Hunt (The Grizzly Brothers Chronicles Book 1) (14 page)

M
ara wasn’t
the only one who couldn’t think straight. My world had been turned upside down, yet all I could think about was getting her into my bed. I needed her. My body ached for her touch, and I wasn’t going to be able to make it much longer.

I took yet another cold shower. I wasn’t going to be switching back to hot ones until she was joining me in the water. Then I could enjoy the way the hot water felt on both of our bodies.

She’d wanted to join me. I saw it in her eyes, but she was holding back because she thought she should and because she was scared. She was playing it tough, but the situation had rocked her.

I finished my shower and toweled off. I stepped into a pair of jeans but didn’t bother with a shirt.

Mara would have to learn to get used to seeing me that way. Clothes in general felt unnatural to me; she was lucky I was even wearing pants.

I found her standing in my kitchen drinking a glass of water. She was staring out the small window seemingly lost in thought.

“I can get you something stronger to drink.”

She jumped and spun around. “You scared me.”

“Sorry.”

“You’re not sorry.” She rolled her shoulder.

“What makes you say that?” I walked toward her.

“Your eyes.”

“What are my eyes saying?”

“You’re amused.”

“I like seeing you in my kitchen.” I stepped closer. “In my house.”

“I’m ready to hear the story now. What was up with that guy?”

“You like to change the subject.”

“That guy is the reason I’m here.”

I stepped closer, backing her up against the kitchen island. "You are safe here."

"Safe? You guys keep saying that like it fixes everything."

I reached out and ran a hand down her cheek. “It fixes a lot. It gives us time to figure out what’s going on.”

“I thought you knew what was going on.” She put a hand in the pocket of her jeans.

“I know this is bigger than I thought, and that you need to stay close.”

“The staying close thing is only for my safety?” She moistened her lips.

“No.” I cupped her chin. “It’s also because close is where I want you to be.”

She met my eyes. “I should hate you. I should be pushing you away and leaving this town.”

“But you’re not.”

“No.”

“Why not?” I slipped my free hand underneath her t-shirt, running my hand over the warm skin of her stomach.

“Because it might not be safe.”

“Is that really the only reason?” I gently ran my lips over her ear. “Is that the only reason you’re not pushing me away?”

“No.” Her body relaxed. “It’s because despite all this craziness, I want you. I’ve officially lost my mind.”

I met her eyes. “You haven’t lost your mind.”

“Yes I have.”

“No you haven’t.” I brushed my lips against hers. “You found me.”

“Stop.” She crossed her arms. “None of that until you tell me what you found out.”

I pulled my lips back slightly. “As I said, it’s bigger than I thought.”

“That doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“He was trying to take you away and give you to someone.”

“Um, no one can give me to anyone.”

“Of course not.” I pulled her against me. “You’re safe.”

“Why does he want me? It makes no sense.”

“My guess is Connor has the answers.”

"I wish Connor would pick up his phone," she grumbled.

“We’re tracking him down.”

“How?” She looped a finger through my belt loop, and I wondered if she even knew she was doing it.

“We have ways.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Yes it is.” I moved my hand a few inches up her shirt.

"Who are you?"

"Ian."

"No." She sighed. "Who are you really?"

"Ian Grizzly."

"I need to know who you are. I saw you back there. That wasn't just a friendly guy..."

"I'm not ‘just a friendly guy’ when it comes to you. I thought our time in the woods made that loud and clear." I pulled her body flush against mine. “I will always protect you."

"Why? Is this a hero thing?"

"No.” I shook my head. “This is a ‘you mean everything to me’ thing."

"That should freak me out. We barely know each other." She shivered.

"But it doesn't?"

“No. Not at all.” She looked away. “And I can’t believe I just admitted that.”

"Maybe your feelings should tell you something.”

"They do. I’m crazy.”

“We’ve been over this.” I slipped my hand up slightly higher. “You’re not crazy.”

“Then explain it.” She pushed my hand away. “Why can I only picture you when I close my eyes? Why don’t I want anyone else?”

“I’d rather show you.”

“Show me?”

“Uh huh.” I ran my lips down her neck.

“It’s not going to work out.”

“What isn’t?” I removed my lips.

“This. Us.”

“Of course it is.” I stared into her eyes. “We’re meant to be, so we will be.” There was so much more to explain. I could tell her how technically she could be with one of my brothers instead, but I was Alpha. I had the first choice to claim her, and that was exactly what I planned to do.

She closed her eyes. "You believe in fate?"

"I believe two people can be fated to be together."

"I'm fated to be alone."She opened her eyes.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you there." I returned my lips to her neck.

"It never works. Ever."

"It didn't work because they weren’t the right men for you."

"And you think you are the right one?” Her eyes challenged me.

"No." I shook my head. "I know I'm the one for you."

“You do?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “And it’s about time I made you believe it.” I kissed her, claiming the lips that I couldn’t get enough of.

She pushed me off. "We can't do this now."

“Why not?” I put my hand on her hip. “What’s to stop us?”

“There are crazy people trying to get me.”

“But you’re safe here.” I pulled her toward me. “With me.”

"And that makes everything ok?"

"It means we are free to do anything we want.”

“And you’re so sure we want the same thing?”

“Positive.” I could feel it. The connection was real, and it went both ways.

“I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” I claimed her lips again and immediately pushed my way into her mouth. She kissed me back, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I slipped my hand underneath her shirt, this time wasting no time reaching her bra. I slipped my hand underneath her bra and squeezed her breast.

She moaned into my mouth turning me on more. I picked her up and placed her on the counter. I reached around and unhooked her bra to give myself better access. Reluctantly I broke the kiss, but only long enough to remove her shirt and pull her bra all the way off.

I took a breast in my mouth.

She pushed me away. “What if your brothers come in?”

“Are you worried about that?”

She nodded.

I picked her up and carried her down the hall and into my bedroom.

I pulled back the covers and lay her down on the sheets before slowing pulling her jeans off of her. She reached up and unbuttoned my jeans. I took the hint and moved away from her long enough to slip them off. I returned to her and slowly slipped her panties down her long legs.

I looked at her lying there naked in my bed. In the place I’d wanted her all along. Her eyes were wide with excitement. The fear and hesitation from earlier was gone.

“You’re so beautiful.” I lay down beside her while I re-memorized every inch of her body.

“You really think so?” There was doubt in her voice.

“Of course.” I moved over her. “I’ve never seen such beauty in my life.”

She closed her eyes.

I brushed my lips against hers, and she opened her eyes. “I’m going to tell you that over and over until you get rid of that doubt.”

“Why does it matter?”

“Because you need to know how beautiful you are.” And because she was mine. It was my job to make sure she knew exactly how amazing she was.

She tilted her head to the side, revealing her neck. Her skin called for me, begging for me to bite, but I couldn’t yet. Still, that didn’t mean I couldn’t have something else I wanted.

I slipped my hand between her legs. She opened up to me, letting me slip my fingers inside. I let my mouth return to her breast.

She moaned and took me in her hand.

I groaned, loving the feel of her hand wrapped around me, but wanting her wrapped around me instead. I wanted to take things slowly, but I couldn’t any longer.

Her eyes got even wider as I opened a condom, and I knew she wanted me nearly as much as I wanted her.

I positioned myself over her and thrust inside.

She took in a sharp breath as I entered her, and I knew she hadn’t been with anyone for a while. That knowledge only turned me on further as I filled her with more and more of me. I moved in and out of her careful not to hurt her. She wrapped her legs around me, and I sped up my movements until my entire length was inside of her.

She closed her eyes, holding on to me with her arms and legs as I continued to thrust into her over and over.

“Ian,” she mumbled my name.

“Mara.” I lowered my head to her breast.

Her nails raked down my back. “Ian.” She called out my name this time, and I knew I was close to pushing her over the edge. That didn’t mean I was stopping. I would treat her to more pleasure than she’d ever experienced before.

I continued to move inside her, and she held on tighter. She kept her eyes open, watching me intently until I reached my own release.

I remained inside her afterward, unable and unwilling to move.

Neither of us said anything. There was nothing else to say. Our bodies had said enough already.

Finally I moved to her side. I held her in my arms, unsure if I would ever be able to let go. I was going to have to tell her the truth. I couldn’t make her my mate until I did. I’d have to do it carefully so she didn’t completely freak out.

We lay there in the darkness unmoving. Her breathing leveled out, and I knew she’d fallen asleep. This was the second time she’d fallen asleep in my arms, and it was far more satisfying without clothes between us.

Everything had been so natural. So perfect. Not that it came as a surprise. But I needed more of it. I needed more of her, and I hoped she realized she’d be spending all her nights in my bed now.

"Ian?" She lifted her head.

"Hi there." I ran a hand down her bare back.

"So I didn't just dream that." She settled her head back down on my chest.

"No. Thankfully it was real."

"All of it?" She ran her hand over my chest.

"Yes. If you need a refresher let me know."

She groaned and rolled away from me.

I rolled her right back over. "Is there something wrong?"

"We had sex."

"I'm well aware, but last time I checked that was a very good thing."

"Except I've made it twenty-three years without doing this."

"Doing what exactly?" I knew she hadn’t been a virgin. I was connected enough with her to know.

"Having sex with someone I wasn't in a committed relationship with."

“Is that what you’re worried about?” I brushed a few stray hairs away from her face. “That this is some kind of one night stand?”

“I wouldn’t say worried. More like shocked with myself.”

“You can be shocked, but forget the worry. This wasn’t a one-time thing.”

“We’re still not in a committed relationship.”

I laughed. If she only knew how committed she was going to be to me. “I can assure this isn’t a temporary arrangement.”

“You can’t know that.”

“Yes I can.” I brushed my lips against her.

“Wait.”

“Yes?” I lifted my head.

“You said you’d show me why I can only think of you.”

“And I didn’t?” I ran a hand down her arm.

“No.” She shifted under the sheets.

“Then I guess we’re going to have to try this again.”

“Try what again?”

“This.” I moved over her, more than happy for an excuse to have my Mara again.

E
very inch
of my body buzzed with an electricity. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I felt amazing. I felt both alive and exhausted at the same time.

Ian seemed unsurprised by the connection. He only smiled as if to say ‘I told you so.’ Maybe that’s what he meant by showing me.

With everything else going on, I shouldn’t have been happily rolling around in his bed, but it was much easier to pretend nothing else was happening. I was in bed with an incredibly attractive man who’d made me feel things I’d never felt before.

I probably could have stayed there forever if it hadn’t been for the sound of footsteps and talking outside the door.

Ian bolted up. “What’s going on?”

“We have some company,” one of his brother’s said through the door.

“Company for me or Mara?”

There was silence.

“Tyler, who is it?” Ian demanded.

Tyler replied right away. “It’s the professor.”

“Connor is here?” I sat up and held the sheets against me. Knowing Connor was close was like having a cold bucket of water poured over my head. He was part of my real life. I couldn’t stay in this day dream any longer.

“Yes. He wants to talk to you,” Noah sounded less than happy about being the messenger.

“Ok. I want to talk to him.” I looked around at the floor for my clothes, but I only found my pants and underwear.

“Are you decent in there?” The voice called.

I covered myself with the sheets.

“She is now,” Ian answered.

The door opened and Tyler stood there holding my shirt and swinging my bra around his finger. “I figured you’d need this.”

“Drop it, Tyler,” Ian demanded.

Tyler tossed my clothes on the bed. “Sure thing.” He winked at me before closing the door.

“Would you like me to talk to Connor first?” Ian asked.

I put on my bra. “Why would I want you to do that?”

“Because we don’t know what role he has with those guys.”

“He’s still Connor.” And no matter what anyone said, I had to trust him. My grandfather put his faith in him, and that had to have meant something.

“I’m staying nearby.” Ian got out of bed and stepped into his pants.

“I can talk with him alone.”

Ian closed his eyes as if trying to calm himself down. “You’re staying within eyesight.”

“Fine.” I didn’t really mind if he followed. Ian’s protectiveness didn’t bother me nearly as much as I’d have expected it to. Normally it would annoy me, but it didn’t seem forced or grown out of jealousy like it did with most guys. It was real with him. He seemed to genuinely care about my well-being. Even if I didn’t quite understand his concern, I liked it.

I walked down the stairs of the front porch and outside into the drizzling rain. I looked up at the dark sky, hoping that in the morning the bright blue skies I’d quickly come accustomed to out there would return.

Connor was waiting for me a good thirty yards
from the house. He stared at me as I made a slow walk over. I kept looking over my shoulder to see if Ian was following. He did at first, but as promised he stopped a little ways off before I reached Connor.

“Hi.” I gave Connor a small wave as I got closer.

He didn’t return the wave. “I left you alone for a few days and you manage to get yourself in trouble.”

I coughed. “No way. No turning this on me. Where were you? I wouldn’t have gotten in trouble if you hadn’t ditched me. Ever think of that?”

“I was away trying to help you.” He gritted his teeth.

“Yeah I bet.”

“It’s not as if I could have predicted the trouble you’d find yourself in.” He put his hands into the back pockets of his worn in khakis.

“So you don’t know those jerks at the bar? Because they seemed to know you. Same with your friend in the suit. He was a real winner.”

“I wasn’t talking about them. Although I have no idea who the suit guy is.”

“If you didn’t mean the crazy guys trying to kidnap me, then what did you mean?”

“The trouble you’re sleeping with.”

I felt blood rush to my face. “Who I sleep with is none of your business.”

“So you admit it.” He scowled.

“I’ll repeat what I just said. Who I sleep with is none of your business.”

“I wish that were true,” he grumbled.

“It is true.” I glanced over my shoulder. Ian was staring at us, and I got this weird feeling he could hear us.

“He didn’t bite you, did he?” Connor looked me over.

“Um, what?”

“Bite you. On your neck?” He pointed to me. “Did he?” He stepped toward me and reached out for my neck.

Ian started over.

I shrugged away from Connor. “I’m fine!” I yelled to Ian.

Ian stopped but made no move to return to his previous spot.

“He didn’t.” Connor nodded. “We’re still good.”

“Still good?”

“He hasn’t told you anything, has he?”

“What was he supposed to have told me?” I frowned. But I wasn’t sure who I was most annoyed at.

“I can explain everything later. We need to go. You look like a mess, which is going to work to our advantage tonight.”

“Uh, what?” My mouth fell open.

“You’re not put together. That’s a good thing. Willem goes for sophisticated.”

“First of all, who is Willem and why does everyone keep mentioning him to me? And secondly, why would he care if I looked good?”

“You look good.” Connor sighed. “You always look good. But you’re not dressed up or anything. You have no makeup on.”

“Do you know what kind of day I’ve had?” I struggled to keep my voice even.

“I’m not commenting on your makeup.” He groaned. “I told you, this is a good thing. It will be easier to negotiate if Willem isn’t interested in you that way. He’ll be willing to take something in return.”

“Ok. Back up.” I put a hand in front of me. “In return for what?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you.”

“Why not?” My voice crept up an octave.

“Because you’re going to get mad, slap me, and then refuse to come with me, and that’s going to be a problem.”

“You might as well tell me, because I’m not going with you unless you do.” My whole body tensed. “And just so you know, we already have a problem here.”

He seemed to mull it over. “Your dad was never good with money.”

“You knew him?” I’d never met the man, so how had Connor? It made no sense.

“Yes.” Connor nodded. “Unfortunately I got to know him pretty well.”

“He’s alive.” I was still getting used to that little piece of information, and it looked like I was about to learn a whole lot more.

Connor’s eyes widened. “How did you find out?”

“My grandpa left me a letter.” And if things weren’t so crazy at the moment I would reread it. He had said to trust Connor. But what if Connor had gone crazy or wasn’t who my grandpa thought he was?

“You never told me that.”

“I just found it.”

“What did he say about your dad?” Connor stepped toward me.

I thought over how much to reveal. Then I realized it probably couldn’t hurt. “He warned me to stay away from him.”

“That’s a smart idea. I’d advise it too.”

“Great.” As if I wanted to see the man who abandoned me and who supposedly destroyed my mom.

“He’s not a great guy.”

“I believed my grandfather.” Even if he’d hidden way too much from me. “But what do my father’s money issues have to do with me?”

“He sometimes borrows money from the wrong people.”

“Okay.” The picture of my dad forming in my mind was getting worse and worse.

“And when he can’t pay he barters things to pay his debt.”

“What did he barter?” I didn’t even want to know the answer, but I knew I had to hear it. “He couldn’t have offered the farm. That’s mine.”

“It wasn’t the farm.” Connor looked down at the ground.

“Then how could it have anything to do with me?” I didn’t like that he was avoiding my eyes. That couldn’t be a good thing.

“It is you.”

“What do you mean?” Every time I thought things couldn’t get worse, they did.

“He bartered you, Mara.”

“Um, that’s impossible. First of all, you can’t sell people in the U.S., it’s illegal. Which you know. And second, I’m not his in the first place.” My head spun, and I was close to passing out. Who the hell was my father?

“You are his by the law our people follow.” Connor continued to avoid my gaze.

“Our people?” I raised an eyebrow.

He sighed. “I wish I wasn’t the one who had to tell you all this.”

“Who else should have told me?” I was done playing nice. “My parents? Oh wait, I don’t even remember having known them. My grandpa? Well, that would have been great, but he’s dead, so we’re out of luck. Who else could have told me anything?”

“I don’t know.” Connor finally looked up. “This whole thing is screwed up.”

“Why did you bring me out here?” That part of the equation still didn’t make sense, and he was the only one who could answer it.

“Because we can’t run from it anymore. You’re twenty-three.”

“And my age means what?”

“You are five years past eighteen. The grace period is over.”

“The grace period?” The only grace period I knew about was the one on paying loans.

“You’re a smart girl, Mara. Don’t play stupid with me.” He talked down to me like I was a kid. Like he always did now, and it annoyed me.

“I’m not playing stupid, but so far you haven’t said anything resembling reality. I’d accuse you of being drunk, but you don’t drink.”

“I drink.”

“No you don’t.” I’d never seen him drink before.

“I don’t drink around you.”

“Why?”

“Because I never wanted to say anything stupid around you.” He gazed up at the sky and then back at me.

“Well, you are saying plenty of stupid things now.”

“Your dad bartered you away. He got a five year grace period to deliver you to Willem. That five years is up.”

“Grandpa said you were going to protect me.” I felt tears threatening to spill. If my grandfather was wrong about Connor, what else was he wrong about?

“That’s what I’m trying to do. Like I said, you look perfect. All we need to do is let him see you aren’t as great of a prize as your dad pretended you were, and then I’ll negotiate a new deal.”

“Negotiate a new deal?” I ignored all of the insults in his statement even though they stung. “I’m well aware I’m not a great prize, but why are you making all this up?”

“I’m not making anything up.”

“Yes you are. My dad did not promise me to some thug. Ok? What’s really going on?” I hoped the real story wasn’t as bad as this one.

“Willem isn’t a thug… exactly.”

“Not exactly?” That wasn’t reassuring.

Connor looked at something over my shoulder. I turned and found Ian glaring in Connor’s direction. When he caught me looking his expression softened. I turned back toward Connor.

“I can get you out of this. Then I will have upheld my promise to your grandfather. You can go on with your life, and I can go on with mine.”

“When did you start to hate me?” I hadn’t realized it until that moment, but it made sense. When he’d left the farm he’d left me, and he wasn’t happy when I showed up at his law school. But it had been the closest school that also offered me a partial scholarship.

“I don’t hate you.”

“You do.” My hand fisted at my side. I was filled with a more intense anger than I’d ever felt before. “And I care even though I shouldn’t.”

“Why would you think I’d hate you?”

“Because you can’t even meet my eyes. You’re all excited to get rid of me.” I forced myself to keep eye contact even though all I wanted to do was look, or better yet, run away. “But don’t worry, I won’t be in any of your classes next year, so you’ll never have to deal with me again.”

“I don’t hate you. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel like I do. Although if you truly believed that, why would you even be here?”

“You’re the closest thing to family I have.” A tear slipped down my face. I didn’t have the energy to stop it.

Connor sighed. “Why do you have to say stuff like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like that. Are you trying to make me feel bad?”

“No. It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about me. I’ll head back home and find a job for the summer.”

“You can do anything you want once we get you out of the Willem mess. I can also give you money if you need it.”

“I don’t want your money.”

“Go get your stuff.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” The tears stopped as the anger replaced the hurt.

“Why not?”

Was he seriously asking me that question? “This is insane. Even if what you were saying is true, why in the world would I go meet Willem? Isn’t it in my best interest to stay far away? I still can’t believe you’d bring me this close to him.”

“He’d find you anywhere. And he has the right to. Even the highest councils and chiefs would agree, even if they don’t condone our methods anymore.”

“The highest councils and chiefs?” What was he even talking about?

“There is so much for you to learn.”

“And I am sure I’ll learn it all on my own.” I didn’t dial back the sarcasm.

“I didn’t mean I’d never see you again.” There was a sadness in his voice that didn’t fit anything else he’d said or done.

“Whatever. Bye, Connor.” I prepared myself to walk away.

“You have to come with me.”

“I don’t have to go anywhere with you.”

He reached out and grabbed my wrist.

I tried to move from his grip, but he held harder. “This is for your own good, you don’t want him to come for you on his own. It’s bad enough his men found you at that bar.”

Ian was next to me in a blur. My wrist was out of Connor’s grasp, and Ian pushed me behind him. “Do not touch her.”

“Mara will be leaving with me now.” Connor remained calm.

“She’s not going anywhere.” Ian glowered.

“It’s for her own good, and it’s in both of your interests that your little fling doesn’t become public knowledge.”

“There’s no little fling. Mara is with me. You will leave my property.”

“I’m not going anywhere without Mara.”

“Sure you are.” Tyler walked over. “You are going to drive off just the way you came. Otherwise we can make you leave, and you’re not going to like that.”