Southern Shifters: Bear Sentry (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Enforcers Book 2)

by Ruby Shae

  She knew he would smell her desire and her cheeks heated as she studied his incredible chest. Most of the small cuts and scrapes had healed, but the sight of two huge open gashes on his side and shoulder doused her arousal.

  “You didn’t heal completely,” she said, looking up at him.

  Despite her earlier fears, she desperately wanted him to touch her.

  As if he’d read her mind, he slowly reached out and cradled her chin in his huge hand. He turned her face to the right, and her skin sizzled under his touch. A surge of energy raced straight to her core causing a soft gasp to escape from her lips.

  He ran his fingertip over her temple and pulled it down the side of her face, then he turned her head back toward him and smoothed his thumb over her bruised upper lip. He glanced down and growled as he traced the sore spots on her neck and windpipe.

  “He tried to rape you,” he growled, his face hard.

  It wasn’t a question, but she nodded once. Her eyes filled with tears at the memory of Drake’s hard touches and cruel words, but she blinked them away. She didn’t want to cry in front of the bear.

  “I shouldn’t have let him go.”

  A moment of silence stretched between them, and the way he looked at her made her hope for things she knew weren’t possible.

  “You’re still bleeding,” she whispered, breaking the spell.

  He glanced down and inhaled as if noticing the wounds for the first time.

  “I might need a first aid kit,” he said, solemnly.

  Chapter Four

  “I think you need more than that,” she whispered. “There’s a clinic on Comyn land, and I’m sure someone there can help you.”

  He had no idea what Comyn land was, but he never wanted to see a healer again.

  “No healers,” he said. “I’ve had injuries like this before and the kit will do.”

  “Okay, come on,” she said. “I know the Dark Moon has supplies.”

  No way in hell did he want her walking around the Dark Moon in a bloody t-shirt that barely covered her ass. He caught up to her in two strides and gently grabbed her bicep.

  God he loved touching her.

  Moments before, contact with her skin had lit him on fire and his hand on her bicep produced the same result. Electricity surged straight to his dick, and he wanted to pull her against him and kiss her senseless. Unfortunately, she’d just been attacked, and he knew anything sexual would be unwanted.

  Even if she wasn’t truly his mate, he couldn’t picture her any different. The urge to protect and claim her still rode him hard, and it killed him that he let her attacker get away.

  He’d failed her the same way he’d failed his partner.

  “If you think I’m letting you go into the bar looking like that, you’re crazy,” he growled. “It’s either my place or yours.”

  He hadn’t meant to be so aggressive, but he needed to keep her safe.

  Her lips turned down for only a second before she recovered and kept her smile neutral. If he hadn’t been watching her so closely, he might have missed it, but he’d been watching her every move since she’d shifted back into her human form.

  “My place then,” she said. “My name is Violet, by the way.”

  “Jase Wagner.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Jase,” she said, honestly. “I’m sorry I ran from you earlier, and thank you for saving me just now.”

  With that, she turned on her heel and led him back toward the bar.

  When they were close enough to hear sounds from the parking lot, Violet veered off the path and picked up several scraps of material and two thrashed boots. He didn’t care about the tank top or the skirt, but he’d miss the boots.

  Back on the path, she turned in a circle and squinted into the darkness. The action confused him, especially since his night vision was excellent, but he decided to let it go. Obviously, there were many differences between their origins.

  “What’s wrong?” Jase asked.

  “I had my purse with me.”

  He looked around the area and spotted the tiny black bag a few feet away. The zipper was open and the contents lay in the dirt. He picked up the cell-phone and credit card and walked back toward his mate.

  “It was open,” he said, handing her the bag and contents.

  “He took my keys and my ID,” she whispered.

  Fear laced her words, and he wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he didn’t think his touch would be welcome.

  “Do you have a spare key hidden?” he asked. When she nodded, he added, “I’ll stay with you tonight, or we can stay at the hotel, and I’ll change your lock in the morning.”

  “I want to go home,” she whispered, staring at the ground.

  He hated the fact that he couldn’t take away her pain.

  “Okay,” he said, grabbing her free hand. “We’ll take my bike and I’ll bring you back tomorrow to get your car.”

  “I am so stupid,” she mumbled, as he led her out of the forest.

  “Hey,” he said, turning to face her. “This is not your fault.”

  “But, I—”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he said, cutting her off, his voice firm. “It’s not your fault. Any man that forces or beats up on women deserves to die. I should have killed him.”

  “No, I…,” she looked into his eyes and trailed off. He had no idea what she saw, but her tiny smile soothed him. “Thank you, Jase.”

  “Let’s go.”

  He led her to his bike and took the shredded clothes and boots from her arms.

  “Stay here,” he said.

  She obeyed without question, and he walked to the dumpster and threw out the scraps. When he returned, she gave him simple directions to her house, and then he started his bike and instructed her to get on.

  Violet swung her leg over the seat and plastered her front against his back. His dick hardened to the point of pain and he tried to remain perfectly still as she wrapped her arms around his waist, carefully avoiding the gash on his side. When she rested her head on his unmarked shoulder, her trust, plus the fact that nothing stood between him and her uncovered pussy made his cock throb in the confines of his jeans. He longed to see what she looked like on the back of his bike wearing nothing but his shirt.

  Her touch felt like heaven, and he never wanted to let her go.

  Too soon, they arrived at her address, and he smiled when he looked at the quaint little cottage. The cozy home was painted yellow with white trim, and had a large covered porch. Red and yellow roses bloomed on either side of the small staircase leading up to her door, and green grass lined both sides of the walk.

  Only a few other homes lined the street, and unlike the city where he grew up, her closest neighbor was nearly half a block away.

  He parked his bike on the street and watched as she reached under the stairs to find the hidden key. When she bent down, the t-shirt rode up and a growl slipped out when he saw the fleshy globes of her ass.

  “What’s wrong?” she worried.

  “Nothing,” he lied. “Sorry.”

  She gave him a fake half smile and unlocked the door.

  Violet left him in the living room, and went in search of the first aid kit. His gashes had stopped bleeding, but the concern etched on her face made it easy to believe she felt something for him. He looked around her apartment and smiled. Compared to the outside of the building, the inside was like walking into another world. The furnishings and accents were modern and comfortable, and he immediately felt at home. The instinct to stay and make a life with Violet was almost too much to bear, and he knew he had to leave once her lock was fixed.

  A few framed photos sat on top of a small bookcase, and he bent over to see them better. In one, an older couple, a young Violet, and a boy close to her age all smiled at the camera. In another more recent photo, she and the boy were all grown up. Jealousy swamped him until he realized they had the same dark brown hair, hazel eyes and smile. Even though the muscular man towered over her,
it was obvious they were siblings.

  “Sit down,” she said, and he turned to find her holding the kit and a wet washcloth.

  “Is this your brother?” he asked, pointing to the photo.

  “Yes, that’s Tobias,” she smiled.

  “Does he live in Deals Gap?”

  “No,” she said, motioning toward the couch. “He doesn’t live anywhere, really. His job takes him all over the nation, and when one mission is done, he packs up and moves on to the next one. I usually only see him a couple of times a year.”

  He thought back to the photo, and recognized the guarded man behind the smile. He’d seen it so many times in pictures of himself and in those of his colleagues.

  “Is he an Enforcer?” Jase asked.

  “Is that like an assassin?” she asked.

  “Security detail, bodyguard, and assassin when necessary, yes.”

  “That sounds about right,” she said.

  He nodded and obeyed her command to sit down on the couch. She sat next to him, still naked except for his t-shirt, and silently cleaned his wounds. The moment was incredibly intimate, and the smell of her arousal drove him crazy. It took every ounce of control he had not to move the t-shirt up her legs and expose her soaking wet pussy.

  Violet applied the last piece of medical tape and set the first aid kit on the coffee table without breaking eye contact. Her hand slowly trailed up his chest, and wrapped around his neck, pulling him toward her. She sought his lips, and as much as he wanted to give her everything, he knew he couldn’t. Being this close to her was dangerous.

  “I think you’d better go put some more clothes on,” he said, pulling away, “and we should get some sleep. I’ll take the couch.”

  She cleared her throat and nodded, her cheeks crimson.

  “Of course,” she said, standing abruptly. “I’ll be back with a pillow and blanket.”

  The look on her face made his heart ache, but he knew it was for the best. He couldn’t risk ruining her life for one night of passion.

  “Thanks again for helping me tonight,” she said, placing the bedding in the chair next to the couch. “Make yourself at home, and let me know if you need anything.”

  “You’re welcome, and I will,” he said. He needed her out of the room before he changed his mind and pulled her down on top of him.

  “Goodnight, Violet.”

  “Goodnight, Jase.”

  ***

  Jase flipped off the light and lay down on the couch. He heard Violet turn the lock on her bedroom door, rummage around in her drawers, and then collapse on her bed. A few minutes later, her muffled cries filled his sensitive ears.

  His bear urged him to protect her, to take away her pain, but the man knew better. She’d had a traumatic night, and she needed time to heal. His kiss might have provided her with temporary relief, but he wasn’t sure he could stop with one kiss. If he took things too far, she’d hate him in the morning.

  “So what did you do to make my baby sister cry, bear?”

  The wolf’s voice came from behind him, but Jase remained calm. He quickly rose to his feet and faced the shifter with the length of the couch between them. Tobias was big, muscular and deadly silent. He’d entered without a sound, and Jase still couldn’t sense him.

  If her brother had been an intruder, he would have failed to protect his mate.

  The scar on the back of his head began to throb as he flashed back to the day he and Montgomery were attacked. The similarities were hard to ignore. Pain shot through his head and he swayed. He bumped into an end table, and knocked over a lamp. The sound of glass shattering echoed around the room, and Violet’s door burst open.

  “Tobias,” she squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

  She’d changed into a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a baggy sweatshirt, but she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. If her brother hadn’t been standing in the room, threatening his existence, his dick would be hard again.

  “Wait!” he yelled, holding out his hand to stop her entrance into the room.

  A burst of anger surrounded him, but he was surprised to find it coming from Violet and not her brother.

  “There’s glass,” he said, ignoring her rage and pointing to the shards on the hardwood floor. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  Her anger dissipated and she smiled shyly as she tip-toed past him, avoiding the path with the glass, and then bounced toward her brother. When she reached Tobias, they hugged each other tight.

  “I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” she said, elated.

  “I know,” he said. “The job ended sooner than expected, and I decided to take a vacation.”

  “I’m so glad you did,” she said, half-hugging him again. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I missed you, too,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Now, who’s your friend.”

  Vi kept one arm wrapped around her brother’s waist, and turned toward him. She used her free hand for introductions.

  “Jase, this is my brother, Tobias,” she said, smiling. “Tobias, this is—”

  “What the hell happened to your face?”

  The wolf roared like a bear and the vibrations ricocheted around the room. He turned Violet toward him and growled as he inspected her injuries.

  “I—”

  Tobias set Violet aside, cutting her off, and then rushed and pinned him to the wall. The scar on the back of his head throbbed, but Jase ignored it. The man’s huge forearm pressed against his throat, and his other hand pressed into the wound on his side. The wolf had the upper hand.

  “Tobias!” Violet screamed. “Stop!”

  “What the fuck did you do to my sister?” Tobias growled, pushing more weight against him. “Is that why she was crying? Do you get off on beating up on women?”

  “Tobias!” Violet screamed again, pulling at the arm cutting off his air. “He helped me. Let him go.”

  “He helped you?” her brother asked carefully, maintaining his stance.

  “Yes, he did,” she said, tears filling her eyes. “Please, stop.”

  Tobias let him go and he staggered to the couch, gasping for air. Violet sat down beside him and rubbed his bare back. He closed his eyes, concentrated on deep breaths, and willed the pain away.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, inspecting his bandages. “There’s a lot of blood.”

  “I’ll be okay,” he said quietly.

  If anyone else had questioned him, it would have pissed him off, but her words and touch soothed him.

  “I’m sorry man,” Tobias said, handing him a bottle of water. “I honestly thought she was crying because of you.”

  “She was,” Jase admitted, “but I didn’t put those marks on her.”

  Tobias narrowed his eyes and sat in the chair beside the couch.

  “Okay, fill me in, and don’t leave anything out.”

  Violet glanced at him apologetically and then told her brother everything that happened since she’d first encountered Jase in the coffee shop, including her attempt to kiss him minutes before.

  The men shared a knowing glance when she glossed over some of the details of her attack, but neither one of them pressed her for more information. They had the basics, and he guessed her brother would find out more on his own.

  Eventually, the conversation turned to other things, and an hour later Violet rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He glanced at her and brushed her hair out of her face, suddenly aware of Tobias’ stare.

  “Why didn’t you kiss her earlier?” Tobias asked.

  “Because I wasn’t sure I could stop,” he answered honestly.

  “She’s your mate, isn’t she?”

  “I thought so,” he said, “but no, she’s not.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  Vi stirred, but she didn’t wake.

  “I have no effect on her at all,” Jase said.

  “Well, I’m not sure that’s true,” Tobias said, looking at his sist
er. “What’s stopping you from telling her the truth?”

  “I’m damaged,” he said. “I can’t trust my senses, and even if I could, I can’t protect her.”

  Those words opened the flood gates, and for the first time since the attack, he felt like talking. He didn’t know if it was because of his connection with Vi, or because they worked in similar employment, but Tobias felt safe. The man listened without judgement, condemnation or pity, and when it was over, he nodded and offered some sage reminders.

  “Losing a partner is difficult, especially with so many unanswered questions,” Tobias said. “I know you’re going through a difficult time, it’s one of the reasons I only work alone now, and even that takes its toll in a different way, but you can always count on your animal. You’re a good man, Jase, and there’s nothing wrong with your senses.”

  “I didn’t sense your arrival,” Jase protested.

  “I’m trained to mask my scent and come and go without making a sound. If your bear says Vi is your mate, then she is. You’ve protected her twice tonight, once from a maniac and once from the broken glass, so whether or not you can protect her isn’t an issue. The question is, do you want to?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “That’s all you need to know,” he said, standing. “Vi, wake up.”

  Vi opened her eyes and blinked, looking up at her brother.

  “Where are you going?” she asked, semi-panicked.

  “Nowhere far,” he said. “I’m going to take Jase’s room for the night and he’s going to stay here. You guys need to talk, and I need to check in at the Dark Moon.”

  “Okay,” she said nervously, looking back and forth between them both.

  “You can trust him, Vi,” Tobias said, giving her a pointed look. “He’s a good man.”

  She shook her head, her confusion evident, but her brother didn’t waiver.

  “I’d say let’s do breakfast, but I have a feeling you guys won’t be ready to come up for air until lunch,” he said laughing.

  “Tobias!” Vi screeched, but the older sibling remained unfazed.

  “Text me when you guys get hungry, and I’ll bring food and a new lock for the door.”

  Jase handed over his room key and watched Tobias leave as quietly as he’d arrived.