by Lynn Hagen
He wondered if Maverick knew about this. Stepping off the porch, Bear plucked the sign up and tossed it into the back of the borrowed truck. He would dispose of it when he went to work.
His day off was ruined. Bear had to go get Bailey out of jail for fighting in front of the movie theater. What an idiot. If Bear wasn’t so shorthanded, he would leave the man to rot in jail.
But that only left Travis and Reno. Bear couldn’t do that to the two men. He couldn’t wait until Sampson and Flint started work on Monday. Maverick had told him that Bear wanted to hire a few more people aside from the two already starting.
That was fine by Bear. He needed the extra men.
“I’m ready,” Spencer said as he walked out onto the porch, “although I’m protesting stopping by The Pit. Can’t you talk to Priest?”
“I’m staying out of that,” Bear said as he opened the passenger door. “The last time I talked to your boss, I was ready to deck him.”
“You’re still trying to make me be an adult,” Spencer said with a pout as he buckled his seat belt. “I’m highly protesting this decision of yours. I like being rebellious and playing hooky. I don’t get to do it very often.”
“Poor baby.” Bear chuckled as he closed the truck door. And here he thought he was dealing with a very timid man. Spencer was proving that notion wrong. But Bear liked the little wild streak in his mate. He just prayed that the guy was never caught in another situation like he had been in yesterday.
Talk about shaving one hundred years off of his life.
Bear drove into town, noticing more and more of those campaign signs popping up everywhere.
“Who is Bart Fishman?” Spencer asked as he stared out of the window. “I’ve never heard of him.”
“Me either,” Bear replied as he pulled into the police station. “Are you waiting or coming in?”
Spencer unbuckled himself. “I’ll come in. I’ve never been inside the police station before.”
“This isn’t a field trip,” Bear reminded his mate as he closed his door. “I’m here to bail out a knucklehead who ruined my day off with you.”
Spencer pressed his lips together, which told Bear the man knew something. He stopped walking, grabbing his mate’s arm to stop him. “Spill it.”
Spencer tried to give him an innocent smile, his eyes blinking rapidly, but Bear wasn’t fooled. He could tell that his little impala was trying to avoid telling him what was going on. His mate’s eyes were darting too quickly as he tried to pull away. “Spill what?”
“Would you really send me in there not knowing what is going on?” Bear was learning that Spencer needed coaxing in order to spill his guts.
“Okay!” Spencer tossed his hand into the air, letting out an exaggerated breath. “Johnny told me that Harley was seen in front of the movies with Bailey. They were making out pretty hot and heavy. Damon saw them and went nuts. Damon and Bailey began fighting. But I’ve seen Damon at The Pit with Harley. Johnny has seen Bailey at The Café with Harley, but then we both saw Harley coming in with the cashier from Village Mart.”
Bear’s head began to hurt. He reached up and began to rub his temples as he tried to sort out what Spencer was telling him. “You gossip a lot with Johnny?” And here he thought his mate needed coaxing. It seemed Bear had a lot to learn about his little impala.
“After everything I just told you, that’s what you ask?”
“It seems Harley can’t keep it in his pants,” Bear replied. “I don’t need any further explanations as far as that sordid tale.”
“We talk on our lunch break,” Spencer admitted.
So his mate was a gossiper. Bear had another subject he was going to have to talk to his mate about. Gossiping never proved fruitful. It always got the tongue-wagger into trouble. “So Bailey is pissed because he thought he was Harley’s only one?”
Spencer shook his head. “No.”
His headache was getting worse. “Why is my guy in jail, Spencer?”
“He is in jail because he ran into another guy. There is no way he didn’t know about Damon. Heck, the whole town knows. It wasn’t like Harley was trying to hide what he was doing.”
So Spencer was speculating on why Bailey was in jail. The hard fact was that Bailey was fighting over a guy. That was all Bear needed to know. Bailey was human, so it wasn’t like… “Is Harley a shifter?”
If he was, he was in a shitload of trouble. If one of the three men was his mate, then the three-timing sack of shit was cheating.
“No, he’s human.”
Bear didn’t want to hear any more. The migraine was starting to move to the back of his fucking skull. “Let’s go bail my guy out so I can kick his ass.” Bear prayed to god that Bailey wasn’t in love with Harley. That would only make matters worse. But then again, his actions spoke volumes.
Bailey loved Harley.
Bear wanted to string Harley up by his balls for putting him through this mess. Even though he wasn’t the one being cheated on, his day had been ruined. Grabbing his mate’s hand, Bear walked into the station.
The sound of a phone ringing, people murmuring, and the smell of burnt coffee assaulted him. Bear wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.
It took two hours, bail money, and a strong warning from the cops for Bailey to stay away from Damon Myers before Bear walked out with Bailey. The man was sullen, his shoulders deeply slumped as he trailed behind Bear to the parking lot. The human was also sporting a nice shiner under his right eye.
Finally, Bear couldn’t bite his tongue any longer. “Your personal life is your own. But when it starts interfering with work, that’s when I have to step in. I think you should take a few days off to work things out, Bailey. This won’t go on your permanent record, but it seems you need some head time.” It was going to hurt them being a man short, but Bear could see how messed up the firefighter was right now.
He could see the man was already hurting, but maybe Bailey could use the few days to figure his mess out. The man was fairly intelligent with a smile that lit up the room. He could do a hell of a lot better than Harley…whoever that guy was.
“Sorry, Chief,” Bailey said as he began to walk away. “Thanks for bailing me out.”
Bear wasn’t sure what more he could say. He didn’t know how to mend a broken heart. That was something Bailey was going to have to do on his own. He had learned a long time ago that matters of the heart were best left alone when those feelings weren’t returned.
“Wait,” Spencer called out. He turned toward Bear. “You can just let him go home and wallow in pain. Look at him. He’s a shattered mess.”
“What do you want to do with him?” Bear asked. “It isn’t like he has the flu. You can’t feed him chicken soup and hope he feels better.”
“No,” Spencer said as he walked toward Bailey, “but we can give him some company, be there for him.”
Bear groaned. What did he know about mending a broken heart? Nothing. But he knew who might be able to help the poor SOB out. “Come on, let’s go for a ride.”
Spencer smiled affectionately at Bear, making his insides tighten. It was a simple smile, but no one had ever looked at him so lovingly before. They weren’t in the middle of sex and Bear wasn’t doing anything special for his mate…yet. The smile made Bear feel like he could take on the world.
It also made him realize that he was falling in love with Spencer. The little impala was stealing his very heart. For the first time in forever, Bear felt himself blushing. What in the hell was that little man doing to him?
God, he was so fucked. Bear knew that anything his mate asked for, he would gladly give. Having never felt this deeply about another person in his life, Bear could only compare the feeling and emotions to nausea, excitement, eager to hear his mate’s voice, feel his touch, and wondering through all that if he was losing his mind.
He was a mixed-up basket case. Only his mate would never know because Bear was doing his best to keep his cool and center his control. It
was all so new to him, making Bear want to walk up to the building and crack his head against the brick wall as he shouted that he was in love with the sweetest man in the world.
And here he thought he was invincible when it came to love.
He needed to be committed.
Once all three were in the truck, Bear pulled from the police station. Spencer was seated in the middle, his thigh and arm touching Bear’s. All he wanted to do right now was show his mate just what the guy meant to him. He just had to figure out how.
“Where are we heading?” Spencer asked when Bear passed The Pit.
“You’ll see.” Even though Bear hadn’t a clue about broken hearts, he knew Spencer was right. They couldn’t just leave the poor guy to his own misery.
So, he was doing the only thing he could think of.
“Tate’s Resource Center?” Bailey asked as he glanced from the building Bear was pulling in front of over to Bear. “Why are you coming here?”
“Because,” Bear answered as he felt the argument coming. “You need help.”
“I’m not talking to a damn shrink,” Bailey protested, his eyes lowering to slits as he sat back, crossing his arms over his chest.
The man was forcing Bear’s hand. He didn’t want to be a prick, but he couldn’t let the man go home and cry himself to sleep in the dark, or do something he would regret. “Get the help you need or find another job.” Technically Bear couldn’t fire Bailey, but if Bailey didn’t know that, then he was going to use any means necessary to help the guy through this.
“You would seriously fire me?” Bailey nearly shouted as he jerked sideways in his seat. “That’s blackmail!”
“Call it what you want. Now, get out and follow me.” Bear used his no-nonsense tone, the one that told his men he was at the end of his rope and about to hurt someone. With stiff, jerky moves, Bailey got out of the truck, slamming the door behind him.
Bear didn’t give a shit how angry the man was. He needed help. If he had to bend the man’s arm to the point of breaking it, that was what he was going to do.
He would love to get a hold of that Harley fella and kick his ass out of town. But that wasn’t his call. Bear had learned in life that people like Harley always got what they had coming to them.
A person couldn’t go around messing with people’s hearts and not pay a price. If Bailey was feeling just an eighth of what Bear was going through, he was going to need some serious intervention. Bear didn’t protest when his mate laid an arm around Bailey’s shoulder and walked the man inside the resource center.
Chapter Eight
It was Monday and Spencer was back at work, his boss giving him the evil eye. Damn Bear and his talk about honesty. Priest looked as if he wanted to skin Spencer alive. He was trying his best to hide out in the office, but when Priest came in there and started slamming drawers of the cabinet, Spencer knew he needed some air.
“Spencer!”
And it looked like his day was going to crash and burn. Recker walked into The Pit, looking as if he was chewing nails. “Where the hell have you been?”
He so didn’t need this. Spencer was dealing with enough. He was still deeply shaken from watching the cashier at the gas station being shot, worried about Bailey, and Bear had asked Spencer to move in with him. On top of all of that, Priest was acting like a loon.
“Outside,” Spencer said angrily, pointing toward the exit. He loved Recker dearly, but the guy needed a hobby. Making sure everyone in the house never came to harm was not a healthy pastime.
And Recker focused more on Spencer than the rest because he was the smallest. Spencer needed a vacation.
“Where were you this weekend?” Recker asked before Spencer made it out the door. “You didn’t call or come back home.”
Spencer started to give his best friend a smart-ass reply, but knew Recker couldn’t help the way he felt. The man was terrified of losing someone else he cared about. Spencer grabbed the rhino’s hand and pulled him to the side of the building so they wouldn’t give anyone a show.
“Bear mated me. We were spending time together.”
Recker’s light-blue eyes darkened as he took a step closer to Spencer, grabbing his chin and turning his head to the side. “Yeah, then what was it I heard about you being hurt in a robbery?”
Spencer slumped his shoulders as he exhaled loudly. “I’m fine, Recker. I wasn’t hurt.”
“Why are you being so stubborn with me, Spence? Why are you getting mad because I care? You’ve changed.” Recker released Spencer’s jaw and he could see the hurt in Recker’s eyes. That wasn’t what Spencer wanted. He didn’t want to alienate his friend. But how could he explain to the unreasonable man that he was newly mated and Bear was his moon and stars?
All Spencer wanted to do was spend every free moment with the grizzly bear. Recker had never been in love and wouldn’t understand the emotional roller coaster he was experiencing. “I haven’t changed, Recker,” Spencer said as he bumped his arm into Recker’s. “I’m just in love.”
His best friend’s expression looked contemplative as he chewed on Spencer’s words. “But I don’t get to see you that much anymore. If that is what love does to a person, you can keep it.”
Spencer chuckled. “You say that now, but wait until you find your mate.”
Recker grunted.
“I tell you what. Why don’t you and I go catch a movie tonight?” Spencer slipped his arm into the rhino’s, pulling gently. “Come on, just you and me, like old times.”
That gained a smile from Recker. The man was truly stunning. Whoever his mate was, the guy was going to be one lucky fella. Recker—even with his short temper—was quite the catch. The man had a very bashful side that not many knew about.
“I’ll pick you up after work.”
Leaning up, Spencer pecked his friend on the cheek and then patted his arm. “We’ll gorge ourselves on popcorn and candy.”
“What color is my shirt?” Leigh asked jokingly as he walked through the parking lot, heading into the building.
Before Spencer could grab Recker, his best friend was across the parking lot. He landed a solid punch to Leigh’s jaw, sending the human flying. “Recker!” Spencer shouted as he jumped on the man’s back.
Oh, god! Was Leigh dead? Recker was thick with muscles and as solid as a brick wall. The man could cause fatal damage if he wasn’t careful. “What have you done?” Spencer whispered when he didn’t see Leigh moving.
“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Recker said as he ran his hands over his head, agitation clear in his voice. “I just hate the way he teases me. He’s mean.”
“Shit!” Priest shouted as he hurried outside and dropped to his knees next to Leigh’s prone body. “Call an ambulance, Spencer.”
Recker backed up, his hands shaking as he watched Priest check Leigh. Spencer wasn’t sure what to do. He was so damn scared that he was dizzy. If Recker had killed the man… Fuck!
Spencer had a difficult time dialing his phone. His fingers were trembling so badly. He dialed the emergency number as he hurried over to Recker. His best friend was covering his head with his hands, bending at the waist as he shouted that he didn’t mean to hurt Leigh.
Spencer ran his hand over the man’s head as he told the operator what happened and that they needed an ambulance. God, he was going to be sick. He couldn’t let his best friend go to jail, but he knew that what Leigh had done hadn’t warranted a death sentence.
“He’s breathing,” Priest said with relief over his shoulder. “But I think his jaw is broken. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a brain contusion as well.”
“I’m so sorry, Spence.” Recker rocked back and forth as he squatted. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered the second time.
Spencer quickly dialed the phone once again. He needed Bear here. The cops were going to show up, and he needed someone to help him keep Recker from going wild with guilt.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Priest shouted in Recker’s directi
on, the anger making the man’s eyes turn demonic. “You could have killed him!”
Spencer dropped his phone to the ground when Recker jerked to a standing position. He slammed his hands into the man’s chest, trying his best to keep Recker from going after Priest. The siren from the ambulance could be heard as well as another siren, a different tone. The cops were on their way as well.
“I didn’t mean to hurt him! He’s a very mean man. Someone needs to put a leash on him!” Recker was shouting at the top of his lungs when the ambulance pulled up. Spencer wasn’t sure what was going on. The paramedics didn’t get out. As a matter of fact, they backed the ambulance up.
A cop car flew into the parking lot seconds later, two officers jumping out, shielding themselves behind the door as they drew their guns. “Get on the ground!”
One cop was aiming his gun at Recker, the other at Priest. Spencer knew that all they saw were two extremely large men arguing with each other, a skinny guy passed out on the ground. They weren’t taking any chances.
“Recker, please,” Spencer begged. “Get on the ground before they shoot you.” He could feel the tears burning his eyes as he tried to get his best friend to look at him. Recker was becoming even more agitated. Spencer feared for his friend’s life. “Recker, get down!” Spencer shouted at his friend, trying to jolt him into focusing.
Bear pulled up and got out, immediately putting his hands up in the air. His eyes flickered from Leigh, to Recker, and then finally landed on Spencer, before he glanced at the cops. “Fire Chief Bear Callahan. Can I try and talk to him?”
Both cops looked uncertain. “Just don’t get too close,” one of them warned.
Bear nodded. He turned toward Spencer. “Since I had no clue what was going on from the shouts I heard in the phone, I called Maverick.”
Spencer wanted to scream out his frustration. This was getting out of hand. Wasn’t he just planning an evening at the movies? How had everything gone so wrong? He waved toward Leigh, who was still unconscious. “Help him. Recker isn’t going to hurt anyone.”
