Ajax followed. “Hey, you can’t walk away from me like that. The child is mine as much as yours.”
“No, she’s not.” Louise turned to face him. “Your name is not on the birth certificate.”
“I’ll take you to court to prove it,” Ajax said.
“Then do it!” Louise said to him, hiccuping as she tried to fight back her tears.
“Lou, come on, I don’t want to fight, I came here because I learned my mistake, I told you. At least hear me out.” Ajax was drawing attention to himself with his loud voice. But he was a man used to getting his own way and took no notice of the people staring at him.
“Keep it down,” the store manager ordered.
“Gonna make me?” Ajax asked, spitting on the floor.
“Yes, if I have to.” The store manager was huge, a shifter if Zak had it right, which stood to reason since this was a predominantly shifter town. He towered over Ajax, who shrunk away just a little.
“I’m going.” As he back out of the store, he jabbed his finger at Louise and said, “Don’t think you’ve heard the last of this. I have rights, you know!”
“It’s OK,” Zak said, holding Louise tightly out of view down the bakery aisle. Storm was sandwiched between them. Damn, he wanted to protect them. He should have done something, said something…
“Thank you,” Louise said gruffly.
“I didn’t do anything,” Zak admitted.
“Exactly. If you had caused a scene, it would have been worse. That’s what Ajax wanted. I’ve seen him in action enough times.”
“He really is Storm’s father?” Zak asked.
“He really is.” She nodded against his chest. “What can I say, I was desperate for love. And he said he loved me.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Zak said gently.
“I can’t believe he came after me.”
“Louise, can I ask you something?” Zak held her close, hating that she might tell him words he didn’t want to hear.
“Anything,” she replied, looking up at him, with Storm weaving her fingers through her mom’s golden hair.
“Are you happy he’s come here? Do you want to be with him?” Zak looked into her beautiful eyes. Eyes he thought would be his to drown in forever.
“No.” She took a long, shuddering breath and then kissed Storm on the cheek. “I’m so sorry, baby, but I don’t want you to grow up with your daddy having any kind of influence over our lives.”
“Do you want me to get rid of him?” Zak’s next question had an ominous tone, one Louise recoiled from.
“No. No, I don’t. He’s trouble, and I do not want him to have any hold over us. But if you try to chase him out of town, that is exactly what he will have.”
“You mean he wants to find some way of leveraging the situation?” Zak asked. He’d known men, and women, for that matter, while on the road with The Flame, who would try to figure out how to get a reaction they could work to their own advantage.
“You chase him out of town, he will come back the victim.” Louise looked to the door of the store. “I’m going to ignore him.”
“And what if he really does want to have contact with Storm?” Zak asked.
“Then he can go through the courts. That way he can’t disappear with her.” Louise hugged Storm tightly and nuzzled her neck. “The man is crazy, but he knows how to hurt people.”
“Are you sure he didn’t come here because he loves you?” Zak had to ask this last question, no matter how hard the answer might be to hear.
“The thing I learned about Ajax, but not before it was too late, was that he doesn’t love or care for anyone. Only himself. Yes, he tries to make out his gang is the most important thing, he promotes it as a kind of family, but when he’s used you up, he spits you out.”
Louise pulled away from Zak, but he didn’t want to let her go. “You want me to call Dean?”
Louise looked at her watch. “No, he’ll be going out right around now. Let him go. We have dinner to buy. I’ll grab what I need from here instead of the bakery.”
She turned around and began to walk among the shelves, picking up what she needed to buy.
“I’m not leaving your side,” Zak told her.
“Does that mean we are not going to hear you play the guitar?” Louise asked, her voice tinged with disappointment.
“Sorry. I’ll come into town tomorrow and buy a guitar. Tonight we can just talk.” Zak wanted to know everything he could about Louise, big or small.
“OK, I have everything we need, let’s get going.” She passed Storm to Zak. “Can you hold her while I pay?”
“Sure.” Zak took Storm from Louise and held her against his chest, silently telling her that he would protect her as if she were his own. Because she was, in so many ways. Anything that was a part of Louise was a part of him.
Gathering up the groceries, Louise walked out of the store with him. Zak immediately looked across the street to where Ajax’s bike had been, but it was gone. He stood for a moment while Louise opened the trunk and put the new groceries next to those they had bought earlier. All the time, he looked up and down the street, letting his bear senses roam, but as far as he could tell, Ajax was long gone.
Wordlessly, they got into the car. Louise was searching the area too. “He’s gone.”
Did she sound disappointed? Had she hoped he’d try to get close to them again outside of the store?
“That’s good, right?” Zak asked.
“I don’t know. At least if we could see him, we would know where he was, but not knowing, that is even worse.” She looked across to Zak. “I’m so sorry.”
“For what?” Zak asked.
“Ajax being Storm’s father. And me being your mate.”
“Enough. I am happy. I am ecstatic you are mine. There is no other woman fate could have chosen who I would love more.” Louise opened her mouth and he was sure she was about to suggest someone more suitable. “No one,” he told her, cutting her off.
And he meant it. Every word.
Chapter Fifteen – Louise
Louise was mad. Now that she’d had a chance to get over the shock of seeing Ajax, she was spitting mad. How dare he come here and try to mess up her life? She was happy, and settled, with the prospect of having a good man in her life, and a man who would be the best father possible.
She believed that with all her heart, despite only knowing Zak for a couple of days. If she had had any doubts about Zak before Ajax had come to Bear Creek, they were swept away as soon as Ajax posed a threat.
Zak had cocooned them with his presence, and Louise knew he would die for them. Something she could not bear to think about, but she couldn’t deny it all the same.
“What can I do?” Zak came into the kitchen, with Storm in his arms.
“Nothing, you are helping by keeping Storm occupied while I cook.” She put onions in the pan to fry.
“Smells delicious already,” Zak said.
“Charmer,” Louise threw back at him.
“Guilty as charged.” He looked at Storm. “Shall we go and watch cartoons?”
“She’s a little young,” Louise told him.
“I know, but I’m not. And she finds it funny when I laugh.” Zak put on a fake laugh, and Storm giggled loudly, her face turning pink, her eyes dancing.
“Go on,” Louise liked the sound of the two of them laughing. It made her want to laugh too, despite the weight resting on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She kept expecting Ajax to turn up on the doorstep. Every time she heard a loud vehicle on the street, she kept thinking it was Ajax coming to steal Storm away.
She couldn’t live her life like this. And anyway, she knew Ajax hadn’t come to Bear Creek to take Storm away. He had no time for children. Storm was simply a means to an end. A way to get Louise to do what he wanted. The question that scared her most, was what did he want?
She couldn’t guess. He hadn’t given them one clue. So it must be something big.
Needing to relax, she took out the bottle of wine she had bought for dinner, and opened it. Then she poured herself a glass. It was red and fruity, and the buzz it gave her took the edge off her mood. Pouring a generous glug of the red wine into the dish she was preparing, she turned her full attention on the pan sizzling before her.
As she went through the recipe, she completely immersed herself in dinner, drawing on all the times she had done the same thing when she lived with her parents. This was why she liked cooking: there were steps you took, and if you took them in the right order, you ended up with something perfect.
It was simple. No emotions to navigate, no hostility to circumvent. Just add the ingredients.
That was what Louise did, with one ear listening to the sound of Zak laughing every so often, closely followed by Storm giggling. It was the kind of sound a mother couldn’t ignore, and she wouldn’t ever want to. Her child’s happiness was her number one priority, and since Storm liked Zak so much, it made her choice to explore a new life with him so much easier.
“OK, one last taste and I think you are ready.” Louise lifted a spoon to her mouth and tasted the casserole she’d made. It was her favorite comfort food, which also happened to be healthy. It was delicious; the fresh herbs from Dean’s garden added depth to the flavor.
“It’s ready.” Louise set out two plates and two wine glasses on the kitchen table.
“Smells wonderful,” Zak said as he entered the kitchen. “Is this young lady going in her high chair?”
“Do you mind? I know it’s not exactly romantic, having a baby giggling and wriggling at the table,” Louise said apologetically.
“It’s perfect,” Zak said, threading Storm’s legs through the high chair much more easily than Louise usually managed.
“You have a knack with her,” Louise told him, setting a loaf of fresh bread down on the table and fetching the butter from the fridge.
“One of the guys in the band had a family. Not very rock star, I know, but he got married to his childhood sweetheart straight out of school, and they had a young family.” Zak sat down at the table and poured the wine. “I don’t usually drink. So I’m going to have a small glass.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize.” Louise sat down opposite him, and gave Storm a cuddle.
“It’s self-imposed. I didn’t want to turn out like my dad, so I swore off the stuff.” He ate a forkful of food. “This is good.”
“Thanks. You don’t need to sound surprised,” Louise told him.
“I wasn’t.” He glanced up at her. “You’re teasing me, right?”
“Yeah, a little,” Louise teased, and then sipped her wine. “So what are we going to talk about?”
“Tell me the one thing you dream of doing, if you could do anything.” Zak sliced the bread and buttered it before offering some to Louise.
“Fly.” She grinned. “As a shifter would be cool, but an airplane would do.”
“I can arrange an airplane,” Zak replied. “Where would you want to fly to?”
“Oh, I don’t know, but over a mountain would be cool. To look down and see places no one else really sees.”
“And you have never flown before?” Zak asked.
Louise lifted her eyes to Zak’s. “Once, but I was unconscious.”
“Unconscious? In an airplane?” Zak asked.
“No, a dragon carried me.”
Zak coughed, and took a sip of wine to clear his throat. “A dragon?”
“Yeah. They found me in the snow, after I left Ollie’s.” Louise put her fork down on her plate and picked up the bread. “You don’t believe me?”
“I believe you. I’m just shocked, I suppose, I have never seen a dragon shifter in all my travels. Or if I have, then they never revealed themselves to me.” Zak sipped his wine. “So you were carried by one?”
Louise nodded. “They found me in the snow. I would have died if it wasn’t for them.” She glanced up at Zak. “This stays a secret, OK?”
“I swear I will not tell a soul,” Zak said. “It’s the kind of thing that needs to be kept quiet, especially when there is a douchebag like Ajax hanging around.”
“I hadn’t thought about that. He doesn’t know about shifters.” Louise felt a wave of panic hit her. What if Ajax found out about shifters and caused trouble?
“If he causes trouble for the shifters in town, he’ll bring a whole load of crap down on himself,” Zak told her.
“No more than he deserves.” Louise looked up at Zak. “I can’t believe we got onto the subject of Ajax so quickly.”
“He’s part of your life, part of Storm’s life, and since he made an unannounced arrival today, it’s natural we talk about him.” Zak glanced over to Storm and then turned his full attention on Louise. “Don’t ever feel as if there is anything you can’t talk about. Most men might get jealous, and I am, don’t get me wrong, but I would rather you were open with me.”
“How did I deserve you?” Louise asked, her throat constricted as she acknowledged her longing for the man sitting before her. Her need for him swept away all her fears about Ajax.
“You must have been very bad,” Zak joked, a wicked look on his face. “Very bad indeed.”
“I was never bad. But I don’t believe I was ever good, either.” Louise placed her fork down on her plate, her appetite gone. “I keep thinking that I’ve been given a glimpse of paradise, and then it’s going to be yanked away from me.”
Zak reached out for her. “Not happening.” The raw emotion in his voice told her he would move heaven and earth for her, and once more she wondered why she deserved him.
Louise let out a pent-up breath. “I’m ruining dinner.”
“You are not ruining anything,” Zak said. “Just being here with you is perfect. I never expected to find my mate and not have to put some work into our relationship.”
“Thank you.” Louise turned her head and wiped away her tears. “OK, tell me about Australia.”
The mood instantly lightened, with Zak going out of his way to be funny and charming. She laughed, Storm laughed, and they relaxed as if they truly were a family sitting around the table together.
When it was time for Storm to go to bed, Louise carried her, and Zak walked behind. “This is one of my favorite parts of the day.” Louise leaned down and kissed Storm’s cheek. “Storm is all sleepy and clean, and smells divine.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Zak said to Storm as Louise placed her in the crib which was next to Louise’s bed.
“Goodnight, Storm. Sweet dreams.” Louise leaned down and kissed her daughter, stroking her hair back from her face, and looking into her sleepy eyes.
Then they both left the room. Louise had switched on the baby monitor, and when they went downstairs, she checked that she could hear her. Loud and clear. Storm was gurgling to herself. She sounded sleepy and Louise hoped she would go to sleep and allow her mom and Zak to have some alone time.
All through dinner, Louise had thought how much she wanted Zak to kiss her. And touch her. Was it too soon for them to sleep together? Normally, she would wait, she had made Ajax wait, but with Zak it was different, she knew he wasn’t using her.
“What are you thinking?” Zak asked, as he ran the hot water into the sink.
Louise blushed and clattered the plates as she tried to hide her face from him. “About what a wonderful evening this has been.”
“Really? That is what you are thinking?” Zak teased. “I thought you might be thinking about my tight leather pants. I can put them on if you want.”
“Well, maybe about what you hide under those pants…” She straightened up and looked at Zak, wanting to be honest. “I don’t feel what you feel, but I do feel something. I feel closer to you than I ever have to anyone.”
She stood before him, as if naked, her soul bared to him. Zak wiped his hands on the dish towel, and walked across the kitchen, closing the space between them. “I want you, Louise. You know that. But only if it’s what you really want.” He w
rapped one arm around her and pulled her close. “I don’t want to be something you regret in the morning.”
“You won’t be.” As she raised her face to look at him, and he lowered his lips to meet hers, Louise knew that even if he did leave her tomorrow, what they shared tonight would be worth it.
His lips were warm and firm on hers. Zak was gentle, taking his time, letting her set the pace. If she said stop, he would stop. He would never hurt her.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled his head down and kissed him back fiercely. “I want you.”
He growled, “I want you too, so much it hurts.”
His hand slipped down to caress her bottom and he pulled her in tight so she could feel the extent of his arousal. Louise reached between them and began to undo his buttons, pulling his shirt off to reveal his sun-bronzed skin, which was stretched over his perfect chest. She placed her hands on him, stroking his skin, feeling the taut buds of his nipples against her palms.
“Want to get naked?” Zak asked.
“I do.” She glanced up at the clock. “What if Dean comes home early?”
Zak had the answer. He bent down and picked her up, and carried her upstairs to his room. “I used to dream of one day finding my mate. Right in this room I’d look up at the stars and wonder what it would be like when I finally found her. I thought I would have to wait years, I thought I had to travel the world. Who knew she would be waiting here for me in Bear Creek.”
“I wasn’t exactly waiting,” she told him, undoing her dress and stepping out of it when it fell to the floor. She wished she had prettier lingerie, but Zak did not seem interested in what she was wearing, it was what was underneath that counted.
“You were, by the side of the road.” He pulled her close and kissed her lips, while his fingers fumbled with the clasp of her bra.
“True.” She gasped as his hand covered her breast, his thumb rubbing her nipple, until it became hard, and so sensitive, she felt shockwaves through her body. Her nerve endings seemed to be consumed by a mass of information overload, and she ached in her core. She needed to be touched, to be kissed, to have him inside her.
Bad Boy Bear (Return to Bear Creek Book 9) Page 9
