The Grisly Grizzlies_Lachlan
Page 12
“I take care of your mom every night,” I add. I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it.
“He did,” Jessie says. “He’s my savior.”
Maddux reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pad of paper. “I should report this.”
“Please don’t,” I say, panicking as I step forward. “The dragons are going to come down hard on us for this. We’re already on thin ice with them for last month.”
“Because that psycho Kneecap busted up The Dirty Ashtray,” he says, shaking his head. “You guys should be on thin ice, rolling with a guy like that.”
“Please, Maddux,” I say, trying to reason with him. “It’s finished. The girl was in trouble. Nobody got hurt who didn’t deserve to get hurt. Can we just drop it? Please?”
My heart is pounding as he stares at me long and hard. After a minute, he slips the notepad back into his back pocket without a word.
“Are you going to tell me how you cheated in poker?” he asks, narrowing his eyes on me.
I grin as I walk over to him and shine the police badge pinned to his chest. “Never.”
“That’s good, Lachlan,” Maximus says as he slaps my shoulder. “I’m glad you finally realized that you did the right thing.”
I just told my alpha what happened back in the forest. Everything from the fight, to bonding to Jessie, to finally forgiving my bear for Carter.
“It was a shitty thing that happened, but we can’t blame ourselves for it,” I say, hearing my mother’s words coming out of my mouth. “We can only blame ourselves if we let it consume us and keep us down.”
Maximus shifts from his left foot to his right foot, glancing uncomfortably at the firepit in the distance where Jessie is hanging out with the crew.
“It wasn’t your fault what happened to Kennedy,” I say. “You should try to forgive yourself too.”
His jaw tightens as his hard eyes dart to mine. “You did the right thing,” he says in a fierce tone. “You get to forgive yourself. I don’t.”
“Maximus…”
“I failed her when she needed me the most,” he says. The pain and anguish are clear in his voice. “I couldn’t protect her from Bledsoe and the boys. It was my fault that Kennedy got caught up in it all. It was my fault that my mother got caught up in it all. There’s no forgiveness for me, Lachlan.”
He shakes his head as he steps back with a look of disgust on his face. “What kind of shifter can’t even protect the girl he loves?”
“Maximus,” I call out, but he turns and leaves. He doesn’t want to hear it.
“I’m going into town to make sure Maddux doesn’t tell the dragons anything,” he says over his shoulder as he walks to the parked trucks. “Make sure Jessie has a good official first night here.”
“Okay,” I mutter, wishing that he would stop being so hard on himself.
“And Lachlan,” he says as he opens the door. “I’m really happy that everything worked out for you. Truly I am. Now go enjoy it.”
He forces out a smile and climbs into the truck. I watch as he starts it and drives out of the ranch, kicking up a cloud of dust as he goes.
My mood instantly lightens when I join Jessie and the guys at the firepit. Caleb is going on and on about the new lifeguard by the lake as the twins taunt him.
Jessie hands me an open beer and smiles.
“She won’t even notice me,” Caleb says, shaking his head. “I swear I could be drowning in front of her and she wouldn’t turn her head.”
“It’s your personality,” Tito says with a smirk. “It’s an instant turnoff for girls.”
“And for guys,” Ronin adds with the exact same fucking smirk as his twin brother.
“Basically, for anyone,” Tito says. “Have you considered getting a new personality?”
“That’s a great idea,” Ronin says. “Get a personality that’s the opposite of the shitty one you have now. That might help.”
Tito tilts his head as he looks Caleb up and down. “And we’re going to have to do something about that hair.”
“And that nose,” Ronin adds. “Does anyone know a good plastic surgeon?”
“I’m not getting plastic surgery,” Caleb says, rolling his eyes.
“Hmmm,” Tito says. “That’s going to make things difficult then. Can’t go asking the pretty new lifeguard out with a hideous nose like that.”
“His nose is fine,” Jessie says with a giggle.
“Jessie likes my nose,” Caleb says with a nod. “It’s staying.”
“Then why did you even ask for our help if you’re not going to take any of our genius ideas?” Ronin asks.
“I have no idea,” Caleb says, staring at the fire with blank eyes.
“I don’t know why you even talk to them in the first place,” I say, grinning at the twins.
“Who is he supposed to talk to?” Ronin asks. “That guy?”
He points behind us, and we all turn in time to see a naked Kneecap charging into the camp with a dead deer slung over his shoulder.
Jessie gulps as she cowers behind me.
“Hey!” I shout to him as he storms into the outdoor kitchen. He drops the bloody deer onto the ground and turns to me with a cold stare. I’ve already proven that I can hold my own in a fight with Kneecap, but his almost feral eyes always give me shivers.
“Tell your psycho bear to chill around this girl or I won’t go so easy on him next time,” I shout in a warning voice.
His bear lets out a low rumble as he glares at me.
“I mean it, Kneecap,” I warn. “Don’t test me.”
He puffs out his massive chest, grabs an apple off the counter, and storms back into the forest where he disappears into the trees.
“Is it just me, or is that always creepy as fuck?” Caleb asks as he stares at the forest.
“Not just you,” Jessie says in a shaky voice.
“He gives me nightmares,” Tito says. “I’m always afraid I’ll wake up to that crazy caveman humping my leg or something.”
“Why you?” Ronin asks, looking insulted. “He’d be humping my leg. I’m the good-looking twin.”
The guys can be a little crude, and I don’t want Jessie feeling uncomfortable, so I pull her aside and whisper into her ear. “Would you rather take dinner and eat it in our cabin? I know the guys can be a little immature.”
“They’re hilarious,” she says, smiling wide. “I’m having a great time.”
My chest swells with love for her. I love it that she’s fitting in with my crew so well. Well, Kneecap not so much, but the others…
“Let’s eat here so I can get to know everyone better,” she says. She steps onto her toes and whispers into my ear in a seductive voice. “But we’ll have dessert in your cabin.”
“I think I’m going to like having you here, sweet girl,” I say as my body starts to tingle from imagining what my dessert is going to be. I know it’s going to be sweet and hit the spot perfectly.
“Good,” she says, licking her lips as she looks up at me under her long sexy lashes. “Because you’re stuck with me.”
“Stuck on you is more like it,” I say with a smile.
“That’s good too,” she says with a mischievous grin. “But I’d rather have you stuck in me.”
I let out a low groan as she tips her white cowboy hat and skips away.
“Light the barbecue!” I shout impatiently. “Get the steaks! Let’s get this dinner over with. I’m hungry for dessert!”
Epilogue
Jessie
A week later…
There’s a lightness in my body as I plop down in the chair behind our cabin. I feel as weightless as the fluffy clouds slowly drifting by in the summer sky.
This past week with Lachlan has been the best week of my life. I feel so safe and secure with him and happier than I’ve ever been. Until this week, I didn’t know that your cheeks could hurt from laughing so much.
I lean back in the chair, wearing nothing but a pair of panties and my cowboy
hat as I watch the slow-moving river as it flows behind the cabin. It’s completely private here with nothing but the view of the peaceful river, the calming forest, and the majestic mountains in the far distance. It’s perfect.
It feels like nothing can hurt me up here with my new entourage of six grizzly bear shifters. What can my father do against that?
I’m not expecting him to forget about what I did, but right now, I don’t really care. Life is too perfect to think about him. And Lachlan has assured me that if he shows up with those Hell’s Howlers of his, then he’ll take care of them like he took care of Luca.
I finally feel like I’m free from my father’s cruel grasp and life has never been better.
“Are you coming out?” I ask over my shoulder. “Or did I tire you out so much that you need a nap?”
Lachlan answers from inside the cabin. “A nap would be nice,” he says with a laugh, “but I can’t resist staring at you while you’re sitting out there half naked.”
“If you come out in the next ten seconds I’ll get fully naked.”
I laugh as I hear him rushing out in a panic.
“Sorry,” I say with a shake of my head when I hear footsteps approaching. “That was eleven seconds.”
Lachlan steps out onto the back porch with a coffee in each hand and his cowboy hat hanging from his cock.
I laugh as he glances down at the steamy mug of coffee. “I got you something,” he says.
“Just what I wanted,” I say with a grin. I ignore the coffee cup and peek under the cowboy hat at his big dick.
“Mmmmm,” I moan as I toss the cowboy hat behind me and drag my tongue along his thick shaft. It hardens instantly, and my mouth waters at the sight of it.
He’s so big, and I can’t enough of it. This cock has been inside me more than it’s been out of me this week. My jaw is sore, my hands are sore, my pussy is sore, but I can’t stop taking it in.
He’s stuck holding the two coffee cups as I take him deep in my mouth and start sucking him off.
“Fuck, sweet girl,” he groans as I swirl my tongue around him. “I love that little mouth of yours. There’s nothing better.”
I suck his cock until his big chest is heaving and he’s forcing out deep grunts. I rub my clit in tight little circles, desperately wanting to come as he unloads into my mouth.
His cock pulses, shooting his hot seed onto my tongue as he lets out a carnal roar. I greedily swallow everything he gives me as I come along with him.
A few seconds later, we’re both trying to catch our breath as I lean back in the chair, wipe my wet lips, and moan.
“Can you take this now?” he asks with a chuckle, still standing there with the two cups of coffee.
“Sure,” I say with a laugh as I take it. “Thanks for not spilling it on my head when you came.”
“It was a struggle,” he says, smiling as he sits down in his chair, “but I’m talented like that.”
“Good to know.” I take a sip of the warm coffee, slightly upset that it’s washing away his sexy taste. “Thanks for the coffee.”
He’s watching the river with total content on his face. “Sweet girl,” he whispers to himself.
I smile shyly as I take another sip.
Without a word, he grabs the fishing pole that’s leaning against the wooden railing and grabs a worm from the jar by the foot of his chair. I close my eyes as he stabs the poor wiggling worm with the hook and casts him into the river.
I smile as I watch Lachlan lean back in his chair, fishing from the back porch with a peaceful look on his face.
Yup. Montana is definitely my home.
And I’m not leaving for anything.
Half an hour and no bites later, I turn to him with a smirk. “You’re not very good at this.”
“Fishing is all about patience,” he says while staring at the river.
“I thought it was all about catching fish.”
He shakes his head. “Nope. It’s about patience. It’s also about not talking.”
“Oh,” I say with a grin. “Then I guess I wouldn’t be very good at fishing.”
His big shoulders shake as he laughs. “I guess not.”
Another minute of no bites passes, and I turn back to him. “You should pull out the big guns.”
He raises an eyebrow as he turns to me.
“Sorry,” I say with a shrug, “but he’s a much better fisherman than you.”
He laughs. God, I love that sound.
“Maybe,” he says with a grin. “But he always mangles the fish with his teeth.”
I lean over and grab his big bicep with both hands. “Please!” I beg. “I want to go for a ride.”
He motions to the door with his head. “Let’s go inside and you can ride me.”
“I wish I could,” I say with a laugh. “But I’m still sore from the last ride. I need a break. Pllllleeaase.”
After a long exhale he nods. “Fine.”
“Yay!” I squeal as I jump up and clap my hands. “I love you!”
He turns with a grin. “I love you too.”
Lachlan reels in the hook, puts the fishing rod back, and walks onto the grass between the porch and the river.
My heart starts pounding in excitement as his body shakes. I gasp when I see a patch of fur growing on his chest, and in the time it takes me to blink, a full grown grizzly bear explodes out of his body.
I should be nervous, but I’m not.
He’s my bear, and I know he wouldn’t hurt me.
“Hi!” I say as the huge grizzly bear lumbers over. He presses his cold wet nose to my belly, making me squeal and jump out of the way.
I dig my fingers into his thick fur and scratch his cheeks, making him grumble in delight. He loves it when I scratch behind his ears.
“Thanks, Lachlan,” I whisper as I make the bear groan. “We’ll catch you a big fish.”
I throw a tank top and some shorts on and then climb onto the bear’s back. I love doing this!
Eeeee! It’s so fun!
I grab two fistfuls of his fur and hold on tight as he walks to the river and steps inside. A warm gust of wind blows over me and my hand darts up to hold my cowboy hat on my head where it belongs.
“Catch a big one,” I say as the bear scans the water, looking for our dinner. “Make Lachlan jealous that you’re a way better fisherman than him.”
My bear swats his big paw into the water and pulls out a huge wiggling fish.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” I shout as he puts it in his mouth. He groans as I lean forward and scratch the back of his ears. “Good bear!”
He tosses the fish onto the shore and keeps walking through the river, keeping me dry on his back.
I tilt my head up, close my eyes, and let the warm Montana sun wash down on me, feeling happy, safe, content, and free.
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Afterword
A big thank you and an even bigger hug to Lisa B. and Karen P. who helped with the beta reading of this book!
Also, a huge thank you to my Foxy Review Crew and to all of my readers. Your kind words and encouraging notes are always so motivating to me!
Love ya!
Kim Fox
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