“Is this girls’ talk only, or can I join in?” a deep voice intoned.
Regan looked up to see Hercules standing in front of the desk, resting one elbow on it. “Where did you sneak up from?” she asked, stifling a grin at the sight of the huge, stoic shifter with the naturally tanned skin and long hair.
He shrugged. “Mercenary and loud don’t exactly go together.”
Carrie laughed at that, and Regan just shrugged. “No, it’s not just girl talk. You can join if you want.”
“You’re always welcome, Herc,” Carrie said, patting a chair next to her. “He’s almost like a girl anyway.”
Hercules wrinkled his nose at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Carrie waved a hand at his supposed offense. “You’re… sensitive. I guess. Anyway, he has the best advice.”
Hercules harrumphed. “Maybe I’ll have to be more careful about giving it if it’s going to determine my gender.” He slumped in the chair in mock anger, but there was a grin glittering in his eyes.
“Hey, you know the only man she sees is that blue-eyed piece back there talking to Bronson,” Regan said, leaning back in her own chair with a relaxed sigh. It was nice to just be here talking with people she was coming to consider friends. She’d been alone for so long that it was foreign but very welcome. “Besides, with the current discussion about men, you might be glad to not be counted as one.”
Herc wrinkled his nose again. “Somehow I doubt it. Anyway, what are you saying about my brethren, and how can I defend them from these spurious accusations?”
Carrie laughed, holding her stomach. “Regan was just saying she doesn’t think she’s the type to commit, and Bronson is.”
Herc raised a light-brown eyebrow. “Huh? And that’s a problem?”
“No, no,” Regan said. “You’re getting it wrong. I don’t think I can trust Bronson to commit, so I don’t want a relationship. But I think he does.”
Herc lowered his eyebrows. “I knew there was something going on between you two. Why he was following you around after work.”
“Well, that was because he was worried about me,” she said, trying to ignore the heat that rose in her cheeks at the thought of Bronson protecting her.
“He is the worrying type,” Herc said. “And yeah, I get the feeling he’s the type that falls hard for the right woman and doesn’t let go.”
“Until he gets what he wants or gets sick of her, right?” Regan asked.
Herc shook his head, and Carrie looked shocked. “No, I don’t think that about him. He’s the type who stays through trouble to work things out.”
“Then why did he leave his family?” she asked, looking around the place.
“I don’t really know Bronson’s story,” Hercules said. “If he wanted to share it with me, he would.”
Regan swallowed. She knew she shouldn’t have said anything, but couldn’t explain her doubts any other way. No, she’d had doubts before; that’s what had made her look him up.
“I don’t know for sure why he left his old life,” Carrie said, resting her cheeks in her hands. “I can only judge what I know of him now, and I know he’s an honorable person who has been an honorable friend to Cage. And he’s helped countless people with Bear Claw Security. My guess is if he ran away from those people, he had a damn good reason.”
Hercules nodded. “He was one of the squad leaders I worked with, always on top of things. Never would leave someone behind. Never would stay out of danger if someone could be helped. Then he set up this place and gave some of us jobs when we were ready to give up that life of danger. As far as I’m concerned, he’s one of the most responsible men I’ve known.”
Regan sighed. “Then why does he act like such a playboy?”
Carrie snorted. “You mean the flirting? I think it’s just an act, to make women comfortable.”
Regan raised an eyebrow. “It makes women comfortable?”
“Yeah,” Carrie said. “Because it’s over the top, you know? It’s mostly funny, and people get that. He always keeps a polite distance so it’s never threatening. And with his looks, most women really like it.”
Ha. Bronson had never kept a distance with her. Since she’d first worked there, he’d been all about getting up in her face. But maybe that was because she liked to tease him and get under his skin.
Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t really remember which had happened first.
“Hm,” she said.
“But things are going fine with you two staying together, right?” Herc asked.
Carrie’s eyes went wide and looked a more vivid blue. “What? Okay, maybe you do need to leave, Herc, because we need to talk about this.”
Hercules raised his fingers to either side of his ears. “I can plug up if you want.”
Regan laughed. These two really knew how to make her comfortable. “No, it’s okay. Not much to tell.”
Carrie glared at her, and Regan got the feeling she was seeing right through her story. “As soon as you’re ready, we are going to talk about this.”
“You’re a female bear,” Hercules said. “He’s a male. You’re sharing quarters. There isn’t much to tell that I can’t already guess.”
Carrie looked between them as Regan didn’t deny it and a red flush spread over her cheeks. “What? Seriously?”
Regan shrugged. “It’s just bears. The same reason I wouldn’t be able to settle down with one. We’re promiscuous.”
“I haven’t seen Bronson messing around with women,” Herc said. “Not now or in the service. I think you’ve got him wrong. Maybe he doesn’t like women. Maybe he likes a woman.”
“I haven’t seen Bronson mess around either,” Carrie said quietly. “And I know he wouldn’t take advantage of a woman like that. I mean, he’s just supposed to be protecting you, right?”
Regan grinned ruefully. “I guess I was the one taking advantage. But I did it knowing I didn’t want more than a night. Or a fling. You know.” She threw up her hands. “My work is my life. And he seems to feel the same.”
But it was partially a lie. She knew Bronson wanted more, that he loved his job, but when it came to her, at least so far, she would come first.
It was odd how much she already knew about him after just a few weeks together at work and one night at his house.
“He has a really nice place,” she said.
“I know. I’ve been there,” Carrie said. She gave Regan a knowing look. “And that’s no bachelor pad.”
“What gave you this idea that bear shifters can’t settle down?” Hercules asked.
“Maybe it’s just ones like Bronson,” Regan said. “Rich playboys that can afford to run from their problems.”
Herc looked uncertainly at Carrie and then Regan. “I don’t know. I’m not sure you’re looking at this fairly. But all I can say is if I didn’t trust Bronson with my life, I wouldn’t work for him. And I’d never trust a man who ran from his problems.” He gave her a sidelong look. “Then again, if you can’t trust him, I’m not going to try to talk you into him. He deserves someone who wants him as much as he wants her. I’m not sure that’s the case here.”
Carrie looked at her quietly, and she badly wanted to correct Herc. To say she did want Bronson as much, maybe even more. To say that’s what had been bothering her the whole time, from the first moment she walked in.
She did want him, and she didn’t like it because he didn’t have any of the qualities she was looking for in someone who could get her to overlook her reluctance to mate.
She wanted someone quiet, responsible. Hopefully human. Someone who wouldn’t run. Someone in it for the long haul. Hopefully good-looking but not amazingly handsome. Well off but not incredibly rich. A good, safe catch.
And if that never happened, all the more reason to stay alone with her work.
So why did Bronson’s face keep popping up obnoxiously in her mind?
She pulled a USB out of her purse and slid it into one of the slots on the
computer she’d booted up. “Anyway, I’d better get back to working on the Salazar case. Still fixing holes in security, and I think someone is still trying to crack them. Not that I blame them with how much that company is worth.”
Carrie nodded. “And I should call back some potential clients.”
“And I should just sit here and guard you both,” Herc said, stretching back and resting his long legs out in front of him.
Carrie giggled. “That you should.”
“Fine by me,” Regan said, opening up her files.
Her mind slowly relaxed as she eased into her work. Ah, the world of code and programming. A place where she was in control and knew exactly what to do all the time. At least she could have a little more of this before she had to go spend more time with Bronson.
Even if a tiny, obnoxious part of her thrilled at the thought of it.
Chapter 7
“So it was completely trashed?” Cage asked, looking serious.
“Yeah,” Bronson said, getting angry just at the thought of it. “Really trashed. In a personal way, too, you know? Like, stuff everywhere, underwear cut up.” He leaned back on his chair and ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. “Had even written slurs on the wall in lipstick.”
Cage shook his head. “So she’s into something bad, then?”
“She thinks she just pissed off the wrong people,” Bronson said, looking past Cage and out the window that overlooked the land around them. He loved living upstate, with the huge forests and small towns surrounded by green landscape. “She went after some revenge porn hackers a little while ago.”
Cage narrowed his eyes. “And she knew this when she started here?”
“Well, I’m sure in her line of work she pisses off a lot of people,” Bronson said. “So yeah, she knew, but she didn’t know they were after her. Still doesn’t. It could be anyone.”
“Have we had her working on anything that could draw this kind of attention?”
Bronson shook his head. “She’s been mostly working on small cases. She finishes them super quickly.” He couldn’t help admiring her for that. “But she has the Salazar job that she’s been working since she’s been here, off and on. I think maybe there could be someone there against it.”
“Maybe,” Cage said, running his hand over the five o’clock stubble on his chin. “Anyway, you’re the boss. What do you think we should do next?”
“From here on out?” Bronson asked. “I don’t know. Just keep an eye on her. And of course, you’ll be with Carrie all the time.”
“Ha-ha, of course,” Cage said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, regardless of who’s around.”
“Good,” Bronson said. “Because I’m not happy putting anyone at risk by keeping Regan here, but we can’t just send her out there with people after her.”
“I know,” Cage said. “I like that about you. But what about you? I’m a little worried about how this is going to affect you.”
“What do you mean?” Bronson asked.
“Herc said you were keeping her at your place,” Cage said.
“So?”
“So you never take women to your place,” Cage said.
“I took Carrie.”
“With me. She’s family. But I mean when you date, which is rare, I know you don’t take them home.”
Bronson went quiet. “Regan’s different.”
Cage’s lips flattened into a line. “She’s your mate, isn’t she? I saw the way you were looking at her when you two came in this morning. You took her, didn’t you?”
Bronson shook his head wildly. “No, no, no. I mean, we did stuff. I didn’t claim her. She doesn’t want that.”
Cage sat up a little, surprised. “She doesn’t want you? Bullshit.”
Bronson’s eyes widened at his partner’s swearing. It was part of his MC background but didn’t come out unless he was genuinely surprised or upset. “That’s what she says. It’s not just me, though. She said she doesn’t want a bear for a mate in general.”
“But she’s a bear, right?” Cage scratched his head. “I don’t know, man. Sometimes I think women don’t know what they want. Or act like they don’t until they’re sure. Still, I don’t think Regan’s the type that would mess around with you. Do you know why she doesn’t want a mate?”
Bronson shrugged. “I mean, I’m guessing it’s the usual reason. Stupid parents that couldn’t work it out. Or some dude that walked out on her. She could have lots of reasons.”
“Well, if this goes on, you’ll have time to figure them out.” Cage shook his head. “I wish I had some good advice. You encouraged me with Carrie, but I’ve only ever wanted one woman and I don’t know anything about other ones.” He grinned. “And I’m not sure Limes would be any better if he were here.”
“I don’t need help winning my mate,” Bronson said. “But I may need help protecting her. She doesn’t want the police at her apartment. I may need you and Herc to go over there and go through things. When she’s ready.”
“Why no police?”
Bronson sighed. “It’s just… they were in a lot of her private things. And let’s be honest. What are they going to do other than make a report?”
“Yeah, if the police could do more than that, we wouldn’t have half our jobs.”
“Right,” Bronson said. “When it comes to stalkers, they can’t do anything until it’s basically too late. That’s where we come in.” He leaned forward on his desk, suddenly tired. “Still, it’s a whole new ball game when it’s someone you care about.”
“So you care about her, then,” Cage said. “I mean, I thought there was something between you two, even with all the fighting. But it’s just…”
“What is it?” Bronson asked, not liking his friend’s hesitancy.
“It’s just that… I don’t know. You know you’re my closest friend, right?”
“Yeah,” Bronson said, not getting where this was going.
“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” Cage said, sitting back in his chair. “You deserve someone great, you know? You’re one of the best men I know.”
“Who’s the best?” Bronson teased. “Hercules?”
“He’s up there,” Cage said with a grin. “But seriously, I don’t want to see you get messed up. If a girl doesn’t want commitment, there isn’t a lot that can change that.”
“I know,” Bronson said. “But what am I supposed to do? She’s my mate.”
“Yeah,” Cage said. “I don’t know. I should tell you the one who is your mate won’t push you away, but I waited so many years for the one I wanted that I can’t really say that. All I can say is if she’s the one, it’ll be worth it. But that won’t make it any easier to watch.”
“Hey, if it gets hard, just remember all the times I’ve fucked up on you,” Bronson said.
“You’ve never fucked up on me,” Cage said seriously, folding his arms. “And I seriously just want you to be happy. So she’s going to keep staying with you, then? Because she could come stay with me and Carrie. I’m worried with you together, you might just get more confused.”
“Hell no,” Bronson said. “Haven’t you been listening? She’s my mate. I’m not letting anyone else protect her.”
“But if she doesn’t feel that way, maybe it’s not true,” Cage said. “Look, every time you two come together, you’re going to get more serious. And then if she still can’t get over her shit, you’re going to be broken. And you’re a seriously good dude, Bron. You don’t need that.”
Bronson pursed his lips. “I have to see what happens, Cage. I have to see where this goes.”
Cage threw up his hands. “I know. I don’t know why I’m even interfering. What do I know?” He shook his head. “You’re just a good friend, and I want to be one to you.”
“You can’t protect me from this,” Bronson said. “All you can do is be there if you have to pick up the pieces. But if she’s my mate, I have to try fighting for her.”
Cage sighed in resignat
ion. “I get you, bro. But I’m just saying be careful.”
“It’s like Robin Hood said,” Bronson retorted. “Faint heart never won fair lady.”
“Yeah, well faint heart never got himself crushed,” Cage muttered.
Bronson stood, reaching out a hand to jerk Cage up with him. He pulled him into his shoulder and gave him a one-armed hug. “You’re a good friend, Cage, for worrying about me.”
“I can’t help it,” Cage said, exhaling. “You’re a good person and you let yourself get hurt too much. I know what happened with your family. Maybe I’m the only one who knows, but I do. I don’t want to see you get used again.”
Bronson felt ice wash over him at the thought of it. “I know. I know, man. That sucked. But sometimes you have to let someone show you who they are so you know how to deal with them afterward. What they did gave me all the reason to run and never come back. But remember, part of the reason I left was to have the chance to choose a mate, on my own terms. And if I walk away when I finally feel like I have that in front of me, just because it seems difficult, then it’s like I gave that up for nothing.”
“I get it,” Cage said. “Well, you know Herc and I are here for whatever you need. And Limes will be back soon, not that it helps.”
“Hey, I still like having another hacker around, to look into things from that side. But yeah, I don’t expect some big emotional support.”
Cage laughed hard at that. “Good. Now let’s go find the girls and order brunch.”
“Yeah, I could use brunch,” Bronson said. “So the Regan thing, I’m just planning to stay close by and wait and see what they do. That cool with you?”
“Yeah,” Cage said. “That’s cool with me.”
“Good,” Bronson squeezed his friend’s shoulder. He didn’t like remembering, but it was good to be reminded of how he’d been hurt before. It kept him aware that there were some things worth being hurt for and some things where all you could do is run.
Things with Regan so far had gone better than he’d hoped, if he thought about how she’d scowled at him when first meeting him. She’d told him from the start she didn’t want him and then ended up begging him for sex. And then, when her house had been ransacked, she’d run to him. Held him. Been close to him.
Bear to the Rescue (Bear Claw Security Book 3) Page 6
