by Bianca D’Arc
She applied herself to her meal for a few minutes. The silence was companionable. Ezra was an easy person to be around. He made her feel safe.
And sort of tingly… In a good way.
“So, are you meeting friends in town?” Ezra asked her after a while.
“No. I don’t know anybody there. I just figured I’d check out the rally and see what it was all about. The cougars at my bike shop couldn’t stop talking about how awesome it was.”
“Did you line up a place to stay?” he asked, frowning a bit.
“Well, I figured I’d just find a place when I got there,” she admitted, sensing maybe she hadn’t thought her plan all the way through when his frown deepened.
“The town really fills up during the event,” he told her. “There might not be any rooms left.”
“Seriously?” She hadn’t anticipated that. She knew next to nothing about the town or the rally. It had just sounded like as good a destination as any when she’d set out on her motorcycle vision quest minus the peyote.
“Look, uh…” He seemed a little uncomfortable, but he went on as she waited. “I’m going there on business. I’ve reserved a suite, which I might not even be using most of the time. If you can’t find a place, you’re welcome to crash with me. I mean—not with me—but in the suite. I’m not trying to hit on you or make you uncomfortable, but I can’t, in good conscience, leave you to fend for yourself when I have a big room all set aside that I may not even be using most of the time.”
Now, it was her turn to frown. He’d been almost tongue-tied there for a moment. Was she that repulsive? Or that needy? She didn’t like either scenario. Her newfound backbone stiffened.
“I appreciate the offer but—”
Ezra held up one hand, cutting her off. “I said that badly,” he told her, shaking his head. “I want to be sure you’ve got a safe place, Thea. For my own peace of mind, as well as your safety. The town can get a little wild with the influx of people. I’d be pleased if you’d just take my room. I can try to find another if you’d rather not have me around.”
“Not have you around? Is that what you think?” She was shocked by his words. “Ezra, you saved my life. How could I not want to have you around? At this point, you’re like the one person in the world, besides my parents, that I trust fully. If you’d wanted to hurt me, you would have left me in that basement. Or you could have let me die when I was so weak. But you stayed, and you fought for me. I could feel your power reaching out to me, willing me to live,” she told him in a desperate whisper that went no farther than their small booth. “The fact that you’re willing to help me again, when it’s pretty clear I didn’t think this trip all the way through, just proves all over again that you’re one of the good guys. If you’re sure you don’t mind, I might just take you up on your generous offer.”
“Now, wait a minute.” He held up both hands, palms outward. “Don’t go polishing my halo so shiny.” His lips curled up at the corners, softening his denial. “You’ll ruin my image.”
She laughed with him, and balance was restored between them. He really was an easy guy to be around. She wasn’t sure she’d ever felt so comfortable with another bear—besides her family, of course. She didn’t know what it meant, but it felt significant.
“So, is that what you do?” she asked, returning to a previous point in the conversation. “You work for the private investigation firm my parents hired?”
“No, not at all. I’m actually a bounty hunter. Or, at least, I was until recently,” he clarified. “See? I don’t really deserve that halo. I deal with the worst of the worst, usually. I was just helping Margo—who really is a P.I.” He took a sip of his coffee before continuing. “Just between us, I’m a troubleshooter now. I clean up dirty businesses.”
“Is that why you’re going to Sturgis?” she asked quietly.
He nodded. “Yeah. My employer owns a business there that I suspect is being used for something… Well… Something bad. I’m here to put a stop to it. I’m telling you this because, if you’re going to stay in my suite, you might need to be aware of what’s going on. I don’t intend for anything to spill over, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. The people I’ll be dealing with can be dangerous.”
“It’s not like what was happening in Tahoe, is it?” she asked breathlessly.
“No, not at all,” he answered quickly. “It’s something else.” He looked around, as if considering how much to tell her, then caught her eye again. “Let’s just say that if you really wanted that peyote for the vision quest, these guys could probably get it for you.”
“Drugs?” she whispered, surprised but intensely relieved the activity he was tracking wasn’t related to human trafficking.
Ezra nodded. “Smuggling them over the northern border. Or so I believe,” he added casually.
To any observers, their conversation probably looked totally normal—at least on Ezra’s part. She took her cue from him and tried to relax her features. Not that she thought anyone was really watching them, but why take chances? They were close enough to their destination now that there were a lot of motorcycles on the road with them. In fact, many were parked in front of the truck stop, and they probably belonged to a number of the people sitting all around them.
Thea applied herself to the last bits of her meal and finished just as the waitress returned to ask if she wanted anything else. She declined anything sweet, knowing she’d gained a bit too much weight since her rescue. Ezra seemed like he wanted to say something about her choice but didn’t, and the waitress left the bill on the table. Ezra snatched it up before Thea could, and they had a little discussion about how she wanted to pay her way.
He won, of course. He just simply kept the slip of paper and didn’t allow her to see it. He didn’t even allow her to leave the tip on the table. It was both annoying and endearing. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since a handsome man had bought her a meal. Was this a date? No. But this chance encounter felt special because Ezra was treating.
As they were leaving the restaurant, Ezra turned to her. He was so tall. She’d forgotten that, but she grew to appreciate it now. As a bear shifter female, she wasn’t exactly built on the petite side, but Ezra made her feel that way. Oddly, it was a nice feeling.
“Since we’re both headed in the same direction, do you want to ride together the rest of the way?” he asked, making her breath catch.
She hadn’t ever imagined she’d meet up with him again, and now, here he was, wanting to travel the miles left before they reached their destination together. She couldn’t find it within herself to refuse. Ezra was a good man. She knew that already. And it felt like he was still looking out for her.
She smiled at him. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
He nodded then looked away. They agreed to make a final pit stop in the restrooms and meet out by the bikes. He informed her that she’d parked right next to him, and she had to admit to a little shivery feeling down her spine. It felt like fate had pushed her to this place… To this man, maybe?
She wasn’t sure, but she was already looking forward to spending a little more time with him. Ezra Tate just made her feel safe. And that was something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.
CHAPTER THREE
Ezra couldn’t believe he was riding next to Thea. Meeting her again was really something, and the fact that she wanted to travel with him and had recovered so well from her ordeal made him feel…odd. His heart felt like it was expanding, letting the universe in to do a little tap dance of happiness, leaving him forever changed. For the better.
It was an expansive feeling. Something he couldn’t really define, but it was good. Oh, so good.
They couldn’t talk as they rode along at highway speeds, of course, but just knowing she was there, next to him, was something special. It was like she brought an energy with her that had been lacking in his life ever since she’d flown away with her folks all those weeks ago.
His inner bear had mourn
ed her loss. He’d felt protective of her in a way he’d never really experienced before. He’d thought maybe it was just the circumstances of her rescue and the horrific conditions he’d found her in, but now, he wasn’t so sure.
If it had just been the heat of the moment driving his emotions higher, they would have subsided in the intervening time, no? He was no expert, but he thought maybe seeing Thea now—recovered and riding a badass hog like she’d been born to it—would have cured him of any lingering feelings, if that had been all there was to it.
In a way, seeing her like this, so wild and free, made his heart feel good. As if rough patches had been healed, just knowing she was getting better and was already well enough to forge a new path for herself. In another way, the concern and protectiveness was still there. It had even ramped up a bit, if he was being honest with himself.
Knowing she was heading for the craziness of the rally made his bear want to roar. He had to watch over her. His inner bear wouldn’t settle for anything less. The protectiveness had come full circle to a point where he couldn’t let her go off on her own. He knew, if she wanted to do her own thing in town, he’d be dogging her steps, watching out for her from afar, if he had to. He just knew he couldn’t leave her on her own to fend for herself, no matter if she was on some kind of mystic vision quest or not.
He hadn’t pulled her out of that basement prison only to let her fall prey to the first shady character that crossed her path. He was proud of her for wanting to go on an adventure after all she’d been through. That spoke volumes about her strength of character, as far as he was concerned. But, by the same token, he didn’t like the risk her choices might expose her to, and he made a decision, then and there, that he’d be watching over her, whether she knew about it or not. He’d watch from the shadows if he had to, but he was going to make damned sure she was safe.
How exactly he was going to go about that while still completing his own mission, he wasn’t sure, but he’d figure it out. Somehow. There was no other choice.
They stopped a few of times on their way in, but there was really no time or privacy to talk about anything important. As they drew closer to the place where all the motorcycles were heading, the number of bikes and people on the road increased until they were just one of many, all heading to the same destination. There was a surprising camaraderie with the bikers they rubbed elbows with at the rest stops. The party atmosphere was already beginning, and the sheer number and variety of bikes on the road was impressive.
Ezra was going to enjoy his first trip to this part of the word—as long as he could stop the drug runners and keep Thea safe while she continued on her journey of self-exploration. He’d had more difficult missions in the past, but he was definitely setting himself up for a challenge. Good thing he excelled at meeting challenges. He’d make it work. He had no other choice.
When they rolled into town, hours later, Ezra led Thea straight to the hotel at which he’d reserved a suite. It was on the outskirts of town, away from all the commotion, for the most part. He led her inside and didn’t give her a chance to object as he collected two keys to his room and gave her one.
He wouldn’t do that for just anyone. In fact, it was very out of character for him to even consider sharing his space, or giving someone free access to his territory, albeit temporary territory. It was still his den for the time he was there, and he usually wouldn’t go handing out keys willy-nilly. That he didn’t think twice about it in Thea’s case said something. Something he’d have to think about at length.
For now, it was enough to know she’d have a place to run to if she needed it. Or a place just to lay her head if she needed rest. It wasn’t that long ago that she’d been so weak she’d been barely able to move. The busy town might get to her. In which case, he hoped she’d take advantage of that key and come here to find some peace.
“This is nice,” Thea said as she walked into the suite.
There were two bedrooms with a bathroom between them—the kind with two doors, one from each of the bedrooms. The door opened into the main room, which was set up like a living room in a house with a couch, coffee table and conversation area on one side, a dining room table and chairs on the other, with a small kitchenette along the far wall. There was a fridge, cooktop, microwave, sink and a few cabinets with supplies.
“As you can see, there’s plenty of room. I don’t need all this space,” Ezra assured her.
“So, why did you rent a suite, then?” she asked, turning on him with a suspicious lift to her eyebrow.
“Short notice. It was all I could get, and to be honest, I like the buffer of space between me and the neighbors. You know how territorial we can be,” he said quietly, not needing to elaborate further. She was, after all, also a bear shifter.
She nodded. “Yeah, I can see that. But won’t you mind sharing the territory, such as it is, with me?”
“Oddly enough, no,” he answered honestly. “Probably because of the way we met, you rouse all sorts of protective instincts in me, but it’s not just that. You feel…comfortable. Kind of soothing to my other half, in a way.” He lifted his shoulders, unsure how to put the feeling into words but wanting to be as open as he could with her.
She’d frowned when he’d brought up their first encounter, but the look faded to one of curiosity as he elaborated. Good. He didn’t want her to think he only wanted her around because he had seen her at her most vulnerable and wanted to protect her. Bear shifter females—any strong female—usually didn’t take well to that sort of thing, in his experience.
And he didn’t want that for her, either. He wanted her to be strong. To stand on her own two feet in any relationship—whether it be just friendship or…something more. At this point, he had to admit, he was very interested in pursuing that something more with her.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I feel some of that, too. My other half feels comfortable around you,” she admitted, seeming almost shy about her words. “That isn’t something I feel around men since…”
He nodded sadly. “I understand. I want you to know that, no matter what, you’re safe with me, Thea. I won’t let anything bad happen to you again. Ever.”
Her eyes brightened with tears she didn’t let fall, nodding as she took a moment to regain her composure. “I feel that, with you, Ezra. I mean… I’m strong now. Stronger than I was even before Bolivar. That experience changed me in ways I’m only just beginning to understand, but you’ve remained constant. Running into you on the highway… It was like nothing had changed. Not in a bad way. I mean, I’ve changed, but you haven’t. And that’s a really good thing.” She leaned back against the top of the sofa and shook her head. “I’m not making much sense, am I?” Her smile softened her words, and he found himself smiling along with her.
“It’s okay. I think I understand,” he told her in a gentle tone of voice as he moved closer.
He wanted so much to touch her. To take her into his arms and give her a bear hug. But not just yet. He knew it was too soon. She’d been through so much. He didn’t want to scare her off by being too grabby.
Instead, he reached down and took hold of the saddlebags she held loosely in one hand. He met her eyes, and they were close…closer than he’d anticipated. The question in her gaze turned to something much warmer, but he kept his resolve. He wouldn’t try anything physical with her unless and until he knew for certain it wouldn’t send her running away from him. Her safety was too important. More important than his own selfish desires.
She relinquished the saddlebags to him, and he straightened, moving slightly away. Out of the danger zone before he did something he couldn’t take back.
“Which bedroom do you want?” he asked. “I think they’re both basically the same. Right or left?”
She got up from her leaning position and went ahead of him to scout the rooms. One was a little more femininely decorated than the other, so she wisely chose that one. Though, to be fair, he didn’t really care one way or the othe
r what color paint was on the walls, as this was only a temporary place to hang his hat.
He dropped her saddlebags on the chair near the dresser and left her to settle in. He’d left his own bags in the main room, so he retrieved them and headed for the other bedroom. He took off his jacket, checked his messages and heard the water running in the bathroom between the two bedrooms. Good. She was settling in.
The bear within him wanted to rumble in satisfaction. She was here, in his territory, and she’d agreed to stay. All was well with the world. At least for the moment.
Ezra had found messages waiting for him on his phone, which he hadn’t checked since the last rest stop on the road. His crew for this job was in town and ready for a meet, though Ace recommended waiting until tomorrow, so they could arrange some sort of casual encounter. Ezra spent a few minutes texting back and forth, and the plan was set.
He was free for the rest of the night, and he hoped he could spend that time with Thea. They were both a little beat from the trip, so he assumed she’d probably like to have a relatively quiet night to recuperate. He’d take her to dinner—or order dinner in, if she really wasn’t up to going out again.
From the sound of water in the pipes, he suspected Thea was taking a shower. He checked his own road-dust spattered appearance and realized he could do with a bit of a cleanup himself. Ezra spent the next few minutes making himself more presentable and then made himself leave the bedroom. The audible swish of water was making him think lusty thoughts and the last thing she needed was some hard-luck bear with a boner sniffing after her right now.
Ezra forced his libido back down and opened his laptop. He sat out at the table in the main room and studied the paper trail he had compiled while he waited for Thea to make a reappearance. Luckily, the reminder of why he was here and what was at stake did the trick, and he was soon lost in the money trail that led to Zappo’s Bike Repair on the edge of town.
Thea felt about a thousand times better after her shower. She emerged from the bedroom she’d chosen to find Ezra staring at a small computer screen while tapping the keys more rapidly than she ever would have expected. He knew how to type. Like for real. All fingers on the right keys and everything.
