by Ruby Shae
“That sounds like my brother,” Lily laughed uneasily. “Look, I can’t tell you about our past, he has to do that, but it’s the reason he holds back. If you love him, if you even think that you might love him, that you could share a life with him, please go say goodbye and ask him to trust you. I’ve never seen him react to a woman the way he did when you walked in the shop two weeks ago, and I bet you have feelings for him that you don’t understand.”
She didn’t ask a question, but Caroline nodded.
“Those feelings are not just a coincidence,” Lily said.
“I’ll think about it,” Caroline conceded.
“Good. I have to get back now, but I hope to see you again soon. If not, have a safe trip home.”
The other woman’s hug caught her off guard, but she hugged her back with the same enthusiasm.
“Thank you, Lily.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, and ran back toward the shop. “Good luck.”
You’re going to need it.
The warning rang in her head as she thought about Lily’s words. She had a feeling Luke wouldn’t be too happy to see her despite what his sister said, but she did have feelings for him that couldn’t be explained, and she could see herself sharing a life with him. She owed it to herself, and him, to take his sisters advice.
She walked back to the hotel, grabbed her car keys and drove to Luke’s.
When she arrived at the house, music blared from the garage. The large door was only rolled up about a foot off the ground, but the regular door next to it was open.
She peeked inside, and stepped all the way in when she saw him.
“Luke!” she yelled over the music, but he didn’t look at her.
The sight before her stole her breath and left her momentarily immobile.
He lay on a utility bench, his feet flat on the floor, and lifted a bar above his head in steady, powerful movements. The plates on the bar were large, and thick, indicating a ton of weight, and his muscles seemed to lift it with no effort at all.
He wore athletic shoes and basketball shorts, but his chest and arms were bare. The bulge of his biceps, combined with his eight pack abs dampened her panties and she realized she stood their gawking at him like some sort of pervert.
When the music quieted, she called his name again.
“Luke!”
She’d startled him, but he placed the bar on the rack and made his way to the stereo. His movements were awkward, and after he shut off the music, he grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head.
Disappointment pushed her lust away, and she was briefly reminded of the night they spent together. For some reason, he didn’t want her drooling over him.
“Hey, Caroline,” he said, trying to catch his breath. “What are you doing here?”
God, what am I doing here? I shouldn’t have come.
“I’m leaving first thing in the morning, and I wanted to say goodbye before I left. I stopped in the shop first, and Lily suggested I stop by. I hope that’s okay.”
“Yeah…sure…of course. So you’re leaving tomorrow, huh?”
His sister had been wrong. His actions weren’t one of a man in love. If anything, he wanted her gone sooner than later.
“Yes, before sunrise.”
“Okay, well, have a safe trip home.”
He didn’t move from his spot next to the table on the opposite wall, and it felt as if the whole canyon were between them.
“I will. Thank you.”
The silence stretched out as they stared at each other. She waited for him to say something, and when he didn’t, she knew this really was goodbye.
“Well,” she cleared her throat, “I’d better be going. Goodbye, Luke.”
“Goodbye, Caroline.”
She walked out of the garage and down the driveway to her car with her head held high. Tears threatened, but she blinked them away and smiled at a bear lumbering past her down the street. She drove back to her hotel and once inside the safety of her room, she let the tears fall.
Maybe moving closer to Bear Canyon wasn’t such a good idea after all.
***
Luke held onto the table behind him and watched her walk out of the garage. He listened as her light footsteps took her down the driveway. He heard the car door slam, and then she drove away and out of his life. He tightened his hold on the table beside him until his knuckles shone white and the wood cracked and splintered in his hand.
He felt as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest, and his breath huffed in and out in erratic pants. When the room shifted, he sat down on the utility bench, put his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He focused on breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth until the dizziness passed.
God, I’m such a fucked up asshole!
The sight of Caroline in his garage had scared him half to death. After he’d run from her last night, he never expected to see her again, let alone without the barrier of a t-shirt. He’d inched awkwardly to the table and donned his shirt, but fear kept him from closing the distance between them.
Instead, he pretended he didn’t care she was leaving, and made sure she never thought of him again. He, however, would never forget her beautiful face, or the way her long, wavy black hair caressed her soft, curvy body. Her dark brown eyes had always captivated him, and holding her had felt like home.
He knew he’d never find another woman to take her place, and the thought that he’d never have a wife, or children, caused his stomach to lurch. He grabbed his water bottle and gulped it in an effort to ward off the nausea.
“Since when do you give up something you care about without a fight?”
Luke turned toward the familiar voice and crossed the room to hug Joe.
“Joe, what are you doing here?” Luke asked.
The older man’s hair had more silver than the last time they’d seen each other, and he mentally vowed to visit his guardian more often. When the government opened the specially sanctioned shifter towns, Joe had opted to stay in his home instead of relocating with Luke and Lily. A four hour drive now separated them, and most days the distance felt too far.
“Lily called me,” he said. “She said you met a woman, but you were about to fuck it all up. Man, that girl wasn’t kidding. She should have called me sooner. Now, what the hell is the problem?”
He couldn’t help but smile. It had been sixteen years since Joe found him and Lily in the cave, and the first words out of his mouth were: What the hell is your problem, boy? He’d stood between Lily and the intruder with his fists up, ready to swing. Never mind that Joe held a shotgun, Luke had known he needed protect his sister at all costs.
What the hell is your problem, boy? I’m trying to help you.
Joe saved them that day, and Luke never had to fight again.
“I don’t want to tell her about my past.”
“Why the hell not? If she’s your mate, she’ll accept you, scars and all.”
“But what if she doesn’t? What if she worries I’ll turn out like him? Or what if she worries I can’t protect her like I couldn’t protect Lily? I couldn’t bear to see her look at me with disgust or contempt. It’s better this way.”
“What way? Alone?” Joe shook his head. “Deep down you know that’s not true.”
He did know, but he wasn’t ready to admit it.
“Listen, son,” Joe continued, “you were a child. No child should have to protect himself or his sister, but you did. Lily has one mark and what happened after she got it? You made sure it would never happen again. You are a warrior inside and out, and you will always protect your family. If this woman can’t see that, or if she thinks you are anything like that monster, or ever will be, then she’s not your mate.”
“You’re right,” he admitted, “but I’m still afraid.”
“And I say again, since when do you let fear keep you from fighting for the things you care about?” Joe asked. “You fought for Lily, for your own life, for your freedom from you
r uncle’s home, for college and your restaurant, why don’t you fight for love?”
Leave it to Joe to put things into perspective.
“I…I’m not sure,” he said finally.
“You’d better get sure real quick because she said she’s leaving in the morning. If you want to marry this girl, you’re going to have to fight for her, and that means telling her everything.”
“Wait… How long have you been here?” Luke asked.
“I pulled up right behind her,” Joe admitted. “I saw her enter the garage and then eavesdropped on your conversation.”
“Gee, thanks,” Luke said, rolling his eyes. “You could have interrupted and saved me some humiliation.”
“Are you kidding?” Joe laughed. “There was nothing I could do to save that train wreck.”
“Ha, ha,” Luke smiled. “Did she see you when she left?”
“No, I shifted and ran up and down the street. She smiled at me though. Beautiful girl. You’re a lucky man, son.”
“Thank you, but she’s not mine yet. I still have to reveal my past.”
“I think it will be easier than you anticipate.”
“I hope so. Are you hungry?”
“Starving,” Joe said. “I was wondering when you were going to feed me.”
“Let’s go inside and eat. Are you staying with me or Lily?”
“Lily. I don’t want to cramp your style, or give you a reason to back out.”
Damn!
The man knew him too well.
They had breakfast for lunch, one of their favorite meals, and Luke showered and changed while Joe rested on the couch. A few hours later, they hugged goodbye and he drove to Caroline’s hotel.
Despite fear, satisfaction also coursed through his veins. By the end of the night he would know, without a doubt, whether or not his future would include Caroline.
He owed his sister big time.
Chapter Seven
Caroline contemplated whether or not to enter her room, or pretend she forgot something in the lobby and turn back. The annoying guy from the club the night before had seen her at the reservation desk and followed her onto the elevator. The guy wouldn’t take the hint and she worried about getting into her room safely.
She was just about to turn back when she glanced down the hallway and saw Luke sitting on the floor next to her room. Relief washed over her, and she practically raced toward him.
He stood, his expression unreadable, but she’d figure out what he was doing there later. Right now, she needed some intervention.
“Oh honey,” she cooed. “Did you lock yourself out again?”
He looked at her like she’d grown a second head, and then he released a growl that echoed down the hall in both directions.
“Didn’t I tell you never to approach her again?” Luke demanded.
“Yes, but she—”
“She nothing. Get out here,” Luke roared. “The next time I see you next to this woman I’ll have you arrested for harassment.”
The guy half ran, half swayed down the hall toward the elevator. They watched until he disappeared around the corner, and then she slid the keycard in the reader and entered the room. Luke followed, closing the door behind him.
“Why were you with that guy?” he growled.
“I wasn’t with him. He saw me in the lobby and followed me onto the elevator. We weren’t alone, and it wasn’t terribly unusual until he got off on this floor and started following me toward my room. I was about to turn back when I saw you.”
“Why the game? Why not just tell me he’s bothering you? You don’t think I can protect you?”
He fired off the questions like an interrogation, but she recognized the last one from the night before. It was important to him that she know he would protect her if necessary. She had a feeling her answers were some sort of test, but for what she didn’t know. She answered honestly.
“Truthfully, I was more than a little nervous. Until I saw you, I wasn’t sure of my next move. I thought he might walk away if he thought you were my boyfriend,” she said calmly. “I’ve never questioned your ability to protect me, nor do I now. I know I’m safe when we’re together.”
“Good,” he said simply.
She waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn’t, she crossed the room to the kitchenette and offered him a bottle of water.
“That would be great,” he sighed from his place near the door.
“Here you go,” she said, holding out the bottle. “Do you want to sit?”
He nodded and she led the way to the couch.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I came to ask you to stay,” he said, “but before you answer, I need to show you all of me.”
“Okay,” she said, shocked at his admission and excited to see his bear.
Luke got up and stood in front of the coffee table. He grabbed the hem of his shirt, looked at her one last time, and pulled it over his head.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “Travis showed me his bear and all of his clothes stayed on.”
“Before I show you my bear, I have to show you my back.”
He turned away from her and hung his head toward the floor. The t-shirt stretched across his thighs, bunched up in both hands.
She didn’t need to get closer to see the scarring, but she stood and approached him anyway. Crisscrossed marks covered his back as if he’d been whipped.
She traced the raised skin with her fingers as everything started to focus. He’d kept his clothes on the first night because he didn’t want her to see his scars. It explained why he’d denied her a second date, and why he’d run out of the bar when her hands roamed too close to the affected area.
He trembled slightly, and she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his marred skin. His hands covered hers as if to push her away, but he held on instead.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.
“Only a little bit,” he said, and then turned in her arms.
She hugged him close, with her hands on his back, and kissed his chest, shoulder and chin. When he looked down at her, she placed a chaste kiss on his lips. He pulled her flush with his body and hugged her tight. It was more than the closeness of their dance, and she wanted him desperately. Unfortunately, they had to talk first.
“Let’s sit down.”
She walked toward the couch, and he rejoined her with his shirt back on. She laced her fingers with his and waited for him to tell her what he could.
“When I was twelve, and Lily was eight, our parents died in a horrible car accident,” he started. “My father was a bear shifter, but my mother was human and we were sent to live with my uncle, my mother’s brother, and his wife. My aunt didn’t like us, but my uncle hated us. He had so many rules, and he drank quite a lot. On the bad days he would sit quietly and wait for any kind of disturbance, from anyone or anywhere, and when he got it, he would take it out on us.
“Well, me,” he added. “I made Lily hide so he would focus on me.”
She nodded at his admission and wiped her eyes. His sacrifice hadn’t surprised her. Luke had already saved her three times in less than a week. He protected his own.
“As I got older, I started lifting during gym, and I got a job after school. I kept it a secret, and most days Lily would stay with me, or at a friend’s, and we would arrive home at the same time. One day she got there before I did, and he’d started drinking earlier than usual. My aunt had left him that day, and he didn’t try to hide the marks like he usually did. He got in one hit and I walked in and attacked him.
“I knocked him out cold after three hits, but I pounded him several more times until Lily screamed for me to stop. I knew if he woke up, he’d kill us, so we shoved all of our things into our backpacks and we ran. We lived in a cave for nearly a week until Joe found us. I don’t know what made me trust him, but I did, and he welcomed us into his home and took care of us.”
Caroline wiped
her eyes again. She ached for the boy Luke used to be, but more for the man who thought he couldn’t trust her. He’d endured so much, and yet he’d triumphed and become so much more.
“That’s an amazing story of survival,” she said. “Not everyone would be able to overcome it as well as you have.”
“These past two weeks have been rough,” he laughed. “When you showed up in my shop, a lot of old worries resurfaced.”
“I’m sorry that happened, but I’m glad you decided to trust me.”
“Joe showed up and knocked some sense into me,” he smiled. “He found us when I was sixteen, and he’s always been patient and kind. He eventually adopted us, but it didn’t happen until my early twenties.”
“What happened to your aunt and uncle?”
“My aunt drove her car off a cliff, I have no idea if it was intentional or not, and my uncle died shortly after that from a bear attack. Luckily, they weren’t able to place it on any of the shifters in the area, and they decided a wild animal killed him.”
“Do you know who did it?” she asked.
“No, but I think Joe does,” he said honestly.
“You don’t think it was him?
“No, I think he paid someone.”
“Either way, he got the job done for you,” she said, covering their hands with her other one.
“You’re not upset that he might have paid a hitman to kill someone?”
“Not someone, a man who terrorized two children for four years. I’m sure Joe did what he thought was right and necessary for your well-being. Personally, I’m glad he’s dead.”
He nodded. “I’m glad he’s dead, too.”
“Why didn’t you and Lily take off sooner and live as bear cubs?” she asked.
“Cubs can’t fully control their shifts until adolescence, and because we’d had so little experience shifting, I wasn’t sure we could survive. I didn’t want some trigger happy human hunting us down.”
“That would have been scary,” she agreed.
“Yeah. Imagine my surprise when Joe sniffed around the cave in his bear form, and then walked back in thirty minutes later with a shotgun. I was ready to fight, but it would have been a short one.”
