Page 37 of Hers to Call
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Simon smiled and kissed the top of Calita’s head again. She finally agreed to come home with him. His bear purred. When Selena called, he’d been worried, so he’d rushed over. Calita coming out of the sheriff’s department hadn’t helped, but as soon as he saw her, his bear had calmed. He settled her into the passenger seat of his truck. There was the acrid taste of fear surrounding her and he was confused.
He brushed a hand over her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“Why do you ask?” She kissed his palm.
“I can sense your moods and right now you’re all over the place, but fear is there and that worries me.”
She shook her head. “I packed for the whole week, is that okay?”
Deflecting the subject as usual. He squelched his irritation. “Calita.”
She shook her head. “Let’s go. I need… I need to get out of here.”
He nodded, and backed away. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he knew they were being watched. He shut her door gently and took a look around. Charles was lounging against the railing in the front of Selena’s restaurant. Simon narrowed his eyes as the guy gave him a salute. Miranda gave him a nasty look and turned her back. He would check with his contacts to see if they’d heard anything about the bear. Something didn’t sit right with him about the male. In the meantime, he sent a text message to Nate.
He got in the car and pulled out of the station parking lot, putting them from his mind. Instead, he focused on his mate. She was solemn, her head against the glass as they traveled down the two lane road that led out of Bear Ridge. Once they passed the vet’s office, the houses were sparser, until there was nothing but green on either side of the road. They ascended and descended the hilly countryside that led to his ranch. Calita became increasingly tense, the further they got from town. He pulled the car over, putting it in park on the shoulder tourists used as a lookout.
He turned to her. “Spill it.”
Her eyes widened. The tension in the car racked up another notch and Simon had to wrangle his bear under control.
“Something is bothering you and I want to know what it is before you get to my den.” She sighed and he hurried to assure her. “If you’re apprehensive, this can wait until you’re ready. Bears are easy going, but it takes nothing to startle them. You walking onto my land as nervous and skittish as you are will put them instantly on edge. Especially since I am on edge.”
She cleared her throat. “I…” she stopped, and he read the confusion on her face.
“I can handle whatever it is, my love.”
She stared into his eyes, tears gathering in hers.
“So I should turn around?”
She shook her head, sighed and unbuttoned the flannel she wore. He watched her, his frown deepening as she unbuttoned past her bra and opened the shirt. She winced as she pulled up her tank top. It was then he noticed the scars running along the top her stomach, disappearing under her breasts. These were not new scars, so they most definitely didn’t come from her car accident. His hands shook as he moved her shirt off her shoulder to get a better look. The scars went underneath her bra and he wondered exactly how much he’d missed in his haste to have her. He realized he hadn’t seen her fully naked. He felt callous, a brute.
“How did I miss these? I feel like an ass.”
She placed her hand atop his. “I hid them on purpose. I never took off my shirt, just moved it down, I didn’t want you to see them.”
“What happened?” His trembling fingers traced the light patchwork across her skin.
She flinched. He raised his eyes to hers trying to read the fear and anxiety that filled the car.
“I finally decided to leave my abusive boyfriend…he took exception to that.”
The stark recitation of the words sent his bear into a tailspin. He breathed deep through his nostrils. Still, the animal thrashed against his control, his head pounding as it fought to come out. To say bears were protective of women and children was an understatement, and his bear was having a hard time with its mate having been abused.
“Is he dead?” His growl filled the truck’s interior with its menacing sound.
Her lids lowered, and she let out a shuddering breath and shook her head.
“Where is he?”
“My neighbor intervened. He ran.”
He unbuckled her seat belt, pushing his seat back before pulling her across the center console and into his arms.
“By the time I left the hospital, the police were unable to find him. After a few months my case was shuffled to the bottom. I don’t know if they ever really looked for him. It’s why I eventually left Chicago. I didn’t feel safe with him on the loose.” She shuddered in his arms.
