Ian: McCray Bruin Bear Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  “Hit you. Christ, you are a pussy, aren’t you?” Josh just laid there, and when someone said his name, he looked up to find the woman from across the street standing over him. The man, he didn’t remember his name, spoke again. “This is my sister-in-law, Meadow. She is going to talk to you for a little while, then you’re going to go away. If not, I get to kick your ass. Either way, you’re not going to be hanging around here for much longer.”

  Josh was helped up from the ground. He didn’t know where he was, but it certainly wasn’t anywhere he’d been before. He looked at the woman, Meadow, and asked her what was going on. All she did was smile at him and ask him to have a seat. The chair, which hadn’t been there before, hit him behind his legs and he had no choice but to sit.

  “I’m not anyone you want to fuck with. You might call me dangerous. I think I’m just lucky. You see, I can manipulate your mind into seeing all sorts of things that aren’t there. Like this.” The dragon blew fire all over him, and he screamed as he tried to put the fires out. Christ, he was burning up from head to toe. “He’s gone.”

  Josh sat there for several minutes, not moving. Taking an inventory of his body, he realized that not only was he not burned to a crispy fry, but his clothing was all right too. Meadow was still smiling at him when he asked her what she wanted.

  “Nothing. I mean, I want all sorts of things that I’m not going to get, like a big chocolate malt. I so love them over milkshakes. But I promised I’d stay here for this first opening of the Gathering Place. Then you had to come along and mess it up, didn’t you?” He asked her what she was talking about. “The shop that Lucy is making her own. The girls are working here as well. It’s been a very successful day for the three of them. And after this, Jilly is going to be working for my other sister, Melody. You’d not like her any more than you will me. Why are you even alive?”

  “That’s a stupid question. I’m alive because I was born. Why are you even here? If the girls are working, then why are they taking all my money from me?” She told him it wasn’t his money in the first place. “Sure, it is. My brother left it all to me.”

  “No, he didn’t. He left you nothing because you were nothing to him. Especially after you tried to rape his wife.” Josh told her no one knew that. “Lucille did. She told her husband after it happened. That was when they not only changed their will regarding you, but also made it so you could never enter their home or be around them or their daughters.”

  “I told her not to say anything. It’s not like I got anything from her anyway. She told me she didn’t want me, and I walked away.” Lies, she told him. Meadow just shook her head as he tried to cover up what should never have been spoken about. “Why would that bother him so much? I mean, seriously. It was just something between her and I. I don’t understand women. She put a wedge between us, and I’m glad she’s dead now.”

  The room shifted. It was like being in a fast moving car, but instead of driving, they were rolling over and over. When it came to a sudden stop, it took Josh a few seconds to get his bearings. When he did, he realized that somehow they were in the kitchen of his brother’s home, and Lucille was there with him. It was the day he’d tried to get her to let him fuck her.

  ~*~

  Lucy held onto Meadow’s hand as she spoke to Josh. She could see what Josh did. Hear his voice, and also feel when he was lying. It was the strangest thing she’d ever witnessed. As they moved through his memories, Lucy saw things Josh had done in the name of being their uncle that she’d never dreamed of a human doing to one of their kin. She looked at her mother and saw how bruised and beaten she was.

  “You come near me again, and I’ll kill you.” Josh laughed at her mom when she threatened him. “You mother fucker, you tried to rape me. Why would you even think I’d want anything sexual to do with you?”

  “Because I’m a better lover than my brother? There are all kinds of reasons why. But I didn’t go through with it, so you don’t have anything to say to Donald.” Mother put a wet washcloth to her face, then rinsed out the blood she’d wiped off. “If you tell my brother, Lucille dear, the next time I won’t stop.”

  “You only stopped this time because I beat you. The next time you try anything, I’ll be carrying a gun. You can bet on that.” Josh just laughed at her mother. “You just wait and see, Josh. I’m going to tell Donald, and he’ll make sure you’re barred from ever coming here again.”

  He grabbed her around the throat and held her there. “You tell my brother, and I’ll kill you and those girls of yours. What will he do then? Who do you think he’ll believe?”

  Mother kicked him in the balls, and Josh went flying back. When he landed on the floor, Mother picked up a large skillet and hit him several times on the head with it. Seeing that he wasn’t moving, Lucy figured, her mother calmly laid the skillet down and called for help. Mr. Morse, the butler, then came and helped Mother drag Josh out of the house, and set him by the trash cans.

  “Did your mother carry a gun after that?” Lucy told Meadow she had, even if they were only going to a neighbor’s. “This man should have been killed long ago, I think. I know I’d be happier if he was dead.”

  Lucy looked at Josh as he watched the memory Meadow had gotten from his mind. The smile on his face sickened her. He’d hurt her mother. And in turn, he’d hurt his own brother. She had wondered for a long time what had happened between the three of them that caused Josh to stop coming around. Now she knew. And she hated him all the more for it.

  The memories were raced over again. She knew this one was more recent. She was living at home with her sisters then. The dress she had on was something she had only gotten to wear the one time before being tossed out of their family home.

  “What the fuck is going on in here?” Jilly was just out of the shower, and the two other girls were in her room. “Get out of here. I don’t know what you’re planning, but you can just forget it right now. I’m not leaving. I’m in charge of the three of you, and you’ll begin to listen when I speak. Go to your rooms.”

  Jilly had tried to go with Lucy. Even then, it had seemed strange to her how much she hated Josh. But as soon as the door closed behind them, he went to it and locked it. Lucy felt her skin crawl when she realized what Josh was going to do.

  “Jilly, you and I have some unfinished business, I think.” She told him to get out of her room. “I don’t think so. You’re going to help me out with my little problem, or I’m going to have to get it from someone else. Like your little sister. Do you think Cybill will be any good at letting me fuck her?”

  “You touch her, and I’ll kill you. And I’m not going to help you with your problem either. You come near me again, and I’m going to hurt you in ways that the little problem you have now will never bother you again. I’m going to rip it off and make you eat it, you fucking bastard.” This was a side of her sister she’d never seen. Lucy was very proud of her. “Get out of here.”

  Jilly grabbed her hairspray and a lighter. It took her a second to realize what she was up to when a flame shot out of the bottle towards Josh. Him jumping back, screaming at her to behave, had her laughing. Even Meadow was impressed, cheering her sister on as if she was right there with her.

  “Where are you getting this shit? I know for a fact she never told anyone about this.” Meadow asked Josh how he could be so sure. “Because Lucy would have killed me. Or that bear husband of hers. Jilly should have just put out, and I would have been done with her.”

  “She’s your niece, you fuck head. You do know it’s against the law, don’t you?” Josh shrugged at Meadow, and that pissed Lucy off more. “Jilly is a great deal like her mother, don’t you think? Both of them put you out to the trash, just where you belonged. Someone should have made sure you were picked up, is all. I think the plan for you is to do just that. You’re going to be in a world of hurt; you know that, don’t you?”

  “Me? I think not. As you have
so nicely pointed out, nothing ever happened between the three of us.” Josh smiled at Meadow, still having no idea Lucy was there with him in his memories. “I was just thinking about how wonderful it would have been to have Jilly and her mother at the same time. Holy Christ, I would have had that several times before I was put out. They would have enjoyed it too.”

  Letting go of Meadow also meant Lucy let go of the memories of Josh. At this point, she didn’t care. Hitting him or killing him won out over seeing any more of his sick thoughts. As soon as she touched him, Josh looked at her, surprised. Lucy had no problem knocking that look right off his face and him onto the ground.

  She kicked him several times in the head before someone grabbed her from behind. It didn’t stop her from still working on getting to him, but whoever was holding her had a firmer grip than she could break. It was when Ian spoke that she finally calmed down.

  “He’s not worth you going to jail for.” Meadow stood in front of her, and Lucy grabbed her, sobbing out how hurt she was for what she’d seen. “Don’t worry about it, Lucy. I promise you, he’s going to get what he deserves. Well, not what he deserves, but more like what I think he should be getting. Josh will live for a long time, but his mind will never be the same. I’m going to make sure of that. Killing him would be entirely too easy on him. I think making him suffer will be the best thing for us all.”

  “You can do that?” Meadow winked at her. “Whatever you want to do to him, then do it. I want him to suffer. My god, he wanted to rape my sister. And my mother.” She wanted to kick him again. “Meadow, I will be forever grateful to you and owe you whatever you want if you were to make him suffer. I never knew. I didn’t know what sort of monster he was.”

  “You need to talk to Jilly.” She nodded at Ian as he spoke in her ear. “It can wait until we get home today, but as soon as you can arrange it, I’d have a long talk with her about Josh and what he’s done. What you know he’s done.”

  “I will. I don’t even want to think of what else was in his head about her.” Meadow didn’t say anything, for which Lucy was grateful. “Do you know if he did anything to Cybill?”

  “He didn’t. Josh was afraid of her. You have to admit that of the three of you, she’s the most outspoken. But after today, I think you might be able to give her a run for her money.” The laughter was just what she needed. “I’ve called the police. They’re going to take him to jail, where he’ll have a slight episode and have to be sent away to a mental institution. It’s the best place for him. And you’ll never have to worry about him being set free. I plan on making him see things from my perspective as to how he should have died a long time ago.”

  Lucy mingled with the people at the shop after Josh was taken away. She wanted to lose herself in the people but was worried about her sister. However, every time she looked at her, Jilly was laughing and having a great time.

  There were a great many more that had shown up than she’d thought there would be. The bread had been a great success, she saw. The cookies were also a big hit, and Cybill had asked if they could take orders for them from people. After giving her permission to do so, Lucy wondered how many people would want cookies. Not many, she thought.

  Ian was close at hand every time she reached for him. Meadow and the other sisters were waiting on people out on the patio. Even Alden and Cindy seemed to be having a great time talking to the customers. But then, she thought they could have a conversation with anyone and have a good time.

  All in all, she thought it was a great success. She was sad for the tip jar, but since her sisters didn’t mind that it didn’t have anything in it but some change, she wasn’t going to worry about it either. Today, Lucy thought, was going to be a good day no matter what came about later.

  “Did you see the tip jar?” She told Cybill she was sorry about it. “Why? Oh, wait, you didn’t see us. We have emptied it three times, Lucy. Three whole times when it was stuffed to the top. There were fives and even twenties in there. Jilly and I are going to save every penny of it too.”

  After Cybill walked away, laughing at something only a fifteen-year-old could, Ian came to stand with her again. She asked him about the tip jar. He said he’d been the one that had told them to empty it.

  “They’re never going to let me charge for food again if they can make this sort of money.” They both laughed. “I’m glad they’re having such a good time. And they’re getting to know some of the other people around town too. That’s always a plus.”

  She didn’t want to talk about Josh, and Ian seemed to understand that. As they drifted between people sampling the things she’d baked for today, they talked about bread and other things she thought about making for the shop. There were plenty of ideas too. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the swirl breads with real fruit in them. And the simple sugars cookies that her sisters had decorated. She’d have to tell them how well they’d done.

  Making notes on her phone as to the ideas she’d been given, Lucy was ready to start baking right now. By the time everyone was going home, she was ordering supplies she was going to need for her baking. Even when she’d finished with getting all the things she was going to need, Lucy was as excited as she’d ever been. Not even the likelihood of having to clean up a huge mess when she baked curbed her need to get her hands covered in dough and starting to make all the things on her list. She looked at Ian when he said her name.

  “Should I put you a cot here in the room with the ovens, or do you think you might make it home once in a while?” She said she wasn’t sure. “I thought so. You’re looking at the ovens like they’re the next best thing. I’m not even sure you looked at me like that before.”

  “I might if you had a timer on you.” They were holding hands and laughing as they headed to the car. Jilly was going to take Cybill to her grandma’s, then she was going to hang out with the local pack. She’d found some people her age and was having a good time. “I’m not sure what I should do about Jilly. She seems so adjusted. I think I’ll wait until she comes to me to talk. I know they said I should speak to her about it, but I don’t think it’s necessary yet. She seems so well adjusted. Don’t you think?”

  “I think you know her best of all. And if that’s what you think, then I’m in full agreement with you.” She loved this man. “Also, with the house all to ourselves, I think I can help you along with working on our child. What do you think?”

  “I love it and you.” Ian kissed her, and she thought of the nighty she’d had shipped to her today. She was going to heat up his world as best she could. “Maybe we should have them spend a couple of days with your parents. It might be nice for us to be alone.”

  Ian said he’d call his parents as soon as he got home.

  Lucy was in love. And she was safe. Two things she’d never in her life thought she’d be. In addition to that, her sisters were well cared for and happy. Life couldn’t be better if she had plotted it out for herself.

  Chapter 11

  There were three women in the household, but Becky didn’t know any of them. Not that it mattered all that much. She didn’t know a great many people. Her momma told her she was sheltered. Whatever that meant, she was okay with it.

  Becky had watched as men built a chicken coop two days ago, then later the same day as they filled it with little chicks. What she wouldn’t give to hold just one of them for a minute. She’d be really careful with it. Momma would tell her they were too tiny to be held. It didn’t stop her from wanting to hold them, but her momma was always right. Yesterday when the chicks had been fed, Becky had tried some of their food. It wasn’t something she would do again. It was hard and tasted like corn. She liked corn, but not hard and full of other things.

  Becky moved back into the barn when one of the women came out of the house again.

  “I know you’re out here. I know you’re a girl and alone. I want to help you if you’ll allow it.” Becky didn’t even br
eathe when the girl spoke. “I have a sandwich for you from my lunch if you want it. I didn’t tell anybody I saw you last night. Come out here, and I’ll give you some water too.”

  Becky didn’t want to go, but her belly was empty. Emptier than it had been in a long time. With her momma being dead now, there wasn’t anybody around to help her get some food. Moving out of the shadows, she saw the younger girl holding out a sandwich. Becky moved closer. Keeping an eye on the house too, she snatched the sandwich away from the girl and ate a huge bite of it.

  “Don’t eat too quickly, or you’ll get sick. I’ve been hungry like that before. You don’t want to throw up the first meal you’ve had in a while.” Becky nodded and tried to make herself slow down. “If you can keep that one down, I have another one for you. And some water, like I promised.”

  “Why?” The girl told her it was getting cold out, and she didn’t want her to be sick. “My momma died a while back. I’m too little to get her to a funeral home. I didn’t call the police either. Because—well, I’m afraid of them too. I’m scared that someone will come and get me.”

  “I can keep you safe and have the police get to your momma. My mom is dead too. My name is Cybill.” Becky told her what her first name was, but nothing more. “Who are you hiding from?”

  “My dad. Momma said he’s been looking for a reason to kill us off since she left him. I got the book too.” Becky didn’t mean to tell her about the book. Her momma had told her it was the only reason she’d been able to escape the house. Cybill didn’t ask anything more about it, so she didn’t tell her. “Can you call my aunts? They might come and get me if somebody was to call them and tell them my momma is gone.”

  “I can do that.” Cybill looked toward the house, then back at her. “I’m the only one home right now. The staff is here, but they’re working. If you trust me, I’ll take you into the house and up to my room, where you can get a bath and put on some of my clothing. I promise you, I won’t tell anyone where you are.”