“Why?” Louise asked. Not exactly the words he expected to hear, but his smile only faltered for a second.
“Because we belong together. You, me, and our baby. Us against the world.” He took the ring out of the box and held it out to her. “Come on, try it on.”
“I don’t want it,” Louise said firmly.
“That’s not what you said to me when you told me you were pregnant,” Ajax said. “You begged me to marry you, to look after you. You said you would do anything for me.”
“That was then.”
“And this is now. What, do you think you are better than me now? You think because you got yourself some famous new boyfriend, that you can just ignore our history?” Ajax punched her in the gut with his words. No wonder he looked so pleased with himself, he’d found his leverage. At least, he thought he had.
“No, I just met him. He’s nothing to me,” Louise lied.
“Then take the ring.” He held it up against her window.
“No, I don’t need it. I’m doing OK.”
“What, living with that old man in foster care, and cleaning up shit from abandoned animals?” Ajax asked. “Is that the life you want?”
“I’m happy.” Louise gripped the steering wheel. “So now that we have that cleared up, you can move your bike, I have to go home.”
“Oh, no, I am not finished.” Ajax put the ring back in the box, and put the box in his pocket. “See, I thought I would try being the nice guy. But you are right, that is not really me. I’m a bad boy, and this is where it gets bad for you and loverboy.”
“I told you, he means nothing to me,” Louise insisted, feeling like she should cross her fingers behind her back.
“Then you will not mind if I tell the world who he is.” Ajax smirked, she had let her expression slip enough for him to see he was onto something. “That’s right, I had a chat with a fan of his last night. Beverly. You know Beverly?”
“I met her once.”
“Great, so you know that she knows all about Zak. Zak Zane, she calls him. And her pops knows him as Zak Pellow.” His smirk became more irritating. “You know, at first I could not figure out what a man could see in you. I mean, yeah, for screwing, I suppose. But now you have a dribbling baby?”
Louise let him talk, as bile rose in her throat. If only she had run him off the road, instead of letting him win. If Ajax had his way, he was going to win for the rest of his life. And Zak was going to lose.
“But then I decided that it didn’t matter. That he must really like you to take on you and a baby that wasn’t his. Hell, I know I wouldn't do it unless there was something in it for me.” He shrugged, and then said in a babyish voice, “So he must really love you. And you love him.”
Louise didn’t answer, she was too enraged to speak. All she wanted to do was roll the window down and punch Ajax in the face for being such an asshole.
“So here we go.” His smirk was gone as he told her his terms. “You put my ring on your finger and come back with me. You bring that squalling baby with you too.” He took a breath. “And in return, I keep my mouth shut about your boyfriend and his history.”
“He wouldn't care if you told the whole world,” Louise spat back.
“I figured you might say that, so here’s the cherry on the cake.” He jabbed a finger at Louise. “If you don’t come with me, I will destroy this happy ever after you think you deserve. I will rip it to pieces and throw the bits back in your face.”
“There is nothing you can do to hurt us,” Louise said, putting her car in reverse. She’d heard enough.
“No, want proof?” He stepped back from her car. “You run back home and take a look in loverboy’s bike. Then tell me I can’t destroy you.”
She backed up the car and then drove forward, pulling around his bike. As she drove off, he yelled, “You don’t get to be happy. You don’t deserve it.”
Louise fought back tears as she drove, forcing air into her lungs. She tried to breathe, but all she could do was sob. She could take anything Ajax threw at her, but he was trying to hurt Zak, and she knew he would not stop there, he would hurt Dean, and ultimately, if he had to, he would hurt Storm too.
But how the hell was she supposed to stop him? And more importantly, why did he want her back? He didn’t love her, he didn’t even care for her. So why?
One way or another, she was going to find out.
When she arrived home, the first thing she did was call Suzie.
“Hi, Louise, how are you?” Suzie asked.
“Have you spoken to Dean?” Louise managed to ask, although she could hardly breathe.
Suzie’s voice became wary. “Yes, he told me Storm’s father was in town. Has he hurt you?”
“No.”
“Has he threatened you?” Suzie asked.
“Yes.”
“What did he say?” Suzie asked.
“He wants to marry me. And if I say no, he will ruin our lives. He will ruin Zak’s life.”
“OK, calm down. I have someone looking into him for me. I am working late tonight, I'll come straight over first thing tomorrow.” Suzie’s voice was comforting. “I promise we will deal with this together, Louise. Stay with Dean, and make sure Storm isn’t left alone. OK?”
“OK.” Louise ended the call and then got out of the car. On shaking legs, she walked over to Zak’s bike. What did Ajax mean? What had he done to Zak’s bike?
As she got closer, the front door opened and Dean stood in the doorway. “Are you OK, Louise?”
She shook her head and burst into tears. “No. There’s something wrong with Zak’s bike. Ajax did something to it.”
Zak appeared next to Dean, but when he saw Louise, he dashed out to her, wrapping his arms around her. “It was Ajax?”
“Yes. What did he do?” Louise asked.
“You’d better come in the house.” Zak led her inside. All she could think of as she went with him was how quickly her dream of a life with Zak had been ruined. One more dream to bite the dust.
And the traitorous thought entered her head: maybe they would all be better off without her and the trail of destruction that followed wherever she went.
Chapter Eighteen – Zak
“What happened?” Zak asked Louise. He took her to the living room, where Storm was happily rolling from her back to her front.
Dean fetched her a cup of sweet tea. “Here, drink this.”
“Thanks.” Louise struggled but succeeded in getting her breathing under control. Her chest shuddered with the strain, but she was strong and determined, and Zak’s heart broke for her.
Dean placed his hand on Zak’s shoulder, warning him to give her a moment before asking questions. His bear wanted to burst out and demand answers, but Zak kept him inside, this was not the time for more drama. They’d had enough already today.
“Are you ready to talk?” Zak asked, after Louise had sipped her tea.
“Yes.” She blew a breath out from between her lips. “Ajax met me on the road home.”
Zak’s fingers dug into the fabric of the sofa, and nearly tore the stuffing out. “What did he want?”
“He proposed.” She smiled weakly, tears filling her eyes. “I said no. And he told me if I didn’t marry him, he would destroy my happiness.”
Zak reached out and took hold of her hand, kissing the back of it. “He can’t destroy us.”
“Can’t he?” Louise asked with pain in her eyes. “First he said he would tell everyone about you.”
“About me? You mean my past?” Zak asked.
“He knows who you are. He spoke to Beverly, who spilled your secret.” She put her hand on his cheek. “I am so sorry.”
Zak shrugged it off. “It doesn’t matter, the guys in the band know, and I only wanted it kept secret so that I could live a quiet life. I’m not ashamed of who I am. Or who I was.”
“I told him that. Then he said to come home and look at your bike. He said it would prove he could ruin us.” Louise went to get up. �
�We should go look.”
“There’s no need.” Dean put his hand on her shoulder. “We know what he means.”
Zak picked up the story. “I went into town today, to buy a guitar. Before I got on my bike, I noticed one of the storage compartments wasn’t closed right. When I popped it open, there were a couple of items in there that shouldn’t have been.”
“Items?” Louise asked.
“A diamond necklace, and a bracelet.”
“No. They were planted?” Louise asked incredulously.
“Looks like it.”
“He offered me a diamond ring.” Louise put her hand to her mouth. “He offered me a stolen ring!”
“Hey, you didn’t take it? Which means he still has it.” Zak looked at Dean.
“On it,” Dean said, and went out of the room.
“What’s going on?” Louise asked.
“We took the items to Sheriff Brad. He said he would try to trace the owner. We obviously didn’t know where they came from until now, although we had our suspicions.” Zak reached up and wiped away her tears. “If Brad can locate Ajax, and he has the ring on him, and it matches the rest of the jewelry…”
“Maybe he can arrest Ajax.” She nodded. “It would get him out of our lives for a while.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Zak told her.
“No, don’t blame yourself. I can’t live my life being watched over all the time.” She leaned her head on Zak’s shoulder. “At least we know what we are dealing with. Although I still don’t understand why he wants to marry me.”
“Are you sure he doesn’t have feelings for you?” Zak asked. “Sometimes men can be scared to reveal them.”
“No, I’m certain that is not the reason.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “I’m glad you are here.”
“OK, I’ve told Brad. He is going to track the SOB down. One way or another.” Dean raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened. “And our sheriff always gets his man.”
Louise sighed, her body shuddering. “Poor Storm. What a man to have as her father. I feel so guilty.”
“Don’t.” Zak got up, and went to Storm, lifting her into his arms and then handing her to Louise. “She’s a lucky girl, and will grow up surrounded by love. I can be all the father she needs.”
“We all love you, Storm.” Louise kissed her baby’s head, but the sadness was still there. Zak could understand it. He’d never really known his mom; she had passed away when he was young, too young to really remember her. She had given him his shifter blood, and left him with a man who didn’t know how to love him.
Dean had taught Zak that you didn’t need to have the same blood in your veins to love and care for a child. Zak had every intention of teaching Storm the same lesson. “Why don’t you go and take a bath?”
“No, I’m OK,” Louise insisted.
“Go on, freshen yourself up before dinner,” Dean said.
“Are you sure?” Louise asked.
“I am.” Dean took Storm from her. “We can make dinner, and Zak can bring you some coffee.”
“Thanks. I do smell like cats.” She got up and left the room, climbing the stairs wearily.
“I’m going to have a hard time not killing that guy on sight,” Dean grumbled.
“You are going to have to get in line,” Zak said, with a sickly sweet smile through gritted teeth.
“That is a scary look,” Dean told him.
“Well, I am going to unleash it on Ajax if I as much as scent him close to Storm or Louise.”
“Come on, take Louise her coffee. I want you to stay close to her,” Dean left the room, and Zak followed.
“I will stay extra close.” Zak put on a fresh pot of coffee while Dean rattled around the kitchen, his mood evident. “Keep one of those frying pans to hand, and I’ll get my old baseball bat.”
Dean chuckled. “That is not a bad idea. If he comes around here, I am going to batter him with something.”
Zak poured the coffee. “That’s what bothers me.”
“What?” Dean asked.
“He planted those things on my bike. That means he came right up to the house. We never heard him.”
“I know,” Dean ground out. “But we can’t keep watch all night.” Dean put a pan down on the stove heavily, making Storm jump. “Sorry, Storm, but I swear someone’s head is going to get torn off their shoulders if I catch him here. I’d do time just to keep Storm and Louise safe.”
“No, you won’t,” Zak said, calmly. “Neither of us will do anything like that, because if we did, Louise would never forgive herself, and she has enough guilt already.”
“Ah, you are right.” Dean leaned on the counter heavily. “I never wanted to protect someone as much as I want to protect them.”
“I know.” Zak looked down at Storm. “I think you are a broody old man.”
Dean huffed. “Less of the old.” He sighed. “But I think you are right. Which means you have to give me plenty of grandkids.”
“Sure thing.” Zak took Louise her coffee. If he had ever chosen a dad, Dean would have been it, hands down.
Zak walked up the stairs carefully, not wanting to spill Louise’s coffee. He also wanted time to compose himself. Dean’s thoughts matched his own: he would rot in jail if it meant keeping Louise safe, but she would never forgive herself, and so it was out of the question.
“Knock, knock,” he said from outside the bathroom door.
“Come in,” Louise replied. “It’s not locked.”
His hand trembled as he opened the door, his need to protect Louise almost unbearable, but he pushed the feelings back down. “I brought you coffee.”
“Thanks,” Louise said, she was wrapped in a towel, her hair damp. “I opted for a shower.”
“Pity, I was going to offer to wash your back.” Zak placed the coffee down on the shelf above the sink. “And your front.”
“Maybe next time.” Her breath still shuddered as she inhaled, and her face was pale, but her eyes were blotchy and red from crying. It was all he could do not to tear the door off its hinges, and run down the stairs, out into the gathering dusk and hunt down the bastard who had made her cry.
He settled for wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. “We could just take Storm and get on an airplane and go to Australia.” The words tumbled out of his mouth.
“I’m not running,” Louise replied, looking up into his face, her eyes fierce. “I love it here, you love it here. You came home, remember? And what about Dean?”
“Take him with us,” Zak replied, kissing her neck.
“We stand and fight. Well, not literally fight, because then he wins.” Louise took his face in her hands and kissed his lips. “We are stronger together. And if Brad can find him and Ajax still has the ring, then we might be free of him.”
Zak nodded. “Let’s forget about Ajax for a few minutes.” He lifted his hands to where the towel was secured around her, and pulled it open, letting it drop to the floor. “Oops.”
She smiled, a genuine smile that pushed the sadness from her face. “Oops. Is that all you have to say?”
“Oh, I have a lot more I could say, and a lot more I could do.” His hands caressed her damp skin. “I think you need to dry off some more.”
“Someone took my towel.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
“I have warm hands.” He stroked her body, warming it with his hands, while he trailed kisses across her skin.
“You do have warm hands. What about the rest of your body?” Louise took hold of the hem of his T-shirt and lifted it above his head. Then she pressed her naked skin against his.
“Warm too?” he asked.
“Very hot!” she exclaimed, as he undid his pants and let them drop to the floor.
Zak lifted her up, and rested her bottom on the edge of the sink. Louise parted her thighs, and he moved to stand between them. She slipped her fingers around his hard cock, and stroked it, before guiding him toward her sex.
Flexing his hips forward, he entered her, inching forward, while he supported her with his left hand. Tearing the sink off the wall would spoil the mood, and he didn’t want anything to do that. Nothing at all.
Louise nipped his neck, her tongue licking his skin, as he buried himself deeper and deeper inside her. She felt so good, wrapped around him like this. So very good. He pulled back and then pushed deeper, groaning against her neck.
In and out, he flexed his hips, the tension in his body rising as he made love to his mate. He wished they could stay like this, wrapped in each other's bodies, forever. But they could not hide from life; they both knew that.
As he kissed her breasts, and nuzzled her nipples, he knew that they were strong enough to face Ajax and whatever else he had planned. As long as they stayed true to each other and to the other people they valued in their lives.
Louise lifted her legs and wrapped herself around him, holding him tightly as if she would never let go. He felt the same way. But then he did let go, his arousal too much, his need to claim his mate too intense. He cried out, as he buried himself deep inside her.
Louise was close, he could feel her reaching for her orgasm, and he slipped his right hand between their bodies and rubbed her clit. Her hips bucked, and she whimpered in his arms. He jerked hard into her, his essence filling her as his cock pulsed and throbbed inside her.
Then she came and he jerked into her, impaling her on his cock as he felt her muscles tighten around him. Her fingernails raked his back, and he placed his hand against the wall as he fought to stay on his feet.
His bear growled, man and animal relishing the claiming of their mate.
Afterward, they stayed in each other’s arms, until the smell of Dean’s cooking reached them.
“You should go downstairs,” Louise said, as she wrapped herself in the towel, and padded back to the bedroom. “I’ll be down as soon as I’m dressed.”
“OK.” He kissed her on the neck, his hand on her stomach, pulling her back toward him. One day he would put his hand there, and feel their child kick against it.
Bad Boy Bear (Return to Bear Creek Book 9) Page 11
