Page 12 of Bear

“If he does, Wood deserved it.” French grunted as he managed to get the knife away from Redwood. In the process, my arm got in the way and the knife laid a fiery gash along the underside of my forearm.

I gave one sharp cry, backing away. Then I clamped my mouth shut and slapped a hand over the wound. Bear immediately turned to me, dropping his gaze to where blood seeped between my fingers and dripped to the floor.

“Fuckin’ Christ.” He let go of Redwood, not bothering to look at the man. “What the fuck did you mean to do, girl? Fight off a man twice your size -- with a knife -- using only your bare hands?” He snagged my arm, putting his own huge hand over the wound as he moved us to the sink. “Banjo, get that bastard out of my sight. Tell Rocket or Lemon what happened. Let them deal with the little prick.” He refused to turn toward the men, instead pulling out a dish towel from a drawer and wrapping it around the cut to stop the bleeding.

“Consider it done, Bear,” Banjo pushed Redwood toward the door.

“You tell ‘em everything. Not just that I busted his ass. You tell ‘em why. You tell every fuckin’ horny-ass prospect in this fuckin’ compound. ‘Cause this ain’t fuckin’ over.” Bear did turn to look at the other men then. “Best make your peace with whatever God you believe in, you son of a bitch.”

“I swear I didn’t know she was yours, Bear,” Redwood pleaded, his eyes wide. “I’d never have said that if I’d known she was your old lady.”

“She’s in my fuckin’ house, isn’t she?” Bear was livid. That much was certain. This was a side of the man I never wanted focused on me. “Be very fuckin’ glad I’m not the one to decide what happens to you. Not only did you disrespect my woman, but you pulled a fuckin’ knife on me.”

“It was reflex, Bear. I swear I wasn’t gonna use it!”

“Don’t care. Get the fuck out.”

“Come on, Wood.” Banjo took hold of his arm and led the man outside. French took the knife and laid it on a table by the couch. He glanced up at Bear before the three of them left. Banjo snagged the trash bag on his way out.

Bear carefully removed the dish towel from my arm. The cut wasn’t deep, but it was long. It still oozed blood, but it wasn’t bad. He wrapped it tight around my arm again before picking up his phone and shooting off a text.

“Gonna get Bullet to come look at this. At the very least you’ll need a tetanus shot.”

“Why would you care?” I was trying very hard to keep from breaking down. My heart pounded, and my arm was starting to sting like a motherfucker.

“You heard me claim you, Liv. That means you’re mine to protect. That means I beat a fuckin’ prospect for being disrespectful, that’s what I do. You hurt yourself? I get you a doctor. Which brings up my first question. What the fuck were you doing?”

“I was trying to keep you from getting stabbed,” I snapped. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. The adrenaline was leaving my body, and I was shaky and nauseous. I tried to turn around to wash my hands, but my knees chose that moment to buckle and I thought I was going to hit the floor. Instead, Bear’s strong arms came around me, pulling me solidly against his muscled body.

“Careful, honey.”

My hands landed on his chest as I looked up into his eyes. Instead of the feral look of a few minutes ago when he was strangling the man who’d made a crude comment to me, he now wore an expression of concern.

“Bear?” My breathing quickened and I moistened my lips.

“Christ, woman,” he growled in a husky voice. “Don’t do that unless you want me to kiss you. Because I can’t think of doing anything else.”

A little whimper escaped me just before Bear lowered his lips to mine and took my mouth in a tender but firm kiss.

Warmth swept through my body, a heat from within as I surrendered to Bear’s kiss.

Bear’s lips were rough and demanding but gentle as they moved against mine, claiming and possessing. There was a wild, woodsy taste to him, strong and intoxicating. I permitted him access when he gently nudged my lips apart with his tongue, exploring every inch of my mouth. I moaned softly into the kiss, my hand fisting in his shirt. His free hand moved up my back to cradle the back of my head, holding me closer to him as if he was afraid I might slip away.

My knees finally gave out, and Bear had my full weight. He bent and picked me up, one arm under my ass. I wrapped my legs around him automatically and he grunted his approval. He never let up on the kiss, taking my mouth in a sensual and lust filled act that threatened to make me lose my mind.

There was a knock at the door and Bear growled into my mouth. He didn’t stop either. Just kept thrusting his tongue inside my mouth to flick and taste.

When the knock came again and a man called out, “Bear? Wanna let me in?” Bear groaned and ended the kiss. He pressed his forehead to mine, his breathing as ragged as my own.

“Christ,” he muttered. “Wait here, Liv. It’s Bullet. Do not get down. Understand?” He pinned me with a firm gaze.

I nodded, unable to actually form even a word as simple as “yes.” He patted my thigh and leaned back down to kiss my forehead, then went to the door to let in the other man.

I wanted to jump down and bolt. Run to a room in the house and barricade myself inside where no one could get me. Except I totally believed Bear when he’d told me before he’d break down any door between us. Having seen the way he moved when Redwood spoke to me, I knew he was capable of violence. Hadn’t I been warned by Black these men were dangerous? I was still trying to reconcile a man who could help slaughter a village of innocent people with the man with me now. Not only was he gentle with me, but he’d assaulted a member of his own club, a man he presumably knew much better than he did me, on my behalf.

Not for the first time, I started to question what I’d been told about these people. What if Black had been lying? Lord knew he’d lied about plenty since the first time I’d met him. The pressure inside me was mounting by the second. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t a spy or soldier. I was just a girl afraid to break away from a father she knew had put her in this situation to begin with simply because he was her family. You stuck by family. Supported them. Right? But how could I betray people who’d taken me in with no questions asked simply because I’d said I was in trouble and needed help? The questions had only come after they’d gotten me safely away from the situation.

So my dilemma now became whether or not to continue with my instructions, or take a leap of faith and tell Bear everything. Let him help me figure out what to do. Assuming he was even interested.

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