Page 14 of More Than I Can Bear

Which shifted my attention to River.

Why hadn’t he said anything? I cocked an eyebrow in question and he just gave me a little shrug.

“I’m sure we will,” I replied neutrally, walking over and clapping my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t make anything for me. I’ve got an early morning meeting so I’ll eat there. I’ll see you on site, River.”

After they said their goodbyes, I strode outside, shoving the key in the lock of my car and not really taking a breath until I got inside. My hands wrapped tight around the steering wheel, squeezing it until the plastic creaked as I sucked a breath in, then another. The twin needs that ruled me raged against each other. The first was to keep the sleuth together.

And the other was to break it into a million pieces, because that was the only way I’d be free.

I shoved the key in the ignition and turned the motor over, forcing myself to be calm, act calm at least, on the drive over.

When I walked in the door of the cafe for my meeting, something that had been aching in my chest all night eased when I finally saw her. Freya’s eyes widened when she caught sight of me, some instinct knowing exactly what I was, but she smiled back when she recovered and nodded.

“Morning,” the sales manager said, getting to his feet and thrusting out his hand for me to shake. “I’ve got some coffees ordered, but figured I’d wait to see what you wanted before I ordered breakfast.”

I settled down in the chair, sprawling slightly as I watched the women behind the counter. No, not both of them: just Freya. It felt like every stray beam of sunlight was directed at her as she bent her head over the coffee machine, the golden light bringing out the highlights in her hair.

“Looking at the hotties behind the counter?” the sales guy said, trying for some blokey charm, too focussed on that to catch the moment my jaws locked tight. “This was a good place to meet. Sweet pieces of ar—”

“The next words outta your mouth better be an apology to womankind as a whole,” I said in a very low, very precise tone. “Or I’ll be forced to do something drastic to make sure you do.”

“Fuck, OK.” The man threw up his hands in surrender, then chuckled. “Didn’t realise you were the hairy legged, feminazi type.”

“I’m not,” I replied, all good humour gone. “But, one day, if I have a daughter, I’d like to be confident that the blokes around me would make sure she was treated with respect as all women deserve to.”

“Right.” He coughed nervously, seeming to remember why he was there. His job was to look after the sales side of the account we had with our building materials supplier. “OK, so—”

“Here’s your coffees.” The scent of Freya in my nose, along with that of fresh coffee, had my mouth watering. I focussed on those long, slender fingers, a few marker stains around her fingertips, setting the coffees before us and I saw she’d remembered how I took my coffee. That had the bear roaring. She stood before the table, order book in hand. “Can I get you anything else?”

You, I thought immediately, looking up, up and into her eyes, all thoughts of respect gone.On your knees before me. Heels tucked under your bum as you sit down on them, hands in your lap. Ready and waiting for me to touch, to explore, to find out just what makes you tick, right before I—

“Bacon and eggs, thanks love,” the supplier said. “Extra crunchy bacon. And what’re you having, Kaine?”

“Kaine…?”

I’m not sure if the other guy heard her. She barely whispered my name, her focus utterly mine in that second. The moment seemed to stretch on and on, as something in me reached out to something in her, the bear shoving, shoving, against the bonds inside me, wanting out, wanting to claim her. But I wouldn’t, not yet, not until she was utterly mine and begging me to do just that.

“I’ll have the same,” I replied, leaning slowly forward. “But make it a double order. I woke up starving this morning.”

“Of course,” she said, scribbling that down then smiling. “I’ll bring them out when they’re done.”

“You like her.” All feelings of pleasure left me then at the sight of this man’s smug expression. Not only did he sound like some idiot in a primary school yard, but the creepy look on his face had no place when it came to my girl. “She’s a pretty little piece of skirt—”

I’d never reached across a table and grabbed a man by his shirt before. I’d never twisted a man’s collar in my grip, forcing him to only take a breath at my say so, but apparently that was my new normal. I waited until his face flushed bright, bright red before I spoke.

“I dunno what the fuck you think you’re doing, but just in case I hadn’t made myself clear, I don’t like this blokey bullshit much. Objectifying women who are working will not help you make more sales. If anything, it’ll force me to take our business elsewhere. Do I make myself clear?”

I let him go and he sucked in a sharp breath, lungs working hard to drag in the oxygen I’d deprived him of.

“Fuck…” he gasped. “You… fuck.” I watched him shove himself to his feet, hands shaking as they slapped down on the table. “I’ll go to head office and have someone else assigned to your account. But Jesus, Kaine. I was just fucking joking.”

He didn’t see it, caught up in his secure little bubble. The little comments, the tiny steps over clearly delineated boundaries, they all added up to this avalanche of more and more aggressive behaviour because the line kept on being blurred. I didn’t like that for women and I couldn’t let it stand for Freya.

“Do that,” I said, right before he stalked out.

“Here’s your breakfast,” Freya said shortly afterward, depositing my double serve before me, then turning to the other empty seat. “Is your mate in the loo? I can put this under the heat if you want me to keep it warm for him.”

“He was called away,” I replied smoothly, then grabbed my knife and fork. “This looks delicious though. It’d be a pity to waste it.” My eyes slid to meet hers. Was this stepping over a line, too? I didn’t know. I’d never said a thing like this to a woman before. “I couldn’t persuade you to join me, could I?”

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