by Jenika Snow
“I still see you’re still eating like the world’s gonna end.” He started cackling that distinctive laugh jackals had. Her face felt like it was on fire, and she snatched the box, said thank you, and started to walk away. A hand on her arm stopped her, and her heart raced.
“Damn, Ary, the least you can do is say hi to the man whose heart you broke.”
Yeah, if she had broken his heart by leaving then the world really had ended. Just days after she broke up with him she’d seen him all over a human female. Shaking over his icy touch, she straightened her shoulders and told herself she would not let him get to her.
“I have nothing else to say to you.”
The saccharine smile he wore vanished, and he narrowed his eyes. She went to turn again, but his hand gripped her wrist in a tight hold and he refused to let go.
“You bitch. I put up with your shit for a whole fucking year, and now you act like you’re too damn good to even talk to me? You fat fucking bitch—” Before he could continue on his rant he was thrown across the aisle, slid along the polished floor, and landed at the base of a soup can display. Chicken noodle soup cans fell all around him, and he moved away before he got buried in them. Charlie stood a foot in front of her, and looking at his profile showed his rage and the fact he was seconds away from shifting. Knowing she had to defuse the situation before it got worse, she took a step forward and placed her hand on Charlie’s forearm. The heat that came from him told her his muscles were contracting, preparing to shift and fight.
“Looks like Ary found herself a protector. She’s gonna need a big bear to watch all of that.” The fact he was making yet another reference to her weight wasn’t lost on her, but then again she didn’t care at the moment. There was no doubt Charlie could easily kill him, but then that would just open up a lot of problems that she didn’t want Charlie to deal with.
“Come on, Charlie. It isn’t worth it. He isn’t worth it.” Frank had since stood, and she could tell he was doing everything in his power not to attack or make another nasty remark. He had never been known for his restraint, but clearly he knew what he was up against and was actually thinking about the repercussions for once in his miserable life. There was no contest that a bear could take a jackal, but Frank had never been the brightest male, and his temper and arrogant attitude had gotten him into a lot of trouble when they were dating.
Exhaling the breath she hadn’t known she had been holding in, Ary was able to steer Charlie out of the grocery store, although she knew he was allowing it or it wouldn’t have happened. Once they were back in his truck all she wanted to do was drive out of there and never look back, but he didn’t start the truck or pull away from the store. He had a tight grip on the steering wheel, and his knuckles were white as bone.
“Charlie, please let’s go.” She kept her voice purposefully soft, and placed her hand gently on his thigh. His muscles twitched beneath her palm, but he covered her hand with his and looked at her.
“That was the ex I take it?” He practically said it through clenched teeth. She nodded once, and a muscle under his jaw jumped. He returned the nod and went back to staring out the front windshield. “I could have torn him in half for what he said to you and when he put his hands on you, Kitten.” His voice was scary low, and she didn’t know any way to make things better aside from just leaving.
“I’m glad you controlled yourself, because he isn’t worth the air he breathes. Come on, Charlie, I’m excited to meet your brothers and tell everyone the good news.” She placed a hand on her belly and offered him a smile that she hoped didn’t look unsteady.
He turned his upper body so he was facing her. His smile was forced, but still there. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, baby.”
“I know, but when I said he isn’t worth it that is exactly what I meant. I don’t want you getting in trouble because of some asshole like him. I love you, Charlie.” He exhaled, and his smile wasn’t forced this time.
“I love you too, baby.” He kissed her on top of the head, and she closed her eyes and felt herself relax since the whole altercation started. They finally left and headed to toward Bram’s cabin not far from where Charlie lived. She just wanted to put everything that had to do with Frank behind her, and thought she had until she had seen him tonight. Maybe she wasn’t as stable with her self-worth as she originally thought.
Chapter Ten
Melissa and Candace kept passing around the ultrasound picture, oohing and aahing at how cute the baby looked. Charlie and his brothers were at the dining room table drinking beer while they stayed in the living room.
“Is it awkward for you, Melissa?” Ary took a drink of her lemonade.
“What?” Melissa handed the pictures to Candace and looked up at her. “Awkward about what?”
Ary tilted her head toward where the guys were at. Melissa waved her question off.
“Just because we almost slept together, but I ended up going home with someone else isn’t a big deal, Ary. We parted ways on good terms. In fact, I saw him leaving with some redhead, so it’s all good.” She smiled. “Besides, I had a nice time with Nick.” She wagged her eyebrows, and they all started laughing. “I found myself a lion shifter, and let me tell yah, they make wolves seem like inexperienced teenagers.” Melissa fell back against the couch and fanned herself. “I think I’m in love.” This had Candace dropping the pictures in her lap, and both of them looking at Melissa like she had grown two heads.
They both said in unison, “Really?”
Melissa grinned. “Hell no, but he is still fun in bed, and man does he have some tricks up his sleeve that make me scream like a damn opera singer.” This had all three of them laughing so loud the guys stopped their conversation and looked over at them curiously. They smiled innocently, which had all three guys narrowing their eyes suspiciously, but going back to their conversations nonetheless.
“So, things are good with you two?” Candace asked her.
A flurry of butterflies started in February’s belly, and she felt her cheeks heat when Melissa’s and Candace’s matching grins met hers. “More than okay.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “He told me he loved me, and I said it in return.” For once Melissa was speechless.
“Oh my God, Ary.” Candace clasped her hands together and covered her mouth.
“Dammit, why can’t I find a hot bear shifter and have everything fall into place?” Melissa said in her whiney, teasing voice voice, but Ary could tell there was no heat behind her words.
“So you’re seeing that lion shifter again? Not really your style, Melissa.” Candace grinned, and both Ary and Melissa glanced over at their normally quiet friend. Candace had a little bit of bite in her tonight, and Ary decided it suited her quite well.
“You bitch.” Melissa poked Candace in the ribs and grinned. “Yeah, it isn’t my style. I’m kind of the love em’ and leave em’ kind of girl, but hey, it isn’t like I have anything better to do. Besides, he said he wanted to take me to dinner and dancing this weekend. And also, he’s a manly man, you know, the kind that can crush an opponent with his hands.” She squeezed her hand as if to emphasize her point.
That brought back the memory of Frank and Charlie almost getting into it at the store. If February never had to witness something like that again she would die a happy woman. She certainly didn’t want to have Frank’s vileness seeping into her current life, and she didn’t want Charlie involved in any of that. Frank was part of her past, and that was where she wanted him to stay.
****
Charlie could hear the females laughing in the next room, and the sound of Ary’s happiness made him smile.
“Man, you got it bad for your girl.” Bram’s words were filled with brotherly love. Charlie looked up at his brother, saw the fresh split lip and slightly swollen right eye, and sighed out loud.
“Bram, when are you going to chill on the fighting?” His youngest brother cracked his knuckles and smirked.
“Listen, it helps me with all t
his extra energy that builds and builds inside of me until I feel like I’m going to explode. Besides, I like breaking a few noses. It’s fun.” Charlie rolled his eyes, and Ford grunted in amusement. Out of the three of them Bram had always been far more bear than human, and Charlie knew he took after their father in that regard.
“Anyway, enough about this and his need to kick some ass, and more about you and your girl.” Ford made a low, annoyed sound when Bram play punched him in the arm.
“Dick.”
Charlie chuckled at his brothers’ banter.
“I never thought I’d see the day when you’d get pussy whipped,” Ford said absently. His attention was on his cell that was on the table in front of him. His brow was puckered, and a look of concentration was written across his face. When Charlie looked over at Bram he saw a worried expression on his brother’s face. He didn’t need to ask Bram what was wrong, because when his brother mouthed the word “Mina” Charlie knew Ford was slowly going down a slippery slope of anger and pain. Ford had never discussed what had really happened with him and Mina. One day they were happy and in love, and the next she was moving out of Sweet Water. Ford had gone on a sexual frenzy of sleeping with random females, getting shitfaced and starting bar fights. Ford would most likely be out tonight, drinking to numb everything that he was feeling, and Charlie would be there picking him up and most likely stopping an all-out brawl that Ford had started. Yeah, he could see it all playing out in his head now, and knew it was going to be one hell of a night.
****
The sound of a phone going off woke Ary, and she blinked her eyes open. She turned in bed and looked at Charlie fumbling with his cell.
“Yeah?” The sound of a male voice coming from the receiver could be heard, but it was too muffled so she couldn’t understand what was said or who it was. “Fucking hell, Bram.” He scrubbed a hand over his face and sat up in bed. “We both knew this was going to happen, so chill the fuck out. You shouldn’t have let him get to that point.” A beat of silence passed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there in ten.” He ended the call and set it on the table. “I’m sorry, baby. Ford is piss-ass drunk and starting shit down at Slater’s.”
Worry instantly settled into her. “The rundown biker bar right outside of town?” She was wide awake now and stared at his naked, muscular back. “I’ve heard that place is pretty dangerous.” And where the scum of the earth liked to hang out. Charlie was going there, in the middle of the night no less?
“Yeah, and it is only getting more dangerous with Ford there starting a bunch of drunken shit.” He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. Go back to sleep, baby, and when you wake up I’ll be right next to you.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. She watched in silence as he quickly shoved his legs into a pair of jeans and pulled a t-shirt over his head. He kissed her once more before he strode out of the house and to a place that nightmares were made of.
She lay there alone, in his huge king-sized bed, smelling his scent surround her, and wishing she wouldn’t worry so much. He could take care of himself, had been long before she came around. She had heard horrendous stories about prostitutes, drugs, and near murder at Slater’s. Why were Charlie’s brothers at a place like that anyway? Why that bar hadn’t been shut down was beyond her, but one thing was for sure, there was no chance of her going back to sleep anytime soon.
****
Slater’s was one of the roughest bars Charlie had ever been to, and the fact Ford picked this place to get drunk at told him that whatever was going on with Mina was some deep shit. He parked his truck beside a line of Harleys and made his way inside. Slater’s was on the outer limits of Sweet Water city limits, hidden behind a thick line of trees and off the main road. Because of its location it made it damn near impossible to see from the road. So if you didn’t know it was there, you would never stumble upon it. He took the long, winding dirt road that took him past the pines and blue spruces until the dim lights of the bar came into view. Classic rock blasted through the shitty, scarred door and surrounded him when he walked inside. Cigarette smoke, alcohol, sweat, and sex lingered in the air. The interior wasn’t big and only held a handful of tables, some busted up chairs, and a few stained barstools. The sound of breaking glass had him turning and looking to his left. There, in the center of a loose circle, stood Ford. Bram was holding him back for the time being. An aged, human, beefy biker stood in front of Ford, his thin lips spreading over his yellow, crooked teeth, and his huge, rounded belly shaking up and down from his laughter. Ford looked on the verge of shifting, and Charlie was surprised he hadn’t yet and that Bram was able to keep him under control. Ford’s mouth moved, and whatever he said had the biker’s laughter dying and his face turning a deep shade of red. An old and used-up looking human woman stepped up to the biker and whispered something in his ear. He shrugged her off, peeled his faded, holey leather Cut off his body, and cracked his knuckles.
“Shit.” Charlie ran a hand over his jaw. If that human knew what the fuck he was messing with he’d turn around right now and walk his ass out the door. Charlie shoved the people aside until he was standing beside his brothers. The stench of sweat was overpowering. He turned toward the biker and looked him up and down. He had to give the old human some credit, because there wasn’t an ounce of fear permeating from him. “Listen, just walk away, man.” He could practically see the steam coming from the human’s ears.
“What cho say, boy?” He took a step toward Charlie, his fists in balls by his side, and the sound of his teeth grinding filling the space between them.
“Whatever my brother said to you to get you pissed off, I apologize. He’s drunk and clearly going through some shit. I’d be happy to buy you and everyone else a round of shots, or beer if you prefer.” No doubt Charlie and his brothers could have taken all of these humans, but he was tired, and certainly wasn’t in the mood of any fucking drama. Placating the lot of them seemed far easier. All he wanted to do was get Ford and Bram back to his truck and crawl back in bed with his female. It took a moment, but slowly the human’s anger dissipated, and he took a step back.
“All right, but after that your boy needs to get his ass outta here.”
Charlie nodded, because he had intended to do just that.
He and Bram carried Ford out, who didn’t know when to keep his damn mouth shut and yelled out every curse word in the English language. At least Charlie’s and Bram’s manpower they were able to drag him to the truck.
“I’m going to buy them some drinks, and then you can tell me what in the hell is going on.” Bram tilted his chin in acknowledgment. He headed back inside, bought the house a round of shots and beers as an apology, and headed went back to Bram and Ford. He made it one step before a deep voice to his right came from the shadows.
“You fucking pussy ass bitch.” Instantly he recognized that voice. The hair on Charlie’s arms stood up, and his muscles warmed and grew as his blood started pumping fast and hard through his body. Frank stepped out of the shadows, followed by three more scuzzy and intoxicated looking humans. The jackal had a bottle of tequila in his hand and a sneer distorting his upper lip. “I let you have that fat bitch. If it wasn’t for me stepping back and letting her go, Ary would still be mine, and I’d own every thick inch of her.”
Ary wasn’t around to stop him this time. Bram and Ford were around the building where he had parked his truck, and he knew both of them were too drunk for their senses pick up the shit that was just about to go down. That was fine by Charlie, because he wanted to take Frank down, and if these crack-head humans wanted some of his bear, too, than so fucking be it. Cracking his knuckles and rolling his head on his neck, Charlie grinned at the Frank and the humans. He let his bear flash to the surface, letting them see exactly what they were about to be dealing with.
“Do you know what you’re messing with?” Any sane shifter fought with an opponent of their own size. A coyote didn’t fight a lion, and a jackal s
ure as hell didn’t fight a bear. Even in human form he was at least double the size of this asshole that kept advancing on him. His goonies behind him seemed more hesitant. They may not have the keen senses as a shifter did, but they could tell that they didn’t want any part of this.
“Man, I didn’t sign up to fight no bear,” one of the greasy humans muttered out.
“Yeah, man, you never said anything about us fighting an animal.” The humans took a step back in sync, and Frank growled in frustration.
“Y’all are a bunch of pansy ass pussies.”
“Hey, we didn’t sign up for this shit. You just told us you needed a little extra hands to get rid of the asshole that’s been hitting on your girl.”
His girl? Oh, no fucking way was this jackal motherfucking going to put any claim on his Ary. Charlie growled low in his throat, which had the three humans turning and booking it in the other direction. Good, because this fight was between the two of them. A bigger man would have walked away, but all Charlie could see was Frank’s hands on Ary, and the foul, disgusting things he said to her earlier in the day. No, this motherfucker wasn’t going to get away with what he did, and he would be put in his place. When this was all said and done, Frank the jackal would never come near Ary again, not if he wanted his balls and dick still intact.
Frank laughed, guzzled the last of his liquor, and tossed the bottle against the side of the building. It shattered, and the noise echoed off the high walls. “I know what you are, but I don’t think you know who I am.” He rolled his shoulders back. “I’ve taken on bears before, and you ain’t no different from them those pansy ass motherfuckers.” His voice was slurred and it was clear he was drunk, but intoxication wasn’t going to save him now. In a move faster than Charlie thought possible given the jackal’s inebriated state, Frank swung out and connected with Charlie’s gut. The wind momentarily got knocked out of him, but he straightened to his full height, felt the shift take over, and grinned for the little fucker. Frank shifted as well. The sound of their bones breaking and realigning, and their clothes tearing away pierced the night.