by Jenika Snow
He was lost for his girl, and it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours. Mating could be a tricky fucker, but dammit he wouldn’t change it for anything, not when he actually felt like a man in her presence and not just a bear walking in a human’s body.
Then she said the words that meant more to him than anything else he had ever heard.
“Okay, Bram, I’ll trust you.”
Good, because without her trust, they’d have nothing.
18
Bram handed the cashier a wad of cash and took the shopping bags off the counter. When he first told Kenzie they would go shopping, she told him no, that she couldn’t accept something like that from him.
She didn’t have a job or money, and although it was mighty generous of him, Kenzie just didn’t feel right about it. He may be her mate, but she knew nothing about him and certainly couldn’t accept something so generous.
Of course, no one told Bram Wylde no, especially a deer shifter who was shit at staying firm to her word. In his defense, he was quite the negotiator. He went as far as telling her if she made him a home-cooked meal tonight, then they would be even. What he didn’t know was she had never cooked a day in her life.
Kenzie didn’t even know if she could boil water.
“Come on, Bambi.”
He gave her a wink, and she sighed in exasperation. For some reason, he had decided to call her that today out of the blue. It was such a juvenile name, but there was also a little part of her that got all girly and giddy over the fact that she knew he called her that as an endearment.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his body. She still tensed at contact, but with Bram, it wasn’t because of uncertainty of what he would do to her, but her own desire slamming right into the center of her body.
He'd been touching her little by little ever since they left his cabin. It seemed he had to always have his hands on her, and every time he touched her, or leaned in and his warm, sweet breath teased the side of her throat when he whispered something into her ear, Kenzie felt herself draw even closer to him.
Finding a mate was on a whole other level from anything else. There was no logic when two mates found each other. Even thinking about her parents after so many painful years still brought a smile to her face. They had always been kissing or whispering things to each other. And their love for one another was as real as Bram standing right in front of her.
Bram tightened his hold on her, and the hairs on the back of Kenzie’s neck stood up. Looking over her shoulder, she scanned the street. People walked up and down the sidewalks, talking with one another and looking pleasantly oblivious that a monster most likely was still visiting their sweet little town. She had been so very hesitant to leave the cabin, knowing Rook and the cougars would still be hiding out.
She hoped they were holed up and licking their wounds, just waiting to leave until they were healed, and not staying hidden until they could come after her. She also wouldn’t put it past them to go to extremes in their tactics to get information from others on her whereabouts. Not like anyone would know much anyway. She was nobody with a life a deranged madman created.
“Kenzie, you okay?”
She pulled her attention away from the busy street, not seeing anything that would have put her on alert, and looked back at Bram. He was now looking over her head and their surroundings, and she felt his animal come forward. It was a heady feeling that washed through her and had the essence of her feminine side rising up. The scent of his wilderness was like a blast to her face, and if he hadn’t been holding onto her, she would have stumbled back from the intensity of it.
“I’m good.” She was paranoid, but rightly so. He scanned the area once more, and when it was clear he was satisfied with his findings, he visibly relaxed and looked down at her.
“I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” He said it with so much conviction she had no doubt in him. “You feel me, Kenzie? You’re safe with me, and if I have to prove that to you for the rest of my fucking life, then so be it.” His blue eyes held hers. “If someone wants you, they will have to come through me to fucking get you, and that won’t happen. Yeah?”
A raw, untamed look was on his face, and she nodded. She may trust his bear to protect her deer, but that didn’t change the fact that just yesterday she was trapped in Rook’s deadly embrace.
They resumed walking along the cobblestone sidewalk, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, mindful of her nearly healed wounds. The town of Sweet Water was exactly what someone would expect to see in a movie where everyone waved as she passed their little shops.
“You hungry?”
Kenzie stopped and looked up at Bram. He looked down at her with a confused expression.
“What?”
All it took was him asking those simple words for her to be at ease once more.
What is it about him that makes me feel… free?
“We ate like a pound of food an hour ago.” For a full minute, he didn’t say anything. It was almost like he didn’t understand what she was saying.
“Yeah?” He said the word slowly, like he was really trying to grasp what she meant. Kenzie started laughing, and he gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m hungry again.” He let go of her hand and patted his stomach, and she laughed again.
“You’re a machine.”
The amusement left his face, and Kenzie held her breath as he leaned in slowly.
“You have no idea, but you will, very, very soon.” He dipped his gaze to her lips, and she watched as his breathing changed from steady to rapid. The haze of desire washed through her, and Kenzie’s body acted on its own, having her lean forward. At that moment, she wasn’t standing in the middle of the sidewalk surrounded by passersby. It was only her and Bram, her mate, the only male who she felt safe with.
Kind of crazy for her to think like that, but it was what it was, and she was sick of questioning everything in her life. She hadn’t ruled out leaving Sweet Water, but what was to say she couldn’t give herself willingly to Bram?
Kenzie had never been made love to, had never been stroked and caressed and kissed, and she knew Bram was just the bear to show her that there were good males out there still.
19
Kicking her self-doubt and worry to the side for just a small amount of time, she did what she wanted to do, what she ached to do every time Bram was near. Kenzie initiated the kiss.
At the first touch of her lips against his, fire licked along her spine. It was just a kiss, but then again, it was so much more. Rook slipped further and further into the back of her mind, and all she could feel, smell, and hear was Bram.
When he speared his hand in her hair and pulled her more firmly against him, she moaned against his mouth. He was just so possessive, so powerful, and didn’t care about anything but getting what he wanted, and what he wanted was her.
It exhilarated her, consumed her, and made her want to forget everything that happened the last eleven years and just be the ten-year-old little girl who’d grown up and still had her parents with her.
She wasn’t going to pounce on his large body right in the middle of town, but she was going to let her deer do the leading for once, and right now, it wanted to let this bear have his way with her.
The kiss was everything she remembered from back at his cabin, but it had her wanting more, and she knew he could give it all to her. Breaking away from him, she was pleased that he looked stunned.
You put that look on his face, Kenzie, her inner deer whispered inside her, and pleasure coursed through her veins.
“Unless you want me to make eggs and bacon for dinner, we might need to make a stop at the store for some ingredients.”
Bram blinked several times, and she couldn’t help but smile at his bewildered expression.
“How can you talk about food after a kiss like that?”
That made her smile. “You’re the one who first brought up food.” She nudged him in his rock-hard chest and lik
ed that she could tease him and feel so at ease by his side. It was refreshing yet scary all in the same breath. He ran a hand over his mouth and looked around. Kenzie let her eyes travel down his body and spotted the impressive bulge that pressed against his fly.
I will not think about that right now. I will not think about that right now.
“Groceries, Bram.” Her smile widened when he genuinely looked lost. “A supermarket? You know, it’s where they sell food, unless you want scrambled eggs again.” Before they left and made their little deal, she had taken a look in his refrigerator. Aside from the basics of milk and juice, there was only a few cartons of eggs, and a bag of potatoes and onions that sat on his counter.
She hadn’t looked in the freezer, although she knew it was probably stocked with plenty of protein. For a man his size, he would certainly need a lot of the latter.
“I have some steaks in the freezer at the cabin.” He skimmed his eyes down her body. “I’m not in the mood for red meat, but I can think of something else that sounds pretty fucking good right about now.” He leaned in closer until she felt his warm breath along her lips. “Am I going too fast for you, Kenzie?”
He sounded genuine, and she knew in her heart, felt it surround her, that he really was. Yes, this whole situation was fast, unexpected, and confusing, but it also felt right. Bram felt right. She shook her head at his question, unable to find the words, because he was so close, so overpowering, that all she wanted to do was get lost in everything that this male was.
He leaned in the rest of the way and ran his tongue along her lips. A shiver wracked her, and for the hundredth time, she asked herself how she had gotten so wrapped up in this male.
“We will finish this later, baby, because I can smell how much you are there with me.” He kissed her once more and took a step back. “Damn, woman, you’re going to be the fucking death of me.” His expression was one of awe, and her heart picked up speed.
Bram was cocky and overly self-assured of his prowess, but he was also confident and knew exactly what to say to make her a puddle at his feet. Before she could respond—not that she could have said anything after his statement anyway—Bram was taking hold of her hand and leading her down the sidewalk.
“The grocery store is just right down the street, so we might as well walk.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “Only if that’s good with you.”
Kenzie nodded and smiled up at him. What a considerate male her mate was. They rounded the corner, and the small grocery store came into view.
“We’ll head in, get whatever your heart desires, then head over to the butcher shop.” He lifted their joined hands and pointed to a small shop across the street. When she didn’t answer right away, he continued. “It’s the only place my brothers and I go for steaks.” She wasn’t a very big meat eater, not since she was a deer shifter and all, and when she wrinkled her nose, he laughed. “Baby, you’re mated to a bear shifter. You know, a carnivore.” He winked and leaned down to lay a soft kiss on her forehead. It wasn’t the most intimate display of PDA they performed, not like what they had just done moments before, but it still had her toes curling.
They headed into the store, and Kenzie decided spaghetti and a salad was probably the safest option if she was the cook for tonight. How hard was it to boil water and throw some lettuce in a bowl?
After they grabbed what they needed, and Bram picked up a bottle of red wine, which he insisted was needed, since it was a crime to eat pasta without it, they were walking across the street to the butcher shop. She stayed back while he ordered so much meat her head reeled. The smell of raw meat alone had her stomach clenching. Once he was finished, they headed back to his truck.
There was a group of young men standing right by the alley, and it was clear by their secretive actions they were doing something illegal. She had seen enough back-alley drug deals living with Rook and being around the people he associated with to know what one looked like.
It seemed even in quaint-appearing towns there was scum that littered it. Bram tightened his hold on her, and just as they were about to take the longer way, one that had them crossing the parking lot and turning left, one of the guys called out.
“Hey, you got a smoke, man?”
Bram tensed and pulled her behind him. She could see around his arm the four guys making their way closer but still staying by the alley for protection. The wind picked up, and she scented that they were wolverine shifters.
Normally, that breed was on a thin wire as it was, easily provoked, and angrier than any other species she thought possible for the small animals inside them.
“No.” That was all Bram said, and she could feel how tense he was, how on alert, and that had her deer feeling the same. These males were off, high on whatever it was they were exchanging among them, and unstable.
“We’re just passing through on our way to Mogador. Thought we’d stop in Bumfuck, Egypt for some brews and a little recreational enjoyment. We got some for sale.” The one who was talking seemed to be the leader. His dark hair was long and greasy, and his clothes hung off his willow-like frame. The other three didn’t look any better. They were high for sure. They wore the same frantic, paranoid expressions.
“No.” Again, that was all Bram said.
“What, you too good for my shit?” That was the thing with junkies; they always thought the worst about everything, and it always concerned them.
“Didn’t say that. We don’t do that shit. I don’t have cigarettes for you, so move along.” The tension that came from these four wolverines was intense. It was still daylight out, yet they clearly didn’t care if anyone saw.
She knew something was about to happen before they made their first move.
20
The hair on her arms stood, and her animal rose to the surface. She couldn’t win against one wolverine, let alone four, but she could outrun one, and there was no shame in that.
Bram’s bear rose violently as well, and the growl he emitted would have had any sane person fleeing, but these shifters were high and clearly stupid as hell.
“Bram, please, let’s go. They aren’t worth it.”
One of the wolverines hissed at her comment, which in turn had Bram bristling.
“You should listen to your bitch.”
Bram’s shirt stretched almost to the point of ripping as his bear threatened to escape. He stabbed his finger at the shifters. “You don’t look at her, speak to her, or even fucking think about her.” His voice was distorted, and she knew there was no way she could stop whatever was about to happen. The air crackled with electricity, and Bram pushed her back. She looked around, but there was no one walking by. For that, she was thankful, because she didn’t want any innocent people getting involved. “Step back, baby, but stay close.”
The four wolverines laughed, and her heart raced. This was bad. How had it gotten so out of control so quickly? God, this reminded her of the junkies who always seemed to be around Rook. Memories assaulted her, vile and disgusting ones that had her whole body shaking.
Bram sensed her freaking out and reached out to her, but she gave his hand a squeeze and said, “I’m good.”
“Looks like your bitch has more brains than you, bear.” The leader chuckled, which had the other three doing the same. In a move she thought surprisingly quick for the drug addicts, they attacked all at once.
Bram pushed her back, and she fell on her ass. None of them changed into their animals, and all she could do was watch in horror as three of them swarmed Bram, dragging him into the alley. But she knew her bear, knew he was far stronger than all three of them, and the only reason they were taking him back there was because he allowed them to do so.
The leader started howling with laughter. “Not so tough now.” He slammed his fist into Bram’s stomach, and he fell against the wall. The other three males started throwing punch after punch, and a low vibrating noise started to surround her. The leader snapped his head toward her when she started to rise. “You’
re a pretty little thing.” He eyed her up and down, his voice discreetly low. Bram was still holding his own with the other three.
The leader crept closer. She could have run, but no way in hell was she going to let some greasy fucker scare her away from her mate.
“Fuck you.” The words flowed freely from her and actually had him stopping, but after a second, he grinned wider. His teeth were yellow and rotting, and her stomach cramped in disgust.
“I can arrange that.”
Kenzie curled her hands into fists, ready to fight, because she was sick of running and being scared, but he never got any closer. Bram roared out, and she knew the windows surrounding them had to have rattled. The leader’s eyes went wide, and he grunted right before he was flung back in the alley.
Bram stood before her, his chest rising and falling violently and his bear right under his skin, his blue eyes flashing to black and then back to blue. A strangled noise came from behind him, and he turned and met the wolverine head-on. She saw the other three addicts lying still on the ground but could still hear their heartbeats. Bram had taken them down in a matter of seconds. God, he was so fierce.
The sound of bones breaking slammed into her ears, gurgling noises surrounded her, and then there was silence. Bram stood over the leader, the wolverine holding his hands up in surrender, his fingers at odd angles from being broken. Blood sprayed across Bram’s chest, but at that moment, she couldn’t see anything but her protective, powerful mate.
“Please, man, please. I didn’t mean n-nothin’ by it,” the wolverine stuttered, and blood slipped down his chin. Bram lifted his hand, his fingers curled inward and clenched tightly.
“I told you not to look at my mate, think about her, or fucking touch her. You dared to think about touching my female, to hurt her?” His voice was bordering on vicious. “Because of that, I’m going to rip your fucking throat out and let you bleed out.” He started to bend toward the wolverine, and a whimper came from the broken male at his feet.