Renegade: A Werebear Paranormal Romance (Lone Star Cowbears Book 2)

by Liv Brywood

  He plodded through the water with his huge paws. Fish scattered and raced for dark ledges on the edge of the bank. Still full from lunch, he wasn’t going to eat any of them, but it was fun to play with them.

  As he moved up river, the sweet scent of honey filled the air. He could always go for a honey snack. He checked nearby trees but couldn’t spot a hive. He continued past their enormous trunks until he reached the edge of the bayou.

  Dark swamp gave way to rolling green hills. He recognized the back of the Olsen property. Of course he smelled honey. They ran a honey farm. He chuffed and padded along the edge of their property.

  Dozens of bee boxes lined the field. A low, buzzing hum filled the air. As he approached one box, he wanted nothing more than to tear it open and stuff his face with the delectable golden goo. But he couldn’t destroy the box. Violet’s family depended on the honey for their business and he’d never do anything to hurt them financially.

  His bear grumbled as he padded back toward the bayou. He stepped inside the tree line and turned back one last time to look at the hives. To his utter horror, he spotted Violet peeking around the edge of a shed high on a hill. Her eyes were wide with shock, as if she’d never seen a bear before. She pointed a shotgun toward him.

  He stumbled back and fell on his furry butt. As he scrambled to his paws, he shook his flanks to try to get the water and mud off. He scampered back into the woods and hid behind a tree.

  When he looked back to where he’d spotted her, she stepped out from behind the shed. She cocked her head to one side as she scanned the trees. She held the butt of the gun to her shoulder and had one finger on the trigger. He froze, afraid that even the slightest movement would tip her off to his position.

  She strode down the hill directly toward him. He panicked and rushed back into the swamp. He barreled into the water and crossed to the other side of the river. After racing up the bank, he hurried into the woods on the other side. He didn’t stop running until he’d gone another half a mile.

  He paused to catch his breath and check to see if he was being followed. Nothing moved in the forest. Even the birds had stopped chirping. He waited several minutes until he was sure he was safe. He’d never told her his secret. In all the years he’d known her, he hadn’t been able to find the right words. How do you tell someone that you turn into a thousand-pound black bear?

  It would be pointless to try to explain it now. They clearly didn’t have a future together. And after she left, he’d be right back where he started. Alone.

  He huffed and started back to his ranch. His bear snarled and chuffed, insisting she was their mate. The beast had been trying to get him to go claim her for years. It wanted Aaron to drag her back from San Francisco, but it wasn’t that simple. The human world was far more complicated than his bear could possibly understand. Besides, if she was their mate, she wouldn’t have left for San Francisco.

  With a sharp grunt, his bear argued that he hadn’t tried hard enough to keep her. Was the beast right? Could he have done something more to entice her to stay all those years ago? The question had kept him up more nights than he could count. It haunted his nightmares. Maybe he should have fought harder. Maybe he should have told her about the future he’d been dreaming of for years. He had everything he’d ever wanted—except for her—and his life wouldn’t be complete until he married her.

  Violet paced the length of the hospital room. Two days had passed and her sister remained unconscious. She’d been fielding frantic calls from her company the last two hours. Even though they’d assured her they had everything under control, she needed to be there.

  “You should move home,” her mom blurted.

  “Mom, not now.”

  “You could come home and run the business. Your father and I would like to retire soon. It would make us so happy if we could keep the business in the family. We’d be so proud of you.”

  “Why can’t you be proud of me now? I’ve worked my ass off—”

  “Language!” her dad snapped.

  “—for ten years and you’ve never once told me that you’re proud. How do you think that makes me feel?”

  Her heart pounded and blood flooded her ears until she could hear her heartbeat.

  “We are proud of you, honey,” her dad said.

  “You have a funny way of showing it,” she snapped. “I don’t want to run the business.”

  “Why are you turning your back on us?” her mom asked. “We’re your family, not a bunch of strangers in San Francisco. Family should always come first.”

  “I am putting family first. I’m here right now.” Violet tried to keep her voice down, but frustration increased the volume. “I’m missing a ton of critical work right now because I’m here for my family. I’m in the middle of trying to go public with my company and I’m taking time away. Time I can’t afford to lose. But I’m doing it because Nicole means more to me than work.”

  A machine near the head of the bed started beeping. The tone became shrill and suddenly a blue light started flashing.

  “What’s going on?” her dad asked frantically when nurses rushed into the room.

  “She’s coding. We need you all to leave immediately. Where’s the code team?” the nurse yelled.

  Footsteps pounded in the hall.

  “I need you to come with me,” one of the nurses said as she nearly pushed them out of the room. “The doctors need space.”

  “I need an intubation tray.”

  “Lay her flat.”

  “Done.”

  “Intubating.”

  “Starting respirations.”

  “I don’t have a pulse. Starting compressions.”

  As one nurse shoved Violet out of the room, another pushed her sister’s eyelids up. Violet watched in horror as she flashed a light into her vacant eyes. A doctor raced into the room, closing the door behind him.

  Her parents clung to each other and stared at the door. The staccato pounding of Violet’s heart increased with every passing second. Blood rushed out of her head toward her feet. An ensuing dizzy spell had her leaning against the wall. This could be it. Her sister might not make it. The realization punched her in the chest and she couldn’t breathe.

  “This is your fault,” her mother snapped. “If you hadn’t been arguing with us, none of this would have happened.”

  “I can’t believe you’re blaming me for this!”

  “Honey, not now,” her dad said as he pulled her mom into his arms.

  The door opened and the doctor stepped out. A grim expression blanketed his face.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Olsen?”

  “Yes,” her father said.

  “We were able to get her respiration and heartbeat back. We’re taking her for a scan to check for bleeding. If there’s a bleed, it could be putting pressure on her brain.”

  Her mom yelped and turned white.

  “Why don’t we have you sit.” The doctor guided her mom into a chair near the nurse’s station. “We’re doing everything we can to help her. I’ll let you know the results and our treatment plan as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you,” her dad said. “How serious could it be?”

  “We’re doing everything we can to keep her stable. But I don’t want to give you false hope. Things aren’t looking good. We won’t know the true extent of what’s happening until we get the scans back.”

  “Can we see her?” Violet asked.

  “Yes. I’m putting in the order for more tests now so you have a couple of minutes. Even though she’s in a coma, she might be able to hear you.”

  “I told you this was your fault,” her mom yelled.

  “This isn’t anyone’s fault but the gunman’s,” her dad said.

  “If you hadn’t been arguing with your father and me—”

  “I highly doubt that was the cause of this episode,” the doctor said. “But I will ask you to take any arguments out to the parking lot. We need to do everything we can to make sure Nicole’s brain has a cha
nce to heal.”

  With a huff, her mom walked back into the room. The doctor flashed Violet a sympathetic look before moving on to another patient’s room. Her dad turned to give her a hug.

  “Honey, your mom’s just upset right now. She isn’t handling this very well.”

  “How can she blame me?” Violet asked. Hurt and anger rose up to choke her words.

  Her dad sighed. “Maybe you should go home for a bit. Give your mom some time to cool off.”

  “I want to stay with Nicole,” she said.

  “I’ll bring you back later. Right now I think it’s best you two take a break from each other.”

  “Fine.”

  She headed toward the exit. When she reached the parking lot she realized she didn’t have a way home. They’d taken one car and her rental was still at her parents’ house.

  She sat on the curb and dropped her face into her hands. The tears she’d been holding back all day flowed down her cheeks. Tension coiled in her neck, giving her a terrible headache. She needed to get home so she could lie down.

  As she ran through a list of the people she could call, her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the number. Aaron! Maybe he’d come to her rescue.

  “Hello.” Her voice quivered.

  “Hey, is everything okay?” he asked. “I went over to your parents’ house to see how you were doing but no one was home.”

  “We’re at the hospital.” Fresh tears formed in her eyes. “It’s bad.”

  “Did something change? I thought she was at least stable.”

  “We got into a fight.”

  “She’s conscious?” he asked.

  “No. I got into a fight with mom. Nicole crashed and they had to resuscitate her. They think her brain might be bleeding.”

  “Didn’t they already do a scan when she was admitted?”

  “I guess. I don’t know. I didn’t ask for every detail,” she snapped, angry with herself for not asking the right questions.

  “Okay. Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter. How’s she doing now?” he asked.

  “She’s still in a coma.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked. “I can check on the animals while you’re gone.”

  “I know this is a lot to ask, but can you come and get me? I don’t have my car and I need to get out of here,” she said.

  “I’ll leave right now and get there as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. At least someone was on her side.

  While she waited, she watched people stream into the hospital. Others left with casts on their arms and some were rolled out in wheelchairs. Ambulances screamed in with blaring sirens and flashing lights. Nurses rushed out to meet the EMTs.

  Tragedy played out all around her, but a spark of indignation ignited her anger. Why had this happened to her sister? She was the sweetest, most caring person on the planet. There were so many bad people who flew through life without a care in the world. This should have happened to one of them instead of her sister. She sighed and chided herself for wishing ill will on anyone. It was just the anger talking.

  She stood and paced the sidewalk while she waited. When Aaron arrived, the heaviness in her heart lifted. He parked and jogged over to where she stood.

  “Howdy, ma’am.” He tipped his Stetson with exaggerated cheesy southern charm. “I heard you were in need of a ride.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Come on,” he said softly. “Let’s get out of here.”

  He slid an arm around her waist and they walked to his truck. After he’d helped her in, he hurried around to the driver’s side and hopped in.

  “I’ll get you home faster than a toupee in a hurricane,” he said.

  “What?” She burst out laughing.

  “There’s that smile I love.”

  “You always did know how to cheer me up.”

  “I don’t like seeing you hurting.” He leaned over and brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “Ready to head home?”

  “Yes.”

  She sighed as he withdrew his hand. He was the perfect man. Caring, compassionate, affectionate—he was everything she wanted in a partner. But he’d never leave Texas and she’d never move back. Thinking about him as anything other than a friend would only invite heartache when she returned to California.

  As the truck rumbled down the road, she closed her eyes and lay back. When she opened them again, he was pulling into her parents’ driveway.

  “We’re here,” he said.

  “I guess I fell asleep.”

  “Do you want me to come in with you?” he asked. “I could help with chores.”

  “I did everything before we left this morning,” she said.

  “I don’t think you should be alone right now. You could come over and hang out with Beth for a bit. My sister’s been asking about you since she found out you came back.”

  “Tell her I’ll come see her soon. I need to be alone right now.”

  “You know what?” He slid his arm across the back of the seat. “I know exactly what you need.”

  “Really?”

  “Mm-hmm. I have just the thing.”

  “What is it?” she asked, amused.

  “I could tell you, but I think it would be much more fun to show you.” The sparkle in his eyes was enough to convince her.

  “Okay cowboy, lead the way.”

  She smiled as he backed out of the driveway. Even though she felt guilty for wanting to have a little fun, she needed a break from all of the stress. Between her sister and her job, she was ready to crack. Maybe spending some time with Aaron would help release some of the pressure that had been grinding her into the ground.

  Chapter 6

  Aaron held open the door to cottage number three. Violet frowned slightly as if confused as she stepped over the threshold. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake in bringing her here.

  “Give me one second to get it,” he said.

  “What are you up to?”

  “Hang on. I think it’s still in here.” He opened the door to a small closet near the bathroom. When he spotted what he was searching for, he grinned and pulled it down.

  “A Monopoly set?” Violet asked with a smile. “I haven’t played since we were kids.”

  “Harley and I play when we need a break from the ranch.” He walked over to a spot in the middle of the floor and set it down. “Have you had anything to eat today?”

  “Nothing since breakfast.”

  “Let me see what I have.”

  He strolled into the small kitchen and checked the cupboards. After finding an unopened box of crackers, he headed to the fridge. He’d restocked the cottage a few days earlier. If his brothers hadn’t beaten him to it, there might still be a new block of cheddar cheese to go with the crackers.

  “Do you keep this place stocked for guests?” she asked.

  “Nope. When business is slow, Harley and I use it as a hideout.” He returned with cheese, crackers, two plates and a knife. “I love my brothers, but sometimes the house gets too crowded. I know Zack likes to sneak in here to get a hot shower. He’s always bitching and moaning about the water in the main house.”

  “Don’t you use the same water heater for everything?”

  “No. We added separate heaters for the cottages so guests wouldn’t complain about cold showers. Hang on and I’ll grab a blanket. We can do this picnic style…if you want,” he quickly added.

  “Sounds fun.”

  “Can you hold this for a second?” He handed the snacks to her.

  “Of course.”

  After grabbing a thick blanket from the closet, he returned to spread it across the carpet. He took the crackers and cheese from Violet. She sat on the blanket with her legs crossed. He joined her and set the snacks to one side.

  “I get to be the banker,” she declared.

  “Oh really?” He grinned. “Are you going to cheat like when we were kids?”

/>   “I never cheated!”

  “You have to admit you used creative math from time to time,” he said.

  “Maybe once or twice.”

  “You were always so competitive.”

  “I do love to win,” she said.

  “We’ll see about that.”

  As he set up the game, Violet cut slices of cheese and set them on crackers. By the time he’d finished putting all of the cards and pieces in their places, she’d created a plate full of snacks. His heart leapt into his throat. They’d used to sit like this for hours, playing until someone won. It was usually her. Even without creative math, she was always able to negotiate property sales that would eventually bankrupt him.

  “What piece would you like to be?” he asked.

  “I’ll be the shoe.”

  “I’ll take—”

  “The top hat?” she asked with a smile.

  “You know me so well.”

  “You make it easy. You always pick the same piece.”

  “I guess I’m too predictable,” he said.

  Maybe that was his problem. Maybe she wanted more excitement from life, something he couldn’t give her. Maybe that’s why she’d left all those years ago.

  “Roll to see who goes first?” she asked.

  “Sure.”

  He rolled a three.

  “Uh-oh,” she teased. “Looks like you’re going second.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe you’ll roll a one.”

  Her throaty laughter sent tendrils of desire straight to his cock. Suddenly the room felt too small, the space too intimate. And across the room, the bed beckoned. The reckless impulse to grab her and carry her to bed almost overruled his cautious nature. He wasn’t interested in a quick roll in the hay with her. He wanted more. He wanted everything.

  The die landed on the board with a clatter. It landed on number one.

  “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,” she grumbled.

  “Looks like I’m going first.”

  “Are you sure these aren’t loaded?” She picked up the die and rolled it again. It landed on one. “Now it’s just mocking me.”