbelievable. Not just one but two men trying to tell her what to do. Like she couldn't see what a problem some of this was. And imagine, Simon thinking he could just decide she would stay forever in the middle of a freaking forest because she'd slept with him and that crazy wild part of her liked him.

The stillness and quiet of the trees settled around her, though, and eventually her heart slowed and the storm of anger clouding her thoughts passed. Zoe took a deep breath and paused to take in her surroundings. The river trickled and ran over stones, a soothing soundtrack, and she turned in a slow circle. It really was peaceful, if a little weird. It was a strange feeling to be so alone, to feel as if there was no one in shouting distance. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so disconnected from everything.

Zoe eased closer to the river but didn't touch the water. She preferred to study moss and fish and smelly things from afar. Her nose wrinkled but the wild part of her reveled in the tantalizing scent of things swimming in the water.

She retreated from the river before she jumped in and started chowing down on some trout, and perched on a fallen log to contemplate the running water. Stay or go. City or forest. Living in virtual reality or ... reality reality. She rubbed her forehead. She liked Simon, a lot. When she could relax around him and didn't say the wrong thing, she felt more at home with Simon than she had at any other time in her life. He felt safe. Comforting and comfortable.

She groaned and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. Sure, he'd slept with her and talked like he wanted her to stick around, but she was still a criminal. It would be better to return to California with Tate and lay low until the stuff with Castellano blew over. She could find a legitimate job. Write code for banks, maybe. Do security testing on networks. Work nine to five in an office.

Zoe shoved to her feet and paced a few steps closer to the river. Nine to five in an office sounded like hell. Business casual instead of jeans and leggings. She made a face and turned on her heel, ready to head back to the lodge. There had to be a compromise. Maybe she could live in town, work for Rosie or someone, and then she could still see Simon. If he wanted to see her.

She lurched to a halt. What if he didn't really want her to stick around? What if he just wanted the bear part of her, and the real Zoe part of her ended up slowly suffocating? She gulped air as uneasiness grew in her chest. She didn't know much about bears, but there didn't seem to be a whole lot of women hanging around at the lodge or in town. Zoe chewed her lower lip as she stared up the path to where the lodge waited. Where Tate and Simon both waited — two different paths, two different futures.

The wild part of her, the bear, knew which decision to make. The bear grumbled and rumbled that Zoe even considered walking away from Simon. He was their match, their other half. Zoe rubbed her temples and turned back to the river. But how could she live in the woods, at the lodge, with five guys? And no Chinese takeout to call and no movie theaters. Was Simon enough to balance out everything she liked about the city?

She sank onto the log once more. Except she was alone in the city. In her apartment with her computers and nothing else. Even the stray cats she fed didn't show up every night. Putting up with mosquitos the size of pigeons might be worth having human companionship, feeling like she was finally part of a family. A family. Her throat closed up a little and her vision blurred. Simon felt like family. More like family than people she'd known her entire life.

Zoe shoved to her feet and turned toward the lodge. Sure, Simon made her a little jumpy with how intensely he looked at her. But when she finally relaxed... It was worth it.

She got three steps before something sounded wrong in the trees to her left. The bear didn't like it. Something didn't belong. Zoe's heart jumped to her throat. For half a second, she thought about screaming for help or trying to call, but then four men dressed in black paramilitary gear rose out of the underbrush and surrounded her.

They had guns. Lots of gun.

Radios in their ears and paint covering their faces, some with branches and camouflage netting draped around them. The bear roared inside her head and Zoe twitched, hugging herself as she backed toward the river. "Uh, it's not hunting season yet, you probably shouldn't —"

"Mick sends his regards," one said, voice low and gruff. The leader, by his demeanor. He had blue eyes, piercing and cold, and they cut right through her. "And wants to have a word with you. "

"I'm h-happy to give him a call," Zoe said, swallowing hard as she turned. Two more woodland ghosts stood behind her, between her and the river. "But the reception out here is so bad, I'll just —"

"He's waiting." Blue Eyes leaned forward and grabbed her arm, hard enough it hurt and the bear part of her wanted to do something about it. Her chest felt tight and intense, like the bear might burst out whether she wanted it to or not. Zoe gritted her teeth as he slid plastic loops around her wrists and cranked them down until they cut off her circulation and bit into her skin. He frowned at her and said, "Cooperate. Don't yell or try to get away, or we'll knock you out. Got it?"

"I have a lot of money," she said quietly, praying she sounded competent and sincere. "I can double whatever he's paying you."

"Nice try." Blue Eyes lifted up a black bag and tossed it over her head, and everything went dark.

Zoe held her breath at the rank smell in the cloth and dug in her heels as he tried to pull her forward. Her heart started to race. Simon. Simon would save her, but he thought she needed time to think. It could be an hour before he came to find her. And in an hour, Castellano could take her anywhere. Could kill her.

A strangled sound escaped and tears dripped to her cheeks, soaked up by the hood, and she tripped as they started marching. Alone again. Except for the bear. But if she let the bear out, if she could even figure out how to do it, would she be able to find herself again? Maybe Zoe would be lost forever if the bear came out too soon. She held her breath and tried to come up with a plan.