Page 32 of Bear
“Hey, Luanne. Good morning.” He ran a palm over his handsome face and smiled at her. I took the moment to admire his defined back. My eyes roamed over the way thick cuts of muscle moved fluidly beneath his flawless onyx skin. I imagined how they’d move if he were on top of me.
Stop it, Cecily.
“Good morning, Griffon. I made your favorite breakfast even though I got here a little late.” Mom’s slip up made me frown. My stomach turned to knots as I walked to Bear’s side. Something was very wrong and the reality of it was jarring.
“Luanne,” Bear said slowly. I could tell he didn’t want to jolt her.
“Griffon, who’s your friend? She’s beautiful.” My world crashed and splintered into a million pieces.
“Her name is Cecily,” Bear said forcing a tight smile. “You don’t remember her?” I saw a wave of sadness crash into him. It was like seeing a new color. I was amazed at seeing emotion rise to the surface of him and horrified that my own mother didn’t recognize me. It was a different type of pain that sliced through to my marrow ripping apart every sunny memory that made me.
“Bear, of course I know my own daughter. What’s wrong with you?” She snapped in a way that was foreign to me. My mother was the kindest, gentlest spirit I’d ever known.
“Mom, are you feeling okay?” I put my hand on her shoulder and she jerked away from me.
“I’m fine, goddammit! Just…leave me alone. Both of you.” She stormed off after shoving the tray of breakfast at Bear.
I tried to run after her but Bear stopped me. He yanked me back into the bedroom and closed the door. “Cecily, let her go.”
“She didn’t know who I was!” I was hysterical. My heart thundered in my chest while an ache to help my mother spread through my limbs. She needed me.
“She’s sick. Let’s call Mr. Paul and get him over here. We need to sort this out.”
I didn’t understand how Bear’s mind worked. He switched gears seamlessly and with such a cool head.
I couldn’t stop shaking and crying. Mymotherdidn’t recognize me. My mind was full of fuzz and sorrow. Nothing made sense.
I watched Bear pick up his phone and tap my father’s name then press the phone to his ear. “Mr. Paul, was Luanne okay before she left this morning?” Bear put Dad on speakerphone and laid it on his bed while he brushed his teeth.
“She was a little disoriented. Said she had a headache. Why? Is she okay? Do I need to come get her?”
“She’s not doing well. You should get over here. I’m gonna block off my meetings for the day because we need to handle this as a family.” Bear paced the floor in his room then stood at the foot of the bed with his hands on his hips.
I was numb at that point. Terror had come and gone and now my mind worked on the real issue at hand. Something was eating my mother’s brain and I had to figure out what it was.
“I’ll be there in an hour. Is that too long?”
“No, that’s fine. Luanne went downstairs. I heard her slam the door to the office. I’m sure she’s holed up in there licking her wounds.”
“Bear, what happened?”
“I’ll talk to you when you get here. She’s not physically injured though. I have it under control.”
“Okay. Is Cecily alright?” Hearing my father say my name made me blink and return to the present moment.
“I’ll take care of Cecily. You just need to get here.”
“I’ll be there shortly.” Their conversation ended and Bear walked into the closet to get dressed. When he emerged, he was wearing a light blue button-down shirt and a pair of gray slacks that hugged his perfect ass. He stood in the mirror finishing off the last few buttons on his shirt making sure to leave at least two open. It was enough for me to see the dip between his collarbones and the gold chain tucked under his shirt.
“Bear,” I called out once he was buttoned up. He looked over his shoulder at me and I fell into the lake of fire behind his eyes. It should have burned me to the bones. Instead, it burned away every façade of strength I used to fortify myself with.
“What’s up, Cecily?” He sat beside me and I smelled the cologne at his pulse points vibrating out to me in slow waves.
“I’m fucking scared.” My voice broke as I began to remove my halo for him. I was done hiding behind pretty smiles and playful words. I was tired of holding up veils and walking on eggshells around the infamous Bear.
I needed him to be there for me.
Toreallybe there.
