Page 22 of Cross To Bear

“C’mon…” I said, staring at the car, willing whatever the fuck was going to just stop. The car was toast, I accepted that, but I didn’t want it to freaking explode. The phone rang and rang until…

“Yeah?” If I had any concerns about Jesse getting over the breakup, I didn’t now. He’d obviously picked up the phone mid chuckle, the laughter still in his voice. “I mean Bearclaw Custom Bikes, how may I be of assistance?”

“Jesse…”

I needed to say more, to ask for Hawk or Crash or Razor, not him, but his tone changed so abruptly when he replied, it made my head spin.

“What do you want?”

That scorn. Where the hell had that come from? He spoke to me in a tone you reserved for the shit smeared across your shoe, not an actual person.

“I need to talk to one of the guys. I—”

“Oh really?” The smile was back in his voice, but I was willing to bet it was a sour one. “Well, that’s a pity. They’re not here right now.”

That was hard to believe. I could hear the sound of banging and power tools being used in the background. The sleuth were the main mechanics in the garage, so at least one of them had to be there.

“Jesse, my car’s broken down—”

“Then ring a tow truck.”

My head jerked back when I heard the phone line go dead.

What. The. Fuck.

My view of my car going up in smoke was shoved aside, as I remembered all the fucking times I’d picked him up drunk, being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night by his call. Me or Bjorn, we were his default rides when he was too drunk to drive.

Bjorn.

My mind grabbed at that, all vows of staying away from the sleuth dying an early death as I pulled up the tattoo studio number and put through the call.

“Bearclaw Tattoos and Art Gallery.” Cressida’s greeting was much smoother and more professional.

“Cress! It's Maddie. I’m on the side of the road and my car is on fire and I rang Jesse and he hung up on me and—”

“Holy fucking shit!” That, that alarmed response was the one I needed and hated all at the same time. It recognised the problem and confirmed it was serious. “I’m getting Bjorn now.”

My heart was beating too hard and too fast in my ears as I waited for that rumbly masculine voice to come on the line.

“Maddie?” Tears pricked my eyes as I heard concern, not anger. “Where are you, sweetheart? I’ll get the boys and… Your car is on fire?”

“Like, kinda?” I stared at the car, my hand rising and falling. “There’s little flames coming up past the bonnet.”

“Then I need you to get away from the car. Walk up the road, stay away from the car and then give me an idea of where you are.” Then he said the words I needed to hear. “We’re coming, love. We’re coming.”

Chapter 14

Bjorn

“We’ve got this,” I told Kaine. He was the bear shifter who’d come by the gallery, looking for somewhere his girl could hold an exhibition. The bloke was a good guy, but he wasn’t my priority right now. I was imagining terrible, terrible things, and as I did, my control slipped. Claws formed at the ends of my fingers, fur prickled across my skin. “Bring your girl around early next week when shit’s slow, because right now, I gotta go.”

“Get in the fucking tow truck now!” I snapped when I reached the garage, Razor sliding out from underneath a car he was working on.

“And hello to you, brother,” he said, sitting up and wiping his hands on a greasy rag.

“Maddie’s car caught fire by the side of the freeway.”

“What?” He leapt to his feet in a fluid movement, his blue eyes paling. The bear was looking out at me at the word she was in danger.

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