Page 8 of Bear

I grunted, but didn’t acknowledge Rocket in any other way, disconnecting the call. I’d set myself up for this. All the way around. Any discomfort I felt was my own fault for getting carried away. Hell, if Leon Black was her handler, he’d likely handpicked Olivia for me. The man knew me almost as well as Rocket did. Rather, he used to know me that well. I’d changed. Being set up to be killed on the other side of the world would do that to a person.

I sat there, thinking, trying to process what I was feeling. I never had such a strong reaction to a woman -- or any person for any reason -- in my life. I’d known her a couple hours. I knew nothing about her, except she was likely a mole. Even worse, Leon Black, the fucking bastard, was fucking with my head. Again. Only this time, he’d dangled something in front of me I had no hope of resisting. I didn’t know if he’d done it intentionally or not, but I was sure as hell going to find out. First things first, though. Once Piston got here with Venus, we’d pack out the trash and hit the trail. Back to Grim Road.

When my anger faded to become a little more manageable, I stood and went through the house to the living room to wait for Piston. No need to be angry at Olivia. I’d known she was involved in something she didn’t want us to know about. Even told her I knew she was lying. I put myself in this situation. Which meant I had to tell that asshole, Ringo, he was right.

Stupid.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I wanted to get on my bike and just… ride! Mainly because the craziest thing about this whole situation was that I still wanted to protect Olivia. I still wanted her to be mine, and I meant to get to the bottom of this. Before the end -- whatever the end might be -- I would know exactly what was going on with Leon Black and what part Olivia was playing. And why.

I expected that monstrosity of a pink Harley Venus rode, but she and Piston pulled up in a black Bronco.

They entered the house, and Piston shook my hand in a firm grip. “Heard you needed a babysitter.”

“Somethin’ like that.” I glanced at Venus. “You talked to Rocket or Lemon?”

“Da. Lemon filled me in. We brought fresh clothing even though she had some in bag Lemon brought. I’m to search her. Make sure she has only clothes I give her.”

“Crush came with us.” Piston hiked a thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of the Bronco. “Brought some fancy-schmancy electronic shit. Said he’ll be scannin’ her person as well as anything she’s had contact with before we leave.”

I glanced down the hall to find Olivia standing in the hallway in the cotton pants and tee Lemon had brought. When she backed up a step, like she was going back into her room, Venus stopped her.

“Stop,” she barked. “From this moment on, you do not leave my sight.” She walked down the hall, not intimidating in the least in her pink leather. If you didn’t take into account she was over five-nine and solidly built. A delicate flower Venus was not. Oh. And she had razor-sharp pink nails. And pink hair.

And pink eyes.

Olivia’s gaze darted to me. Whatever she saw there must have clued her in to the fact I wasn’t pleased. She didn’t say anything, though, and she followed Venus’s instructions. Ducking her head, she entered the bedroom with Venus right behind her.

I wanted to protest, to go to Olivia and do this myself but I knew that one, I didn’t trust myself not to take out my anger on her and be rougher with her than I should. And two, Olivia would never look at me the same way again if I forced her to strip in front of me. Not in this situation.

Piston’s amused snort brought my attention away from Olivia. “What’s so fuckin’ funny?”

“You. How long you known that girl?”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah? Why’d you claim her?”

I shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Piston crossed his arms over his chest. The man might be in his late fifties, but he was still solidly built and way more intuitive than I liked. “Yeah? How’s it feel now?”

“Like fuckin’ shit.” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Fuck.”

“Yeah. I know the feelin’.”

I barked out a short laugh. “You do, huh? How do you figure?”

Piston nodded to the door Venus and Olivia had disappeared behind. “You think I got it made with that one? She’s mine, but she’s fightin’. And let me tell you, those nails of hers are sharper than they look.”

“Really? Because they look fuckin’ sharp to me.”

“Exactly.” Piston grinned. “Always did like to live dangerously.”

“You’re nuts, old man.”

“Yeah? I’m not the one who claimed a woman the first time I laid eyes on her.”