“Eh.” Boondock untied his apron and followed Bear into the living room, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.
Bear took the coffee. “How old are you?”
“Couple thousand years,” Boondock said easily, looking about thirty-five. He was fit, with intelligent blue eyes—the exact hue of Nessa’s eyes. “Where’s my niece?”
“Sleeping,” Bear said shortly, his ears heating. “She’s the commissioner of the Guard.” He still couldn’t believe she’d kept that little tidbit to herself.
“Aye.” Boondock wiped his hands down his black dress pants. With his polo shirt, he looked like he was off for a day of golfing. His dark hair was slicked back. The guy could be a banker. “Nessa is a special girl and always has been. She’s made strategic and fundamental changes to the Guard that has made our entire species safer. The woman is brilliant.”
“But the Guard Commissioner,” Bear said quietly.
Boon smiled. “Aye. She’s gifted, but she really has wanted nothing more than to have a big family and love all around.”
“So she joined the Guard?” Bear growled.
“Yes,” Boon said. “The Guard is a tight organization full of loyalty. Even if most of her troops didn’t know who she was, she took care of them. Nurtured them. Was part of something bigger. It’s all she’s ever wanted.”
Bear shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. “I see.”
“Isn’t that why you joined the grizzly nation and then created this motorcycle club?” Intelligence shone hot and bright in Boon’s eyes.
Bear shrugged. If Nessa wanted a family, a real one, he could give her that. Give her security and a lot of lost shifters to watch after and nurture. “Why the hell did you set her up to be in danger? The whole kidnapping thing? She could’ve been killed.”
Boondock flushed a hot red. “I had George and his men in hand. Never, in a million heartbeats, would I have expected a kill force armed with Apollo darts to show up.” He shook his head. “I’ve been over and over who could’ve possibly known we’d be in that warehouse in Oregon.”
“Besides you?” Bear snapped.
George lifted his head, his gaze direct and sober. “Absolutely not. Nessa is my only family. I’d die for her.” His gaze probed deep into Bear. “As would you, apparently.”
Seemed to be telling the truth. “The attack force was after her and not you, so you weren’t the target.”
“I noticed.” Boondock rubbed the back of his neck.
“Any ideas about who?” Since Nessa was the leader of the Guard, the reasons didn’t matter. Bear just needed the who, to go take them out for good.
“No. George wouldn’t have done that, but I don’t know about his men. Maybe somebody got to them.” Boondock’s chin firmed. “It could’ve been one of your people.”
“Never,” Bear said. “None of my people would be involved with Apollo or want Nessa harmed. They just met her.” Although now he could see it, since they’d gotten to know her. He bit back a grin.
“That’s what I figured.” Boondock cleared his throat. “What are your intentions toward my niece?”
Bear took a long drink of coffee, letting the fragrant liquid burn down his throat. “I’m not sure. She mated me for business reasons. To gain fire.”
Boondock threw back his head and laughed. “That’s hilarious.”
Bear frowned. “Excuse me?”
Boondock wiped his eyes. “She might have convinced herself of her grand plan, but no way would my little girl mate just for business. She must’ve seen something in you. Sensed something. The woman is not that logical and cold.”
“You think?” There was nothing cold about Nessa. She also didn’t seem all that logical. Bear’s heart thumped hard. Was there more to their mating for her, too?
Boondock smiled. “You’ve got it bad.”
Yeah, he did. And he might have screwed it all up the night before. There was no doubt she wasn’t safe with him. The woman deserved better. “I’m still pissed about your little escapade,” Bear said, searching for heat to add to his words.
“Understood,” Boondock said cheerfully.
“You made her cry. She was worried,” Bear snapped.
Boondock sobered. “I didn’t mean to make her cry. Shoot. Sometimes I forget how sweet she really is.” He sighed. “She’s going to miss the Guard so much.”
Bear’s heart leaped. “You think she’s leaving the Guard?”
Boondock’s eyebrows rose. “Of course. You outed her when you lied about her death and the entire Guard arrived here. Everyone knows who she is now. She can’t go on being the commissioner.”
“Oh.” Bear wiped a hand across his eyes. “I didn’t know. When I sent out the false information, I thought I was keeping her safe.”
“You think that’s your job now?” Boondock challenged.
Bear met his gaze levelly. “Damn straight.”
Boondock’s smile widened. “I knew I liked you.”
Oddly enough, the feeling was mutual. Bear growled.
* * *
Nessa stretched awake in the bed and winced from all sorts of little aches and pains. Everywhere. Even with those erotic reminders of her wild night with Bear, her body was more than satisfied. She hadn’t been this relaxed in years. Maybe decades.
A fire heated the small cabin, and she turned toward the flames, surprised to see Bear sitting on the sofa, reading something, his back to her.
Tension rolled off him.
She rested her head on the pillow and then noticed her bags packed by the door.
Hurt slid through her, and she breathed deep, trying to focus.
“I spoke to the king, and he’ll give you refuge at Realm headquarters until I find whoever’s trying to kill you,” Bear said, without turning around.
Ouch. She bit back a harsh retort to keep from striking out in pain. How had last night not meant anything to him? At all? He hated witches that much?
His shoulders hunched. Very slightly, but they hunched. “Did I hurt you last night?”
The entire day cleared. Oh. Sweet big bad bear. They’d both lost control, and he’d turned as primitive as a male could. Now he felt afraid . . . and guilty.
She banished her own hurt in an effort to understand him. In doing so, her heart swelled even more. Man, he was a keeper. She tucked a blanket around her and slid from the bed, an easy feat considering the damn thing was on the floor. The wood chilled her bare feet as she padded around the sofa and plopped into his lap. Her internal muscles, well used and sore, protested.
He dropped the papers, his eyebrows raising. “Nessa?”
She snuggled her nose beneath his jaw. “I’m cold.”
His arms instantly came around her.
She smiled against his skin. Such a tough-ass bear. “You didn’t hurt me.”
His chest stiffened. “I took you in the storm on the porch steps.” Guilt and anger filled his voice.
“Aye,” she yawned, still awakening. She could make light of the evening, say it was fun. But fun wasn’t the right word. Not even close. “I liked last night,” she whispered, opening herself up completely to banish his guilt. She played with a string on his worn T-shirt. “I, ah, I trust you or that wouldn’t have happened.” At the realization, she leaned back to look into his eyes, when all she wanted to do was hide her face. “I like you. The deep-down, way-beyond-dominant side that you wouldn’t share with anybody else.”
His eyes flared.
She’d faced down a mass of terrorists once, and this was harder: Facing one male. Giving him the truth.
“I pushed you on purpose, and I don’t regret it.” She stretched again and winced. “I’ll probably do it again. But not right now.” Maybe not for quite a while. Even after a good night’s sleep, she was feeling way too vulnerable. Exposed.
He studied her, his eyes softening to honey brown. “Look at you being so honest.”
Truthfully, it didn’t come easy to her. “That seems to matter to you.” Oh, he’
d been furious she’d put herself in danger, but not nearly as angry as he’d been when he’d discovered she’d lied to him. “So no more untruths or even half-truths.”
His eyes deepened. “Loyalty is everything to me.”
Loyalty meant honesty to the bear. She understood that finally. “Agreed.”
He sighed. “You know why I packed your bag?”
“You wanted to play with my underwear?”
His grin eased the knot in her stomach. “No. I packed it because I’ll definitely take you like last night again if you stay. I like you begging.”
Desire bloomed in her abdomen, even as she forced a frown. “Next time you’ll be begging.”
He tweaked a curl. “I seriously doubt that, but challenge accepted.” He sighed. “You couldn’t have pictured a life with a shifter. Didn’t you see yourself with some brilliant witch having intrigue-driven dinner parties where you fleece your guests?”
She laughed out loud. “No. Any man I’ve dated before got boring quickly. Either the male was threatened by my ambition or was too cold and focused.”
Bear sighed. “I’m neither.”
Exactly. She smiled. “I don’t want to go to the Realm headquarters.”
Bear lifted her chin, his gaze turning serious. “That’s your choice, but I want you to take some time to make it.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“Because once you do, it’s absolute.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, sending very nice tingles through her body. “If you decide to stay, you’re staying. Nothing in me does anything halfway, and I can’t be in limbo. Won’t be. We mated for convenience, or for sex, or maybe for something deeper. Regardless, if you decide to stay, I’m not letting you go.”
The possessiveness was both sexy and a mite alarming. He meant every word, and she knew it. But she also knew she wanted to stay. With him. To see if this was as big as it felt. “I have a job.” One she needed to resign from. But then she’d find another.
“I have no problem with you working, but your home base is here. With me.”
Yeah, she couldn’t imagine Bear moving to Dublin. But she liked it here. Uncle Boondock would probably like it here, and it wasn’t as if she couldn’t bring in witches to work with her, whatever she decided to do. Maybe some sort of consulting business. “How much land do you have?”
He patted her ass.
Slight bruises jolted. “Hey.”
“You are not building homes on my land.”
They’d see about that.
He caressed up her back. “At the moment, we have more important issues, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. We have got to find the manufacturer of Apollo.” She started to work through the problems.
“That, too.”
She blinked. Oh yeah. “And somebody wants to kill me.” She bit her lip. “It’d be nice if it was one and the same person.”
“Unlikely,” Bear said, rubbing her nape.
She closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure. “I know. I’ll come up with a list of possible enemies, and we’ll start from there.” He hardened beneath her thighs. “In a few moments.”
He kissed her temple. “In a few moments . . . we’ll move out of here. There’s another place we could stay that’s close to the office.”
“Wonderful.” Hopefully, the new place had a working bathroom and a bed that wasn’t on the ground. She lifted her face.
His mouth met hers in the sweetest kiss imaginable. Then Bear relaxed, taking care of her, giving her more than she ever would’ve thought he could give. His kisses were soft, his caresses gentle, and his attention absolute as he removed her clothing and then his own.
Not once did his mouth leave hers as they moved to the bed.
When he entered her, she actually felt all of him. The beginning and the end, the hopes and the fears, the anger and the love. She closed her eyes as he thrust inside her, his mouth on hers, his body shielding her from the world. Heat uncoiled inside her, building higher, pushing her off the peak.
She sighed his name as he ground against her and came, his mouth still working hers.
Bear. He’d asked her to make a decision and take the biggest risk of her already risky life.
She loved a good risk.
Chapter 26
Bear watched as Lucas, Garrett, and Logan manned the computers in the war room. Jasper had gone to patrol with his men. Nessa and her uncle sat at the conference table, creating a list of possible enemies that might want her dead.
The list kept growing.
Irritation swept over Bear. “If your job was secret, how in the hell could you have so many enemies?” he growled.
She looked up, her pretty blue eyes clearing. “We’re creating a complete list, just in case somebody found out about me. It’s a starting place.” Turning back to the papers, she muttered something.
“What was that?” he asked, a little too loudly.
“Nothing.” She went back to work. The woman had been a little out of sorts since he’d taken her to the river house. It was like she thought he’d been hiding it from her. He hadn’t been. It just wasn’t where he lived. His cabin was his cabin, and he liked it.
His frown started to ache. They were both off-center after the way too emotional lovemaking earlier that day. It wasn’t fucking. Not even close. It was the whole emotional “becoming one” bullshit he hadn’t believed existed until right that second, and neither one of them knew how to handle it. So they sniped and glared at each other.
He focused on Lucas. “Do we have a full recall?”
Lucas nodded. “Almost all motorcycle club members are back in our territory. The grizzly nation, as well as other organized shifter nations, are on alert and ready to engage if we call them up.”
“What about Duncan?” His other two lieutenants might be further underground than he’d thought, but Duncan was always dependable and ready to watch his back.
Lucas shook his head. “Still looking. He’s somewhere on the other side of the globe—I know that much.”
“Damn it. Find him.” Bear eyed the code running across the computers. “Do you have a mission plan for that bar?”
“Yes. I’ll print it out,” Lucas said.
“Any news on the rogue wolf pack?” Bear asked. “Check specifically if they have ties to that Slam bar.”
“It’s coming,” Garrett said, hunched over a keyboard. “The camera caught a good shot of the man who stepped out of the truck at the end of the fight—the one you killed—and I’m tracking him down. He seemed to be in charge, waiting for the final moment to go for Nessa.”
“Great. Logan?”
The vampire-demon glanced over his shoulder. “I’m on it. Full security installation for the river house—top of the line. You’re gonna need equipment for the escape tunnels, and I suggest at least three.” He turned back to the keyboard.
Nessa shot Bear a look.
“What?” he asked.
“That’s overkill, don’t you think?” Her frown was somehow adorable.
“No. It’s necessary, if we’re going to live there.” Somebody wanted her dead. Hell, half the time he wanted to kill her. After they caught this guy, or this organization, and Bear killed them all, the woman was still going to be in danger. “The witches have cloaking mechanisms for underground tunnels.”
Nessa’s head snapped up, and Boondock’s gaze narrowed in contemplation.
Bear rolled his eyes. “Please. I’m the head of the grizzly nation.” Now he knew how the king felt. Of course he knew about their cloaking abilities.
“Ah, we have incoming,” Lucas said, straightening in his chair. “Helicopter transport with two gunships.”
Bear slammed his hand against the wall and the keypad came into view. He typed in his code, and the screened wall opened to his armory.
Boondock half stood, whistling. “Nice.”
Nessa craned her neck. “Is that one of the Realm’s new guns?” She pointed to a far rack of assault weapons.
>
“Wait a sec—” Jasper typed on his keyboard, and one of their cameras zoomed in. “Demon designation on two of the copters, Realm emblem on the third.”
Garrett and Logan leaped to their feet, heading for the door.
Logan paused and turned, throwing Bear a smart-assed grin. “Guess who’s coming to dinner?” He followed his friend out of the war room.
Bear looked longingly at his guns before shutting the door. “There are more people coming on our property, Lucas. People.”
Lucas sighed sympathetically. “The place is turning into a bed-and-breakfast.”
It was Bear’s worst nightmare, without question. The very idea kept him up at night. “Luke? Cover Nessa and Boondock here. They don’t leave the room.”
“Happily,” Lucas said, swiveling his chair, gun at the ready.
Bear would give anything to change positions with his too-happy buddy. Oh, Luke was thrilled to stay away from newcomers.
Nessa glared at Bear.
He glared back. “Stay secure.” Without waiting for her argument, he shut the door and strode through the building and out into the chilly but sunny day.
The center helicopter set down, scattering ice still remaining on the ground. The door opened, and Nick Veis jumped out, reaching back to assist Simone to the ground.
Pleasure burst through Bear so quickly he could barely keep his frown in place. It was an effort. He strode forward, approaching his sister in long strides. “Simone.” What in the hell was the witch doing coming into dangerous territory while pregnant? When she launched herself at him, he easily caught her, enfolding her gently. Her baby bump nudged his abs.
The thought of the babe propelled him into motion. He picked her up, running for the safety of the rec room.
“Bear,” she protested, laughing and holding on. “Careful. I throw up often.”
He swung her down and rounded on her mate, who was right behind him. “What the holy fuck are you doing bringing her here?”