Page 7 of Bear
“You feel it too,” he whispered against my lips. “Don’t you.” It wasn’t really a question. Bear knew how he affected me. Had likely planned this exact situation to get me to lower my inhibitions and surrender to him. Which I could never do. If I did, I’d lose the only family I had left, and probably my life as well.
Even knowing what was at stake, I couldn’t pull away from that kiss. His hand slid through my hair, bunching the strands in his fist and angling my head where he wanted me. God help me, I didn’t even try to fight him.
He nipped my bottom lip, and I opened on a gasp, edging my legs wider around his hips. Bear growled his approval and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth with a wicked flick. I welcomed him, soaked up the attention, even knowing this was all designed to get my compliance. He wanted my secrets and was willing to do anything at his disposal to get what he wanted. Including using my body against me.
It should have been easy to push away from him knowing he was just one more person trying to manipulate me into doing something I didn’t want to do. But, giving up the pleasure he effortlessly created inside me, and the closeness I felt from that intimate kiss, was the hardest thing I’d done in my life to this point.
I ducked my head, breaking the kiss and immediately felt the loss. Instead of letting me go, however, Bear pressed his forehead to mine. It was then I realized he was breathing just as hard as I was.
“Tell me you don’t feel it too,” he dared. “Because I don’t think you can lie about this. Not even to yourself.”
“I may be attracted to you, but that doesn’t mean I trust you.”
His low chuckle vibrated through me, sending a shudder racing down my spine.
“Ain’t askin’ for your trust, sweetheart. You’re gonna give it to me. Willingly.”
“You’re delusional,” I scoffed, but I couldn’t hide the way my voice trembled or the way my nipples peaked against my T-shirt.
Bear looked amused. “Probably. But I stand by my opinion. I’ll get you there.”
With a slow, deliberate movement, Bear stepped back away from me. That dark stare of his was molten, burning me from the inside out. Then he turned and strode out of the room. His footsteps weren’t heavy, but I heard him move out of my bedroom and across the hall to his own. My heart pounded and my whole body tingled.
Yeah. I’d been right. I was so fucked.
Chapter Four
Bear
That kiss was a mistake. Probably the biggest mistake I’d made in my life. That kiss sealed my fate for good or ill. Olivia was lying her ass off. She was bringing something bad to the club and refused to say what. Which meant she’d have to be dealt with. Which meant… shit just got real.
I took several deep breaths as I sat on the bed. I needed to get a fucking grip. Now. Pulling out my phone, I shot off a text to Rocket. He was my oldest friend, the reason I was here in the first Goddamned place instead of in an unmarked grave or some shit in a little country on the other side of the world.
Me: Gonna need this whole thing expedited.
Rocket: Figured. Calling you now.
Seconds later my phone rang.
“Byte says one of the guys following her was your handler in Libya.” There was a pause while Rocket let that sink in. All I could do was gasp in a breath. “Yeah. Thought you might want to know that. What do you want to do?”
“You’re asking me?” I was incredulous that he’d even ask me that question. “You know what we have to do,” I snapped. “That’s a fuck of a lot bigger than simply leadin’ the feds to our door. We’ve killed people for less.”
“So, that’s what you want to do?”
“Why are you making it sound like this is my decision, Rocket? You’re the fuckin’ president. Hell, your woman’ll make it if you can’t.”
There was a silence while I took a moment to process that I’d just called out the one man I trusted with my life, same as accusing him of not being able to make hard decisions.
“Yeah,” Rocket drawled, but his tone of voice said he was barely restraining himself. If I was standing in front of him right then, I was sure he’d punch me. “I’m gonna forget you said that. I can absolutely make the hard decisions. The only reason I’m not now is because you claimed her, you bastard. And I absolutely will not pass a snap judgment on one of our old ladies. I’m extending the same courtesy to Olivia because of you.”
“Why? What do you expect to gain? She’s guilty. Not like we didn’t expect it.”
“And you took responsibility, Bear. Means the kill’s yours.”
“Name the time and place, Rocket.” The words burned in my throat. This should be an easy task. After all, I’d known this woman a couple of hours at best. I claimed her because I’d never had such a strong reaction to a woman. Not after knowing her for weeks or months. Certainly not on first sight. Even though I tried to act like I could kill Olivia if Rocket said it had to be done, I wasn’t so sure I could.
“Uh-huh.” Yeah. Rocket was calling bullshit. “Here’s what’s gonna happen. Strip search her. Venus and Piston should be there shortly. Tell Venus. Olivia takes nothing with her but the clothes we give her. Bring her to the compound and we’ll lock her down until the boys work this out.”