by JJ Anderson
He nodded and turned back to his soup, eating most of it. When he took a bite of bread, he sighed as flavor spread over his tongue. He closed his eyes as memories of his mother’s tasty dishes flooded him. His mom had made bread like this. He missed her. His throat tightened, and he let loose a sob.
The touch of David’s hand on his shoulder made Ronan stiffen. He opened his eyes and jerked back.
David lifted his hand, showing his palms. “Hey, are you okay?” The concern in David’s voice made Ronan shiver.
He met David’s gaze and shook his head. There wasn’t anything okay about him or what he was thinking. His dad had his brother. He’d failed.
“My brother…he’s there. I couldn’t get him out.” His voice cracked, and another sob came.
David reached for him again and squeezed his shoulder. “Can we call the authorities? We could find them and get him to safety?”
He shook his head, hating how his dad had won. Desperation filled him. “It won’t work.”
“Where were you being held? Give me the address, and I’ll call the cops. They can help get your brother out and take down whatever sick faction was holding you. Was it slavery? Were they abusing you because you’re a wolf? I have some connections in Canada who may be able to help here in the states.”
Ronan stared at the man. Was he for real? “It wasn’t a faction or a—” He couldn’t say it. The power his father held was too much. What if he was on his dad’s payroll?
“What was it?” David asked.
Ronan held onto one-word David had said. Canada. He gulped in a breath, worried he was making a mistake.
“Tell me, why you’d have friends in Canada?”
David sat back and sighed. He toyed with his spoon but didn’t take a bite. “I didn’t want to take over the family business and left. I became a cop in Canada. Ten years on the force and then my dad passed away. I wasn’t there when he died, and my family never forgave me. Then my cousin was caught up in a gang. I was the officer who broke up the gang and arrested them. They found out Dirk was my cousin. They killed him in jail. It broke my heart. I couldn’t do it anymore, and I quit. After that, I came here. I know a few good guys who were police officers and have moved into other government positions. I want to help you.”
Ronan stared at the big bear. This man would be terrifying as a cop. David lifted his brows and leaned in. A wave of calm wash over Ronan as alpha scent filled his nose.
“You can tell me,” David said. “I know I’m big, and I probably look scary. I did cut your arm with my claws, but I explained why. Maybe it was rash to have cut you, but I do want to help you.”
Ronan shook his head. “He owns too much. He’s powerful.”
“Who? He’s not above the law.”
Ronan closed his eyes and shook his head. “It sure seems like he is. I can’t do it.”
David moved fast, coming to his knees at Ronan’s side. Ronan flinched and lifted his hands to block his face as fear overwhelmed him. David’s eyes narrowed, and his hands went up, palms out as he shook his head.
“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you.”
Could he trust this guy? Would it even be reasonable to trust him? His choices were limited. What had started as a good idea to escape had turned to shit. He had no clue what was going on with his brother, but he had to try and help him.
“I don’t—” A sob cut off Ronan’s words. “I’m afraid.”
David nodded and moved back to his chair, placing both hands on the table beside his soup bowl. “I can see. I understand.”
Ronan picked up the piece of bread and turned it around in his hands before taking another bite. His gaze landed on David, and he studied the man. An ex-cop from Canada would probably be one of the last people to fall in line with his dad…perhaps. He knew other ex-cops were working with his dad, but they were from areas with high crime. He didn’t think anyone from Canada worked with his dad.
He swallowed over the fear and shook his head. “He started beating me after my mom died. It’s getting worse. Honestly, I suspect given time that he would kill me.”
David’s eyes narrowed, and he searched Ronan’s face then looked at his neck. “A family member?”
“My dad. And now I’ve left my younger brother behind. I tried, but they got him.”
David’s hand shook at first, then the spoon in his hand bent in half. His eyes had narrowed so much they were little slits. “Your father did this to you?”
Guilt and fear filled Ronan. He shouldn’t have told David the truth. He was a terrible brother leaving Ruari behind. How could he have left? He should have gone back for him.
Chapter Six
Ronan shrank away from the anger in David’s voice. He’d lost his brother forever.
“Was your father the one who did this to you.”
He had to answer David’s question. A quick nod was all he could manage. David blew out a breath and shook his head as he closed his eyes. It took a moment before David opened his eyes and pinned him with a stare.
“I’m sorry. You don’t do that to family.” A low growl rumbled in David’s chest. “He broke your ribs. There are angry red marks. How could he hurt you? You’re his son.”
Ronan sneered and then huffed out a breath. “Yeah, but I’m the first born, and I wasn’t an alpha.”
David bent the spoon even more. “He’s holding you being an omega over your head? You have no control over—” The big bear set the spoon down before he threw his hands up in the air and let loose a house-shaking growl.
Ronan shrunk in his seat, fear pelting his nerves. David closed his eyes as he clenched his jaw and shook his head like a bear would. For a second, Ronan swore a bear snout appeared.
Ten seconds passed before David spoke. “I’m sorry. I can’t understand how a father could hurt a child like your father hurt you. It makes me angry.” David’s eyes flashed open. “But I’m not angry at you. I’m sorry, I just, I can’t…I’m sorry.”
Ronan pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around them, holding his legs tight though there was pain. “I don’t want him to kill my brother.”
David nodded. “Has he ever beat him?”
He shook his head. “No, just me. But before me, there was my mother. I swear he killed her.”
“And the cops did nothing?”
Again, another quick nod of his head. Tears gathered in his eyes, but he didn’t want to cry. It was going to happen though, even if he fought the tears, they would spill out. His emotions were too high. Maybe it was exhaustion or the relief of not being in his house with his father, but the tears fell.
David stood and opened his arms. Ronan lunged for him, holding his arms around David’s waist as tears flowed. He sobbed for his brother and all he’d lost when his mother passed away. The gentle touch of David’s hand on his back was in direct contrast to the spoon bending anger he’d witnessed earlier.
After a moment, he sat back and wiped his face. Depression seeped into his empty spots. What if he’d stayed? There was no way he would ever have been strong enough to defeat his father in a fight. He would have had to kill him some other way. His head swam with worry and fear, and for a moment he swore he would throw up. He was doomed. There was no way he could actually kill his father.
“Can I carry you to the couch?”
David’s question caught him off guard, but he recovered and then nodded. He held on tight as David picked him up and took him to the couch. A part of him felt like he’d died inside or at least emptiness filled him.
“Let me get some salve. It can help take the swelling down on your ankle.”
“I don’t think it’s broken.” He didn’t know, but he hoped it wasn’t broken.
David gave a quick nod before wandering off. He came back with a pot of interesting smelling stuff. It was strong, but not so pungent it burned his nose.
“What is that?” Ronan asked.
“A traditional medicine my mom used on us. We were rough and tumble. I mean we
were bears, and we got into a lot of stuff in the mountains. My brothers and I ended up with more strains, and sprains than most. Shifting helped heal us, but this stuff helped too.”
Ronan watched as David gently spread the goop over his ankle then their gazes met. His emotions were on the surface, riding high. Desire had come back around and hit him full force in the chest. It had to be David’s alpha scent. Guilt filled him. How could he think about anything other than getting Ruari free?
“So tell me about your father. I swear, this time I’ll sit and listen. I was so upset before.”
He flexed his ankle, thinking it was a little better. He was tired, but not ready to fall asleep, so he got comfortable and rested his head against the side of the couch and contemplated where to begin.
“I guess growing up with a father like mine, violence seemed to be a part of daily life. I didn’t like it at all. Dad would hit Mom if dinner was late or if she said something he considered backtalk. He could be really nice, and lavish gifts on us all, but then he was also a jerk.”
“You said you believed he killed your mom?”
Ronan closed his eyes as memories of his mom filled him. “Sorry, it’s still tough to think about.”
“Take your time.”
“I know he killed her. The cops said he didn’t, but they were wrong. Mom had been arguing with Dad. Not like their normal arguments, but really fighting. He was going to leave her because my brother and I are omegas and then she lost a baby.”
The couch squeaked, and Ronan opened his eyes. Bunched brows and a deep frown made David look frightening. The bear met his gaze and blew out a breath. His face relaxed a little before he rolled his shoulders and neck.
“Sorry about that. Keep talking,” David said.
“He was angry at her. Of course, we were young then. I was thirteen, my brother twelve.”
“Let me guess, the cops didn’t believe what you said,” David spat out.
“No, they didn’t. I wasn’t a reliable enough witness for them. But I smelled her on him. He said he hadn’t seen her, but she was all over him.”
David leaned forward, his gaze narrowing. “When did he first hit you?”
Ronan squeezed his eyes shut, the memories hitting him hard. “Six months after she died.” He opened his eyes and met David’s gaze. “At first, it wasn’t bad. Then I took off when I turned eighteen. He caught me and beat my feet. I couldn’t walk for a week. It was terrible. I didn’t run again because he threatened to kill my brother.” Hot tears filled his eyes and ran down his cheeks. “I may have gotten my brother killed,” he wailed.
David held out his hand, and Ronan reached out. David moved close and pulled him into a hug. Ronan closed his eyes and cried, all the while wishing this bear could fix everything. But too much was wrong. His tears slowed, and he was suddenly aware of how close David was, and he was way too aware of his scent.
“Can you give me details?” David’s voice was quiet, soothing.
Ronan sat back, pain still swirling inside. He moved away from David since he’d been too close to stay unaffected by him.
“I’m worried—” He glanced to David and shivered. “I’m worried you’re working for my dad.”
“If I am, I need to know so I can tell the bastard to go to hell.”
He stared at David, trying to figure out if he could trust him. David seemed like a nice man. He wasn’t aware of any bears working for his dad, but he didn’t know everything about his dad’s business. “Okay, say I tell you, what will you do?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t help if you don’t tell me anything.”
Fear made his heart speed up. He needed someone he could trust if he ever wanted to see his brother again. “Um, so my name isn’t Roan, it’s Ronan. My dad is Richard Marks.”
David’s eyes narrowed a tick, but his fists clenched which seemed much more dangerous. “Of Markell International?”
The name of his dad’s company sent a shiver through Ronan. “That’s him.”
David drew in a slow breath before he hopped up, pacing a few steps away before turning around. The look on his face was filled with disgust and anger.
“The Markell bastard is your father?”
He nodded hesitantly. Had telling David been a mistake? David was on him in a flash, his fingers curled into the material of Ronan’s shirt, holding him close.
“Tell me you aren’t a plant. Tell me now, are his men on their way here?”
A burst of fear made him hot, but he couldn’t escape David’s hold, not with his injured foot. “I-I don’t know what they’re doing. They were chasing me when you found me.”
David let go of his shirt and jumped up before stalking away. He spun back, anger evident in his wrinkled nose and deep frown. “Markell deserves death, nothing else.”
Ronan was shocked when David took off and shifted before he even made it to the door. His shirt ripped, and he shoved at his pants, ripping them in the process. The door was flung open and bounced back as David ran out into the night. It took a second for the door to shut and then the lock clicked. If Ronan’s foot was better, he would leave. But his body still ached, and exhaustion filled him.
Minutes ticked past, and he eventually fell asleep. When he woke, a blanket covered him. He realized he was in a bed. Had he stumbled in here? No, David had carried him.
The door cracked open, and David stepped in, his head down as he carried a tray with a couple of dome-lidded plates. The tray was set on the table next to the bed before David came over. It took David a moment to meet Ronan’s gaze.
“I overreacted. I hate your father. If I can help you get your brother out, I’ll do it. No strings, no questions.”
Ronan sat up, fear a close companion. “What happened?”
David drew in a slow breath. “He came to the west coast, tried to hone in on business in Seattle and Vancouver. There was a group of young shifters. When your dad was kicked out of the area by a rival group, he left the shifters in a shipping container to starve to death. We found them, but it was too late. They were all dead.”
“Why didn’t he go to jail for it?”
“He found someone else to take the fall. He was guilty, I know it, but he was slippery. He had a lot of money and low morals. He bought off the DA and a few cops. He killed a buddy of mine too. Of course, all of the evidence disappeared. When I moved here, I prayed I’d be in a position to eventually take him down, but he’s protected. I can’t get close, and if I do, they cover up any evidence I’ve found.”
Ronan shook his head. “Aren’t you afraid they’ll find you?”
“No, I’m hiding my identity when I search for him or information on him. When you said Markell was your dad, I figured you were here to trick me.”
Ronan shook his head. “I’m not.”
“I know that now, but I didn’t know before. Finding out you were his son, it freaked me out.”
Ronan held David’s gaze. “I don’t know how to get my brother out of there. There are security guards, and then there are alarms and locks. And if the locks and alarms aren’t enough, the cops are working for him. I can’t trust anyone.”
David handed him a plate, and for a half second, he worried the food had been poisoned. The idea was crazy. But his father created a world of fear where he couldn’t trust anyone.
“I really didn’t mean to scare you, I was angry. Your father has been able to get away with so much, and here you are, another victim of his cruelty.”
Ronan nodded and took a few bites of food before talking. “He’s not a nice person.”
“He’d have to be awful to beat you because you were born an omega.”
Ronan shrugged. “I don’t think he’s sane.”
“God, what an understatement. I’m sorry, but I will never be kind about him.”
Ronan nodded and took a bite of the food. It was delicious. The eggs fluffy and the bacon crisp. With the food in his belly, the good night sleep, and the bath, he had a better perspective on
the day. He finished eating, and Ronan moved to the edge of the bed, rolling his ankles before even attempting to stand. David was right there, helping him shuffle to the bathroom.
Before David shut the door, Ronan called out to him. “I’d like to shift after this.”
“Okay, let’s both shift. Then my scent will cover yours. You’ll feel better after you change back to your human form.”
Ronan knew David was right, but he feared the damage would be too much to fully recover with one shift to his wolf form. After brushing his teeth and using the restroom, he hobbled over to the door and pulled it open.
“I have an idea.” David’s eyes were bright, and a broad smile stretched over his face as he jumped up and moved closer.
“What?” Ronan watched David for any signs of anger, but there were none.
“Let’s shift in the shower.”
Ronan froze, his mind swirling with the thought of being naked with David. The man was positively sexy. He didn’t know if he could take being naked in a small space with the alpha bear.
He shivered, and David reached out, touching his shoulder. “It will help you heal.”
David was right, it would help him heal, but could he survive being naked in the shower with David or would he melt into a puddle being that close to such a gorgeous naked man?
Chapter Seven
Ronan swallowed over his lust, trying to push it away. David stepped closer, having the exact opposite effect he was trying to achieve.
“You know, the scent will be washed away in the shower. It won’t be in the air, and it’ll be harder for them to track you.”
It was a good idea, but even though the shower was large, he’d be in the small space naked with David. “Um, okay. The shower then.”
David shut the door and turned on the water before he tugged off his shirt. Ronan tried not to watch as he slipped off his own shirt. David’s chest was covered in the same black fuzz as his beard. He wanted to reach up and touch David, but he shouldn’t. Touching would make this too intimate. When they were both naked, David carried him into the shower spray.
