Page 80 of Bear
“Bear, I don’t know what to say. I’m speechless. I never thought I would fall in love either. I just didn’t think it would happen for me but being in love with you is indescribable. I guess it’s scary knowing how much I love you. I figured you couldn’t possibly match that. Well, not enough to keep it sustained.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m matching it forever.” He brought my left hand up to his lips and kissed my ring finger. “I’ll prove myself to you however many times I have to. Just let me take care of this business with my father, okay? Then we can get your school transferred and move you back to New Orleans where you belong. I know Luanne and Paul would like that.”
“They would,” I agreed with a nod.
“I don’t know how much they’d like you being Cecily Stone, but we’ll bring them along.” There was his beautiful smile again stealing air from my lungs.
“I like the sound of Cecily Stone. It’s so badass.”
“It is.” He kissed my neck slowly and I sighed against him.
“How come you’re not sleeping, Bear? Lately, you’ve been able to sleep as long as I fuck you really good.” I smirked at him and gave me a warning slap to my ass that reminded me of how he stretched me not too long ago.
“I have a lot on my mind, baby doll. My father will be home in days and I have so much shit to put in place. Nothing can go wrong or else he’ll sense it. I have to take care of some things tonight.”
“Some things that require you to bring out the hoodie?”
“Exactly.”
“Can I come?” I asked, swallowing back the lump in my throat.
“Cecily, are you ready to see me kill people? Because that’s what I’m going to do. The only way this shit between us is going to remain strong is if I’m one hundred percent upfront with you.”
“I get it. I’m down. You know I am.” Dark curiosity swarmed me making my mouth dry.
“You know I want you to wear a vest, right?” His eyes probed mine and I gave him a nod. “Then go get ready and get the hell off my lap before I put my dick in your tight little ass again.” He pinched my sides and I hopped up with a happy squeal.
Happy.
I was happy.
After looking tragedy in the face, I was finally starting to feel happy and safe. I didn’t realize how shaken up Kaiden’s murder left me but knowing that the assholes who shot him were dead and off the street, and knowing that Mrs. Foster got closure made me feel a little better.
I still didn’t know if I should be left in charge of children ever again or if I was a horrible person for not sensing that something awful was about to happen the night Kaiden got shot, but those were things I’d have to work through in time.
In the bedroom, I got dressed slowly while Bear’s heated gaze burned through my skin. My nipples stiffened under the fabric of my bra and the moment I turned around, Bear honed in on them, licking his full lips. He pulled a t-shirt on over his head and still it felt like he never broke eye contact.
That man had some serious fuck me eyes and I loved every second he stared at me with them. He made me feel like the sexiest woman on the face of the earth.
“Let’s roll out, baby doll. Ace is waiting for us at the spot.” I let my eyes drop to his dick print in the gray sweats he wore and I said a special thank you to God for putting all that in my life.
He helped me into a bulletproof vest then promised to take me shooting before Mr. Griffon came home.
Bear’s father was always smiling and charming when I was little. He was never without huge stacks of money and the best clothes and cars. He always gave me twenty dollars at a time when most adults gave me a dollar or five if I was lucky. I knew he did bad things but I never thought much about it.
Listening to Bear talk about how many innocent people Mr. Griffon killed and how many women he put his hands on showed me that I’d only seen things from a child’s point of view. I had no idea what type of person he really was. I had no idea how cutthroat he was. Once I knew, I shared Bear’s apprehension about his father coming home.
“One of my golden rules is, try not to kill too close to home. I like to be seen around New Orleans but not outside of it. I don’t want the reputation of traveling all over Louisiana. I like being known as a homebody. That’s why when I’m out, I’m sharp. I stand out. When I’m away from home, I’m in my hoodie and sweats. I want to blend in.” He looked over at me and I smiled like an idiot. “Why the hell are you looking at me like that?” He laughed.
“Because you’re so passionate about this shit. You really like digging deep into the darkness and making it sound beautiful.”
“There’s art in everything, baby doll. Even murder.” He winked at me then got out to open my car door. As usual, huge black trucks with tinted windows flanked us. All the doors opened when we got out and I wondered what kind of signal they had to alert them to Bear’s presence.
“Dimples, what’s good?” Ace slapped my back and I smiled up at him.
“Hi, Ace,” I grinned.
“You’re too fucking cheery to be here for this shit. You sure you’re cool with her being here, Bear? She’s so innocent.”
