Badass Bear (Grizzly Cove Book 9)

by Bianca D’Arc

  She handed the newly created paper file over to Ezra and paused while he flipped through it. He frowned a few times, grimaced once, but otherwise seemed interested in what she’d uncovered so far. He’d be perfect to infiltrate some of the seamier businesses and straighten them out. He had killer instinct and a rough appearance, but she’d learned a lot about him over the past hours, and she knew for certain he was one of the good guys. He’d be perfect for the job she had in mind.

  At length, he sat back and closed the file. “I’m in.”

  Trevor returned to the hotel just after dark to find Beth and Ezra deep in conversation over a pile of thick folders. They were still in the room he’d commandeered that morning to use as an office, and while Beth was doing most of the talking, Trevor was suitably impressed with how much Ezra was contributing to the conversation.

  Somehow, his cunning little mate had found a way to draw out the most taciturn of Trevor’s friends. He had to smile, seeing them bent over the file, pointing out some sort of trail in what looked like a bank ledger. They were so engrossed in the work that Beth didn’t even realize Trevor had returned.

  Ezra looked up and gave him the all clear signal, meaning Ezra had probably realized the moment Trevor had entered the building. Good man. Ezra might be a bear, but he was better than any watchdog on the planet at sensing trouble. If he was calm, Trevor knew it was safe. For now, at least.

  “I brought dinner,” Trevor said, stepping into the temporary office. Only then did Beth look up, her face transformed by a bright smile when she saw him that made the whole hellish day worthwhile.

  “Great. I’m starved,” she replied, standing and stretching her back. Poor baby had been sitting at that desk all day from the reports he’d received.

  Trevor might’ve been running around town and making long-distance calls all day, but he’d kept up with his woman through the men who had been guarding her. First Jack and then Ezra had been sending him periodic updates via text message, unbeknownst to Beth.

  Trevor hoisted two big brown paper shopping bags in the air. One was slightly larger, having been packed for two, but the other one held enough for a hungry shifter. The gals at the bakery had set up an assembly line of sorts, packing bags just like this to take out to the guys on guard duty, since the troops were spread a bit thin after the action of the morning.

  “Courtesy of the Grizzly Cove bakery,” Trevor said as he handed the bag to Ezra. “Want to eat with us? You two looked like you were deep in discussions.” Trevor wasn’t being nosy, but he had to admit to being intrigued about what Ezra and Beth could have possibly been so engrossed in.

  Ezra shook his head as he stood. “Beth will tell you,” he said with characteristic brevity. “I stand watch for another hour, then I’m off for six.” It went without saying that he’d only be next door if he was needed, but Ezra wasn’t superman. He had to sleep sometime, and he’d fought hard that morning, alongside the others, then spent the afternoon sorting out bounty hunters from hired goons with the sheriff’s department. He’d put in a full day, and then some.

  “Who’s on duty after you?” Trevor asked, knowing they wouldn’t be left unguarded with all the miscreants still in town, even if they were either in the clinic or the jail. Or in the morgue.

  “Big John said he’d take care of it,” Ezra answered. They both knew that, if John said a thing would be done, by golly, it would be done. Nothing got past the best strategic mind Delta Force had even known.

  “Fair enough.” Trevor turned his focus to his mate. “Are you about ready to head back to our room?” He’d caught her mid-yawn and tried not to grin.

  “Oh, yeah. I’m done with this for the day. Let’s go.” She stood and moved toward the door, but paused on the way as she passed Ezra.

  “Thanks for everything,” she said with a fond smile. “I’m glad you accepted my offer.”

  “Me, too, boss lady.” Ezra actually grinned at her, and Trevor grew even more intrigued.

  He’d never known stoic Ezra to take to someone so quickly. Hell, he’d known the guy for five years before he’d ever gotten more than three words out of the man. Somehow, Trevor’s sweet mate had not only gotten Ezra to talk to her, but to agree to her mysterious offer? Would wonders never cease?

  Trevor tried not to laugh as he followed his mate out of the room. Ezra trailed after, locking the door behind them. The paperwork would keep until tomorrow.

  Ezra checked Trevor’s room while he held back with Beth, just as a precaution. When Ezra emerged and gave the thumbs up, Trevor escorted Beth inside, waiting to make sure Ezra was safe in his own room before shutting and locking the door.

  “Alone at last,” he said, turning to find Beth grinning as she attacked the big bag of sandwiches and pastries. “So, are you going to tell me what kind of offer you made to Ezra while I was otherwise engaged? Should I be jealous?” He kept his tone light, his words teasing.

  He didn’t think she’d turn to another man, but their relationship was still so new and so unsure. Trevor desperately wanted her to confirm he was her one and only mate, but he was afraid. Yep. Trevor Williams, Special Operator and badass mercenary bear, was afraid the woman of his dreams would reject him.

  “Jealous? Nope. Not unless you wanted the job as troubleshooter for my inherited business holdings,” she responded in the same vein, already placing wrapped sandwiches out for both of them.

  He moved closer to the small table at the far end of the room. She’d set the places with the plastic knives, forks and spoons that had been packed with the sandwiches, and set cups and plates down for each of them. He liked the way she made even paper plates and plastic utensils seem special. Homey. Domestic. Like they were already a mated pair.

  “You offered him a job?” Now, Trevor was really impressed.

  Ezra was the kind of bear that always roamed alone. The bounty hunter lifestyle had suited him to a T. Going place to place on his Harley, hunting fugitives, never really settling anywhere. That was the life Ezra’s restless bear demanded.

  Trevor knew there were reasons for that. Dark reasons. Deep scars that had made Ezra the man he’d become.

  If Ezra was ready to take a steadier job, that was really something. Of course, it was hard to say no to Beth. Trevor knew that well enough. But still, this was big news and a major improvement for the bear Trevor had feared would never change from his lonely, nomadic ways.

  “Well, it became clear as I was looking through the various accounts and businesses today that a lot of these things need to be handled in person. After everything we’ve been through in such a short time, I trust Ezra to be on the right side of things. He proved himself when he didn’t come after me for the price on my head. I trust him.” She set a wrapped sandwich before Trevor as they both sat at the small table. “And I don’t necessarily have the skills or the desire to travel all over the place, rooting out the bad guys and shutting down criminal enterprises. I think Ezra does. He looks just rough enough to be able to infiltrate where the bad guys are and then learn what he needs to shut them down.”

  “It’s a genius idea, honey.” Trevor was proud of his clever mate.

  She blushed so prettily, it was all he could do to stop himself from leaning over the table to kiss her. But he had to be patient. Eat first. Pounce on her after. That was the plan, such as it was.

  “Honestly, he strikes me as a lonely soul,” Beth said contemplatively. “I don’t think bounty hunting is a very stable sort of profession. I get that the hunting part probably satisfies his inner predator, but not having a home territory or Clan… That’s got to be rough. This might give him some…for lack of a better word…roots.” She took a drink of her water before continuing. “I want him to feel connected to us. To our people, here in Grizzly Cove. Maybe if he knew he was welcome, he might someday think of this as a place to return to. I take it the other bears here liked what they saw of him, right? He seems to have fit right in with the others.”

  “Very observant,” Tr
evor agreed. “He impressed the Alpha and his XO. I’m pretty sure they’d accept him into the community if he asked, but I’ll be honest. It’ll take a lot to get Ezra to ask. He’s a man with baggage, and that won’t be gotten rid of that easily.” Trevor shook his head. “But I’m really glad you’ve taken him under your wing. The job with you—and the connections—will be good for him. You’re right when you say he needs roots. He’s been drifting a long time.”

  “He really is a good friend to you, isn’t he?” she asked, watching him with a gentle expression.

  “Ezra is more like a brother to me than even he knows.” Trevor couldn’t really say more than that. Ezra was special. It was as simple as that.

  “Then, I’m doubly glad he accepted the job,” Beth replied after a moment. Her smile was soft as she returned to her food. She’d been through an awful lot that day, and yet, she’d shown the strength he’d known she’d possessed, but hadn’t fully realized.

  Dinner was pleasant enough and they talked of mostly benign stuff. All the while, Beth felt the weight of her need to claim him as her mate sitting between them. Was he feeling the same pull or was she deluding herself?

  As they lingered over dessert, the conversation fell into a lull. It had a been a long, difficult, momentous, life-altering day.

  “Beth…” Trevor’s uncharacteristically hesitant tone made her look up at him. “Are you really okay with what went down this morning?”

  She knew what he meant. He was talking about her trident, and how it had snuffed the life out of her nemesis. The evil bastard that had called himself her stepfather. She couldn’t really feel remorse for ridding the world of such a man, though she knew her reaction was probably a little strange—or would seem that way to Trevor.

  “Although I’ve never killed someone before, I’m good with what happened, I think,” she answered honestly, really thinking about her words. “I guess the predator in me recognized Jonathan as the shark that shared his soul more than a man. He lived very close to the edge. He couldn’t always control his shifts, which is why he had to live on the water with a private beach. When he lost his temper…or really, anytime at all…he would shift into his animal form uncontrollably. It wasn’t uncommon to see him running for the surf, ripping out of his hand-tailored suits.” She shook her head at the memory. She hadn’t really thought about these things in a very long time.

  “If he was that out of control of his beast, he had to have been close to feral,” Trevor observed, his brows drawing together in concern.

  “Now that I look back on it, I think that was the case. He put on a good show for the few humans he dealt with, but he was all shark, pretty much all the time.” It was startling to realize that she’d lived with such a monster for so long. “When I joined Nansee’s pod, I knew next to nothing about how to be mer. I couldn’t hunt. I’d never even fished in my human form. I didn’t know how to kill or dress a catch. I was like a child. But the girls in my hunting party taught me what I needed to know, and I became one of the best hunters in the group.”

  She felt the need to explain her thoughts, though she would never justify her actions to anyone else. Only Trevor. He needed to know where she was coming from.

  “So, killing Jonathan was like killing a shark in the ocean?” he asked.

  Beth shrugged. “Not exactly, but there are parallels. I didn’t hunt him, of course. And that’s probably why my human half is okay with the way everything happened this morning. It wasn’t quite self-defense, but I was protecting your back and defending myself in the process. It’s not like I planned it. It just happened. And my mer side was cool about it. My inner predator recognized the need to take out the two-legged shark for the safety of my people—which includes you, Trevor.”

  She said that last bit quietly, wondering what he’d make of her words. Would he understand that she was claiming him? That her mer half saw him as hers?

  “That’s good, Beth,” he said, after some hesitation. “That’s really good.”

  “Which part?” she challenged.

  “The part where you called me one of your people?” He gave her a smile as he looked at her, questions in his eyes that she was starting to feel more confident about answering.

  “Well, you are. I mean, you’re not just one of the people I care about…” Now or never, she told herself, taking a deep breath before continuing. “You’re the person I care about.”

  “That sounds serious,” he told her, moving around the table to kneel before her chair. He took her hands in his in a move that was so romantic she thought her heart might burst. “Would it be okay to say that you’re the person I care about too?”

  She nodded, her breath caught in her throat as their gazes met and held. He looked so earnest. So serious. So…hopeful. That expression gave her hope, as well.

  “Would it be okay to say that you’re my mate, Beth?” he whispered, drawing closer to her as she heard words she thought she might never hear.

  Her soul filled with joy as she slid out of the chair and wrapped her arms around him. They sat together, right there on the floor, clinging to each other.

  “Yes, Trevor,” she whispered near his ear as she hugged him tight. “Because you’re my mate too.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Trevor was glad he was already on the floor, because after hearing Beth call him her mate, he knew his knees wouldn’t support him. He held her close, reveling in the moment. He’d been half-afraid most of his life that this day would never come.

  Now that it was here, he wanted to enjoy the moment…and all the moments to come. He’d found his mate, and nothing would ever be the same again. From now on, it would be his honor and privilege to look out for not just himself but her, as well. They were a pair now. A team. A partnership that superseded every other commitment in his life.

  They would grow into it. Although shifters often knew when they met the person destined to be their life partner, the relationship grew and matured over time. The attraction was instant, and potent as hell, but the path to true understanding was a journey they would undertake together…for the rest of their lives.

  It promised to be amazing.

  And it all started right here. Right now.

  Trevor pushed off from the floor, lifting Beth in his arms and depositing her on the nearby bed. She smiled at him as he set her down, her fingers tangling in his shirt and pulling him down toward her. She matched her lips to his in a kiss that was both exhilarating and new. She was claiming him as much as he was her. A partnership of equals.

  They didn’t speak for long moments while their kiss went on and on. Clothes got in the way, and he made them disappear. He wasn’t conscious of his movements, only that he had to get skin to skin with his mate as quickly as possible.

  His mate! She’d said it. She felt it, too, thank the Goddess.

  When he had them both naked, skin to skin, he lay next to her on the wide bed, leaning over on his side so he could kiss her. He wanted to take this slow. After all, they’d just mutually acknowledged something that would change their lives forever. There was just one little thing left to put out there. He lifted his head and looked deep into her eyes.

  “Just so you know… I love you, Beth.”

  When Trevor declared his love so straightforward and simply, it took her breath away. Tears quickly welled behind her eyes. Tears of a happiness so profound, she wasn’t sure how to deal with it. The only thing she could think of was to return his honesty with her own.

  Throwing her arms around his neck, she let the emotion of the moment rule.

  “I love you, too, Trevor.” She placed kisses all over his face, wherever she could reach. “So much.”

  His laughter was rich and genuine, and it touched her deeply. She felt the same bubbling joy. It was a happiness she thought she might never find, and now, here she was, with her one true mate. How had she been so blessed?

  They made love slowly, cherishing every moment. At least, that’s the way it felt to Beth.
Trevor had undressed her with the impatience that had been characteristic of their moments of passion up to this point, but with the declaration of love, it felt like, suddenly, they had time. Or maybe it was the resolution of Beth’s problems with Jonathan that had changed things.

  Beth was much more secure now, and Trevor had played a major role in making that happen. He’d given her room to breathe by protecting her with love and care. He hadn’t stifled her in any way, and ultimately, he’d been okay with the way things had ended.

  Trevor hadn’t seemed at all negative about the way she’d taken the killing shot at Jonathan when he’d been poised to injure or kill Trevor. There was no pride, no one-upmanship, no jealousy. Only concern that she was emotionally okay after the ordeal.

  Trevor’s concern had been for her throughout. His ego didn’t interfere with their relationship. That was important to her because she’d grown up watching Jonathan—who was nothing but ego—destroy her mother’s spirit with his overbearing ways.

  She loved the way Trevor’s strong hands felt against her most sensitive skin. He cupped her breasts in both hands as he kissed his way down her neck. Lifting her nipples toward his mouth, he spent time making sure he didn’t miss one millimeter of excited flesh in his mission to tease every part of her body.

  When he had her sighing in pleasure, he moved on…slowly. Trevor seemed to be making a concentrated effort to drive her out of her ever-loving mind. It was delicious torture. And when he settled between her thighs and spread her wide, she sucked in a sharp breath as his tongue zeroed in on her clit.

  “Trev!” she gasped, the sensations his tongue evoked as he used it in ways she’d never dared dream about on her most sensitive flesh making her squirm.

  She could feel his lips smile against her, and that, too, was one of the most erotic moments of her life to date. Everything about Trevor was new and exciting, strange and completely fascinating.

  He kissed his way back up her body, pausing here and there to whisper words of love and praise. When he reached her lips again, she sighed into his kiss as he rose over her body. He joined them together simply. Slowly. As if they had all the time in the world.