Page 58 of Bear
While he’s struggling to stand, Warren groans, throwing his hand out. “It makes no sense. She’s just staying here. Why would they add her name to the list?”
The dark-eyed brunette sitting next to Warren gives him the side eye. “Actually, if she’s living here, I think it’s valid.” All eyes dart to her. Warren’s girl? There’s a little gleam in her eye, and she gives a mild shrug before inspecting her nails, like what we’re discussing is completely trivial and beneath her.
I feel the sharp retort rising in me, and sure enough, it flies from my lips before anyone else can say a word. “Sorry, who are you, and why the fuck do you think your opinion means a damn thing?”
“I’m Maria. Warren’s girlfriend. And why does yours mean anything either? You’re just the house bitch,” she counters, staring me down.Ballsy.My eyes flick to the side in time to catch Warren as he covers his mouth with his hand with a wince before shooting me an apologetic look.
I had a feeling I wouldn’t like Maria if I ever met her. I cross my arms over my chest. “My opinion counts because, as you so boldly pointed out, I live here, unlike you. Not to mention my name is on the motherfucking paper!”
Duke juts his chin at Warren. “Your girl’s gotta go.”
Maria’s mouth drops open as she stares at him, speechless.
“You heard me,” Duke grits out. “Get the fuck out. This is brotherhood business.”
Her eyes widen, and she exchanges a few whispered words with Warren before she smacks his arm. Hopping up, she storms into the house, presumably to take her leave.
Good riddance.Too bad the rest of our problems aren’t so easy to get rid of. As I continue to seethe, from the corner of my eye, I witness Arik and Quincy trying to cover their laughter, and I whirl on them with a pointed finger. “Shut. The fuck. Up.”
Bear unclenches his jaw long enough to groan out, “That’s e-fucking-nough. All of you.” His surly attitude comes in handy in this instance because no one wants to cross him when he’s like this.
Duke draws in a breath, eyeing me with what looks way too much like regret for my comfort levels. A dull pounding presents itself between my brows. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head. “Let me be clear. We don’t need your fucking opinions. We simply require that you obey and show your loyalty to this house.” His face is blotchy with anger. “You’ll all be given assignments Saturday morning as to what you need to do at the auction. You’ll carry them out exactly as we fucking say. That’s all you get to know about it for now. We’ll handle the rest.”
Brendan raises a hand. “So, no Lennon in the auction?”
Duke’s eyes connect with mine briefly before crashing shut. He takes a deep breath before his eyes open again to take in everyone. “I don’t know what we’re gonna do. The list was handed down from the OG Bastards.” His words hang in the air because everyone, including me, understands him. Their word is law. My gut roils. “That said, we aren’t nearly done discussing it. We simply don’t require input from any of you fucknuts.”
“You’ve gotta admit, though, it’d be amazing.” Tucker has the nerve to smirk directly at me. “I guess I might get to bid on you after all, sweet cheeks.”
In a split second, Duke lunges at him, fury blazing in his blue eyes, but Bear clamps a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back. He grunts soft and low near Duke’s ear, “Not worth it.”
I heard what he said to Duke, but… Ican’t.Taking three quick steps forward, I cock my head to the side, sizing Tucker up. “Go ahead. You find me on the auction block, bid. I fucking dare you.”
“Kintsukuroi, don’t…”
With my eyes locked on Tucker, I look him up and down before grinning. “Don’t what, Mase? Tell him that when he wins me he’ll have lost his moneyandhis dick?” I stare coldly into his eyes, my lips twisting as I draw closer. “Because I’ll bite it off, Tuck.Promise.”
He snorts with laughter, his slimy gaze wandering all over my body. “Baby, you’ll be gagging so hard it’ll be impossible to sink your teeth in.”
Fucking Tucker.A portion of the brotherhood laughs along with him, but I don’t pay much attention to them, nor do I listen to Duke, Bear, or Mason as they use placating words in hopes of stopping me. I hold up a hand to them and give a quick shake of my head. “Nope. I’ve got this.” They know me well enough to recognize my stiff posture for what it is. Tucker’s unwittingly entered the danger zone. I have tunnel vision.He doesn’t get to makemethe joke of the brotherhood.
Adrenaline rushes through me like lightning, every ounce of Bear’s training flows through me as my arm shoots out. My knuckles collide with the sharp cut of his jaw, snapping his head back with force. The form of my jab is exactly like Bear taught me—it’s sheer perfection. A thing of beauty. Much to my delight the perverted dickwad cries out in pain as the second punch lands with more power behind it than the first. He’s in such shock, he never saw the cross coming. He stumbles backward into thin air, and I throw him a smirk of my own as the pool greets him.
Gasps fill the air, followed by laughter as Tucker comes up sputtering and desperately trying to get his hair out of his face while he treads water. His face is red, his eyes sending wave after wave of angry intent in my direction.
“Whoa, stand down, little brawler.” Bear steps toward me like I’m a wild animal in need of taming. “Fuck, I should have seen that coming.”
At his gravelly words, my gaze shifts, meeting his eyes as my breath shudders from me. My jaw sets, daring him to tell me I shouldn’t have done it.
I’m fuming mad and, as a result, hot tears prick at the backs of my eyes.No. Not now.I fight back that liquid emotion, knowing that if I allow all these dudes to see me cry, it’ll only make things worse. “I’mnotfucking doing it.” I whirl around, running for the patio door with my heart jammed in my throat.
From behind me, I hear Mason’s shout first. “Kin!”
“Stella, wait!”
I ignore them, only pausing for a moment at the door when I hear Bear’s grumbled curse. “Goddammit,Little Gazelle.”
Alone in my room, I lock the door, breathing hard. My gut instinct is to run, and my head is too clogged up with everything clanging around inside to argue or coherently think the matter through. I dash into the closet and yank out my suitcase, unzipping it and flinging it onto the floor. I open my drawers and begin to scoop clothing out. It doesn’t take long because I didn’t have that much to start with.
