Bear's Claim (Bear Heat Book 3)

by Natalie Kristen

  He was falling harder, faster and deeper than he ever thought possible.

  But he shouldn't. He shouldn't want her so much. This—this was just for one night.

  He wouldn't allow himself to have this beautiful, exquisite woman for more than one night. He would not drag her down into his sordid, bloody, broken world.

  His cover had been blown. There was a bright red target painted on his back. He had made dangerous, deadly enemies, enemies who wouldn't hesitate to hurt the ones closest to him. He would not put Aubrey in danger.

  He had played an important but dangerous role in the capture of the most powerful and influential Mob boss, Ray Shapez. He had infiltrated Ray's gang and rose through the ranks to become Ray's trusted bodyguard. Ray's gang was in disarray at the moment, but Thor knew that there were still smaller gangs operating in the city. Now that Ray Shapez was gone, another crime boss would rise to fill the leadership vacuum. It was a constant battle for power, territory, wealth. The war wasn't over. Perhaps it would never be over.

  Or perhaps the war was within himself.

  He had been cut off from his clan, his friends and colleagues for so long. He had to submerge himself completely in the shadowy, underground world of crime and violence. He had witnessed unspeakable horrors and atrocities. He had quietly tried to help some innocents escape and save some lives, but he couldn't save them all.

  And now, the Mob would see him as a traitor. And traitors were tortured and executed in the most gruesome, bloody way possible. There wouldn't be anything left of him to bury after they were done.

  No, Aubrey didn't belong in his world. She was so pure, sweet and true. She was an angel. He couldn't drag her into his hell.

  The first time he saw her, he had literally frozen in his seat. He had blinked hard and gasped as Aubrey pushed through the door of Curry Corner and walked in, smiling that beautiful, brilliant smile, her brown eyes sparkling with joy and laughter. For a moment, he thought he had died and gone to heaven, and this was an angel coming towards him.

  But of course, he didn't belong in heaven.

  Aubrey had rushed to Curry Corner straight from work, and she was still wearing her white nurse's uniform. But her straight, stiff uniform couldn't hide all her bountiful curves. Her black curly hair was pulled back into a bun which had gradually come loose as she partied with his clan members.

  Aubrey Williams had the face of an angel, beautiful, kind and loving. But she had a body made for sin. She was all woman, all sweet, sexy, irresistible curves. She was lush, full and so incredibly hot.

  Thor didn't want to stop kissing her. She was trapped between his body and the door, and he had no intention of letting her go. He grabbed her ample hips as he deepened the kiss. She felt so amazing, every luscious inch of her.

  Thor plucked the pins from her loosened bun as he kissed her, and pushed his fingers into her curly, luxuriant hair. He growled as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. His tongue thrust in and out of her hot, little mouth as his hips moved of their own accord to grind his painful erection against her.

  She moaned into his mouth and writhed deliciously against him. When he thumbed her stiff nipples through her bra, she gasped and panted, “More.”

  It was a demand and a plea.

  She wanted more, needed more. Aubrey curled her fingers around his collar and tugged him towards the bedroom.

  “Stay,” she whispered. “Be with me, tonight.”

  Thor stilled for a moment, bowing his head to press his forehead against hers. He wanted her so much, even though he had no right to want anything.

  They could pleasure each other for one night. Then he would have to let her go.

  Aubrey wound her arms around his neck and lifted her lips to his. The kiss was sweet and tender, filled with love and understanding. She wasn't teasing him or playing with him. She wanted him, accepted him, and cared for him. She let him know exactly how she felt. She wasn't like all the other women that Thor had been with. Aubrey didn't play games. She didn't hide her feelings, her desire, her heart. She wanted him and she let him know it.

  And she wanted him just for him. Not for his wealth, his bad boy image, his bear. She wasn't a shifter groupie or a gold-digger. She was just...his Aubrey.

  No. Not his.

  He couldn't do that to her.

  His bear was going mad, clawing viciously at his skin, roaring to be let out. The beast wanted to claim this female, take her and mark her as its mate.

  But Thor knew that he must not give in to his animal.

  He would satisfy her, love her, pleasure her out of her mind. But he would not claim and mark her.

  This would be just sex. There would be no mating.

  One night.

  One night with an angel.

  It was not enough, but it was more than he deserved.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Aubrey opened her eyes and stared round her dark bedroom. She flung her arm out and it landed on the cold, empty pillow beside her.

  She pulled the rumpled sheets up to her chin and let out a long, slow sigh. She didn't have to turn her head to know that she was alone in her bed.

  Thor was gone.

  Aubrey closed her eyes, and images of their slick, entwined bodies played through her mind in tantalizing detail. The soreness between her legs told her that she had not dreamed it all up. It had happened. It was real.

  She traced her fingers over the sheets, remembering Thor's scarred, muscular body sliding against hers. He had filled her, pleasured her endlessly, and given her the best sex of her life. Thor was a skilful and generous lover, and she had screamed her pleasure multiple times into the night.

  Sated and exhausted, she had finally fallen asleep curled up snugly beside his huge, powerful body. She hadn't had such great sex in a long time. Heck, she hadn't had sex in a long time, period.

  Aubrey wasn't exactly looking for Mr. Right. She was happy that Cora had found her perfect mate in Ethan Flint. Cora and Ethan was lucky to have found each other. But Aubrey harbored no illusions about the fate of her own heart. So far, she'd had absolutely no luck in love. She didn't think her luck was about to change.

  It didn't bother her.

  Some people were lucky. Some weren't.

  That was just the way things were.

  So she wasn't going to kid herself. Being unlucky in love didn't mean that she couldn't have fun. No moping around for her. She would just go out and have a good time. And a good lay.

  She was a grown woman. She could go out and get her itch scratched sometimes by a real, live male. Her vibrator kept her company most nights, but sometimes she just wanted to hold a live, warm body in her arms and feel, well, less alone in her bed.

  She wasn't looking for love. She wasn't a sucker for pain.

  Love had a way of morphing into heartbreak in her hands.

  So.

  She would just go out, live life, have her fun, take her pleasure. Some nights, she got lucky and the pleasure she got was way off the charts.

  Aubrey released another quiet, shuddering sigh.

  So this was just one of those nights. One of those lucky nights.

  And Thor had just been one of those warm bodies that vanished when morning came around.

  Aubrey turned towards the window and stared out at the pitch black sky. There wasn't even the faintest light in the sky. Dawn was still hours away, yet Thor was already gone from her bed. He had simply left without a sound, without a kiss, probably without even a backward glance in the middle of the night. Leaving her feeling oddly angry...and hurt.

  Aubrey scowled at the ceiling.

  It was a one night stand. Nothing more. So why did she want more? She should be glad and relieved, shouldn't she?

  She had always hated the awkward small talk in the morning. Sometimes she couldn't even remember their names. The men would be equally awkward and self-conscious. They would dress hurriedly and fumble their way to the front door, mumblin
g something about a meeting or an appointment. After the sex, there was just nothing to talk about. She hadn't felt any connection with them. They had just been two lonely strangers who had found the other attractive in the dim, deceptive light of the bar.

  But Thor. Thor wasn't just a good lay. She wanted to wake up in his arms, touch him and hold him for more than one night. She wanted to talk to him. Not that awkward, empty small talk that was inevitable the morning after. She wanted to really talk to him, get him to open up to her, listen to him, understand his inner thoughts and turmoil.

  Aubrey tossed heavily on her side. Why was she so...obsessed with Thor? She had never felt this way about anyone before.

  What was it about him? What did she want? Did she want to...save him? Was this like an occupational hazard?

  As a nurse, she instinctively reached out to the sick and wounded and empathized with their suffering. Her job involved easing the pain and suffering of others, comforting the sick and injured and helping them heal.

  Was Thor wounded and broken in her eyes?

  Aubrey thought hard, then shook her head.

  No. That wasn't it.

  She didn't want to save Thor. He had a lot on his mind, and he carried many demons and burdens in his heart, but he didn't need to be saved. He wasn't damaged or damned.

  He was just…a Black Bear.

  From what she knew of them, the Black Bears took their work and responsibilities very seriously. They gave their all in their missions, and they never left a job or a client hanging.

  They were good at what they did, and Thor was one of their best undercover agents. He went deep and he always achieved results for the Black Bears Group.

  Thor had helped put away a ruthless crime lord. He had done his best. But still he felt that his best wasn't enough. There were still other gangs, other crime bosses. The fight wasn't over.

  “Oh Thor,” she sighed, clutching the pillow to her chest. His scent still lingered on the pillow, on her skin.

  She should forget him. Thor had given her the most intense, toe-curling, soul-shattering pleasure last night. That should be enough. She wasn't looking for love.

  But—it seemed love had laid an ambush for her.

  Aubrey pressed the pillow over her face. “Shit.”

  Falling for the wrong guy. She was doing it again.

  “Shit!” she snarled vehemently into the pillow.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the unrelenting ache in her heart. She tried to convince herself that she had just dreamed the whole thing up, that she hadn't felt Thor deep inside her.

  Aubrey flopped onto her belly and pummeled her pillow. She wanted to scream.

  What have you done to me, Thor?

  He had taken her, touched her and loved her in the night. And even if she refused to admit it, she knew that deep down, she would never be the same again.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Thor nodded curtly in response to a joke by Baxter. There was laughter around the meeting room and Baxter took it as encouragement to launch into another joke.

  Six Black Bears lieutenants were seated around the conference room table. Ethan, their Alpha had called for an urgent meeting of his team leaders early this morning.

  Thor had just gotten back from his undercover assignment, and he hadn't yet been assigned a team but Ethan had requested his presence at the meeting. Perhaps it was another case concerning the Mob and they wanted his opinion and knowledge on the Mob's methods of operation. Ethan had told him to take his time to familiarize himself with the Black Bears' ongoing projects and assignments but Thor wanted to get back into the swing of things as quickly as possible. He had been away from his clan for too long. His undercover work was important and valuable, but he missed working with the Black Bears as a team.

  Thor stared at the opposite wall and saw, not a blank white wall, but a torrid, burning image of Aubrey, naked, writhing and moaning beneath him.

  Her beautiful, dark skin was gleaming with sweat and there was a look of sheer ecstasy and bliss on her face. She was so hot and sweet, and utterly, fuckingly amazing.

  He had taken her again and again, pushing them both over the edge as they clung to each other.

  He had wanted to be inside her forever, sheathed in her tight, slick heat. He could still feel her, taste her, smell her. Every inch of her lush, curvy body felt and tasted like heaven under his hands and mouth.

  It had taken every ounce of his will and resolve to force his bear back, and stop himself from claiming and marking her. He gave her what she wanted, what they both wanted, but he couldn't make her his. Walking away from her was the hardest thing he had ever done.

  He had pulled the covers tenderly over her shoulders and tucked her in after he slipped out of her bed. She looked so beautiful, with her black curls framing her face as she slept. Her full lips were slightly parted, and she let out a cute little snore as he bent to kiss her.

  Forget me, Aubrey.

  Letting her go was the right thing to do. He could leave, but he would never forget her.

  It was impossible.

  She was already inside him, in his heart, a part of his soul.

  There was some laughter and chatter around the table, and Thor forcibly pushed away his thoughts and memories of Aubrey. His claws stabbed into his palms as he swallowed the lingering taste of her on his lips and tongue.

  Taking a few painful breaths, he forced his head back in the game. He had to quit thinking of her. He had to stop wanting her and aching for her.

  He would throw himself into his work, into danger, and work tirelessly to take down the rest of the underground crime gangs in the city.

  No peace for the wicked. No rest for the good.

  Thor turned to scan his fellow Black Bears in the meeting room. They were just shooting the crap, telling jokes and issuing dares to one another. The Black Bears Group was a cohesive, well-oiled, frighteningly efficient security machine. They worked so well together because of their camaraderie and unity. They trusted one another with their lives.

  Thor listened to Baxter's corny joke and found himself chuckling as a collective groan rose. He missed his bears, his buddies more than he realized. He missed their boisterous ribbing and wisecracks. He was seriously glad to be back with his clan and colleagues. He just wished he could have her in his life as well.

  Thor frowned as he watched Baxter tilt his chair back at a precarious angle and balance it only on two legs. How the hell did he do that? The sturdy little chair creaked and groaned under Baxter's massive frame, but didn't crumble into splinters. The chair didn't fall over despite the constant rocking and swaying. Thor raised a brow, impressed with Baxter's uncanny sense of balance.

  “...and when another cowboy walks into the bar, the lumberjack turns to the soldier and says...”

  Baxter threw out his hands to gesture excitedly as he delivered the punchline. His chair wobbled back a few inches as Baxter slapped his thigh and guffawed at his own joke. “Ha ha ha, good one, eh?”

  The other team leaders rolled their eyes and offered up their own punchlines. Across the table, Paige balled up a piece of paper and lobbed it at Baxter.

  “Hey, hey, watch it...” Baxter flailed to regain his balance.

  Thor's hand shot out and he caught the back of Baxter's chair to stop the big guy from crashing to the floor.

  “Thanks,” Baxter huffed, glaring at Paige.

  The door opened and Baxter righted his chair immediately. Ethan strode in and took his seat at the head of the long table.

  The Black Bears Alpha nodded at his team leaders and said without preamble, “I've just got a call from the Deputy Police Commissioner. He wants our help in an investigation.”

  “What will we be investigating, Alpha?” Baxter leaned forward.

  Ethan paused before replying, “A murder.”

  “Who's the victim?” Thor asked.

  “A senior cop. Walter Nguyen's body, or r
ather what's left of it, was found in his bed.”

  Thor started at the name of the victim.

  The name was familiar. Thor pressed his fist to his chin, trying to place the name.

  His eyes widened suddenly. He knew who Walter was.

  CHAPTER SIX

  There were murmurs round the table. Baxter turned to say something to him, but Thor wasn't listening.

  Thor looked up abruptly and said, “Walter Nguyen. He's the new chief of C-18.”

  Ethan nodded grimly. “C-18 is the task force that's been newly set up to deal with organized crime in the city. Walter Nguyen has just been transferred from the violent crimes unit to head C-18.”

  “And now he's dead,” Baxter said, blowing out a breath. “I think I know who did it.”

  “Ray Shapez has been caught and most of his lieutenants have been rounded up. This has to be the work of one of the smaller gangs,” Paige spoke up. “But which gang? Who could have ordered the hit?”

  “That's what we have to find out. At this stage, we don't know if the murder is gang-related or not. Walter wasn't shot execution-style. The Mob would have shot him through the head to send a message.” Ethan shook his head and opened the file in front of him. “The police wants us to help investigate Walter's murder.”

  “Us?” Baxter frowned. “Why us? Don't the police want to catch the sick perverts themselves and avenge their comrade? Walter was one of them, a police officer...”

  “Yes. The murdered person was a police officer. But...trust is a rare commodity these days. There is fear and suspicion up and down the ranks. As you know, as everyone knows, there are crooked cops, cops on the take, moles, spies, informants. There are moles in the force. Moles for the mob and who knows which other clandestine organization. No one knows who to trust,” Ethan said.

  “But they trust us,” Dylan said with a smirk.

  “The Black Bears have never given our clients and our city a reason not to trust us,” Ethan stated matter-of-factly.