Bear to the End (Bear Claw Security Book 5) (11 page)

She nodded. “Okay, big guy. Show me your world.”

He grinned and picked her up in his arms to carry her to the truck.

I
t was only
a short drive to Mark’s place on the other side of town. But the entire time, he couldn’t help but feel a little worried about what Charlotte would think once they got there.

Her safety was all that mattered. And now that was taken care of, he could feel the chemistry slowly building between them again, like a pot simmering into a rolling boil.

Mark pulled the black rental truck into his parking space next to his expensive sports car as he considered possibly keeping the gargantuan vehicle since Char seemed to like it.

“Is that yours?” she asked, eyeing the still shiny white surface of the car from the wax job it had received prior to him taking the job.

“Maybe,” he replied as he got out and came over to her side of the car, popping open the door and pulling her into his arms. He ignored the fact that he was shirtless. After all, there were only a few apartments in the whole complex since the rent was incredibly expensive. And since he had the nicest one in the entire building, he had his own private entrance.

Feeling nervousness building as he carried her up his personal staircase leading into the rear of the place, Mark unlocked the door and brought her inside, putting her down on the ground and then locking the door behind them and giving the vocal command to turn on the lights. All at once, the place lit up, revealing sparkling granite countertops and gleaming steel appliances, all appearing as if they were brand new.

“Voice activated. Fancy,” Char said with a smirk as she surveyed the surroundings with curiosity.

Suddenly, he felt awkward, wondering if she would like the place since it was where he lived and a little afraid the posh furnishings and expensive decor would make her feel out of place, or worse, remind her of Clay. It was such a contrast to her tiny apartment on the south end of town. Yet the small, threadbare furniture and dilapidated walls felt warmer than any mansion with its niceties.

For a moment, she just walked around, running her hand along a hand-carved end table, then pausing at a large seascape by a famous painter that he had acquired several years ago and put above the fireplace.

But all these belongings, any symbols of wealth or high0class society or riches, all of that was a heap of dust compared to how important his mate’s happiness was to him. He would throw it all away without a second thought if for a second it made her feel uncomfortable or scared.

Eternity with his mate and keeping her safe and protected was all that was important now.

“If you don’t like it, we can find a new place together. Somewhere less… well, like this,” he said, trying to gauge her reaction to it all as he followed her.

“What? Why?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“Because it’s too much. Because it makes you feel uncomfortable.”

“That was different. Clay used his wealth and status against me. But this,” she said, motioning to the lavish apartment around her, “this is part of you. It might not have been the part I was ready to accept when we first met, but now that I know you better, I love everything about you. Including your apartment,” she said warmly, instantly calming his worries.

“So you like it?”

“Like it? I love it,” she exclaimed, turning and throwing her arms around his shoulders. Instinctively, he picked her up into his arms, loving the feel of her curves against his bare chest. “Now you just need to show me to the bedroom,” she whispered into his ear, making his entire body stand at attention, the thought of her screaming out in pleasure as he claimed her at the forefront of his mind.

“Actually, I was thinking I’d show you something else you might like,” he said, walking toward the master bedroom, but not stopping as they passed his gigantic four-post bed. Instead, he headed for the master bathroom, walking inside and flicking on a light to reveal a huge, fully-equipped bathroom that would make the presidential suite of a five-star hotel seem modest.

“Wow, you really know how to go all out,” she marveled, looking at the glass shower large enough to fit ten people and the tub that was bigger than a hot tub one would have on their patio or deck.

“Just where it counts. Until now, I’ve had nobody to share it with, though. So yeah, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind a bath,” he said, kneeling and turning a knob to start a steady stream of hot water pouring from several faucets into the oversized tub.

“Sounds amazing,” she said. He could feel even the slightest change in her reaction, could scent the beginning of her arousal and the change in her body temperature in his arms.

As the tub filled, he poured a generous amount of high-end bubble bath, which foamed as the water mixed with it, filling the air with an aroma of lavender and vanilla.

“Here, let me help you in. That first step can be kind of a doozy,” Mark said, putting her down and pulling off the worn cargo pants and stepping into the bath. Already, he could see a blush on his mate as she watched him get inside, and once she disrobed, he held out his hand to guide her in.

Once they were in, surrounded by rising steam and lavender and bubbles, Mark could feel his heart starting to race, excited to finally be one with his mate. Slowly, trying not to splash the water around, he picked Charlotte up and pulled her into his lap, using a finger to move an errant curl of hair from her face.

“So once we’re mated, that’s it I guess,” she said, sounding pleased at the thought and settling in next to him, her hands wrapped behind his neck.

“You bet. Granted, for me, you were always it from the first moment I met you. There will always only ever be you,” he said, pulling her closer to him and placing a gentle kiss on her ear, causing her to sigh in pleasure.

“And even though I didn’t recognize it at the time, I can see how my bear wanted you from the start, too. How you make me feel a certain way that I’ve never experienced before. The feel of something everlasting, something unbreakable between us,” she said, her hands running along his back as he continued to softly kiss her cheek, her neck, anywhere her body called to him.

“Well then, what’s keeping us?” he said playfully as he teased at the outer shell of her ear, making sure one last time this was what she wanted, caring solely for her needs and desires.

“Waiting on you,” she said coyly, moaning as he bit down lightly on her earlobe.

At that, Mark growled with excitement, picking Char up and turning her back to lie on one of the sloped corners of the tub. Her breasts dipped just barely below the water line, covered in a soft layer of bubbles, tantalizing him. Taking both breasts in his hands, he cupped them and kissed both, running his tongue along the center of her nipples, undistracted by the taste of lavender-scented bubbles and completely overwhelmed by her beauty.

Char gasped in pleasure at the sensation of it, the hot water everywhere intensifying the experience. As he continued to lick and kiss her breasts, he reached a finger into the water between her legs, instantly finding her small nub and stroking softly against it.

Her back arched, and she held him tightly, her anchor in the hurricane of pleasure he would always give her.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how good this feels, being with you,” she said between gasps as Mark continued with his singular goal of pleasuring her until she could receive no more.

“I would hope not, since this is just the start for us,” he replied, following with another long stroke along her clit, causing her body to tense, so close to release now.

As he continued to kiss along her body, he reached his other hand down, dipping a finger inside her, then two, thrusting and exploring and filling as he continued to run his other hand over her center, welling with satisfaction at each gasp or moan she let out and making him painfully hard from seeing his mate so aroused.

He flicked once more against her, and she screamed his name as her body released all the pleasure they’d built together in the past minutes. For many long seconds, she held him close to her, hands raking over his back as she came.

Mark definitely looked forward to giving her countless more orgasms like this in the future.

But as much as he wanted to make her come over and over right now, he could tell from her soft panting and the untamed look in her eyes there was only one thing on her mind. That, and his own bear was so close to the surface, roaring with satisfaction and desire to claim its mate.

“I love you, Charlotte,” Mark said, placing a kiss on her sensuous lips.

“I love you, too, Mark,” she said, giggling a little as she said his name. “It might take me a few days to get used to the idea of that being your first name and not your middle, but I’ll get it eventually.”

“So long as you know exactly who’s pleasuring you like this,” Mark replied, positioning himself between her hips. He could feel the warmth of her body, could sense how ready she was for him and how much she wanted him.

Every bit as badly as he wanted her. Needed her.

With one slow motion, he pushed inside her, the wetness of the tub only further intensifying the already mind-blowing sensation of their two bodies coming together. Char clenched around him, so close and trying to hold back her release.

They were so close now. It had felt like forever, even though it had only been a few days since he’d met her, and now they were here.

Mark waited for her to relax, then began to thrust, using his entire length to stimulate her more than she’d ever been before. Char seemed unable to contain herself, crying out in ecstasy each time he thrust, moving in time with him to increase the speed.

He found it difficult to hold on with her own hurried motions, as if she couldn’t hold on another second. His entire body felt like it was on fire, both of them drenched in hot water yet unbearably thirsty for only one thing.

It was incredible. It was euphoric. The way they came together over and over as they pushed toward the same goal.

Mark thrust once more, pushing as far into his mate as both their bodies could possibly allow, and everything came apart together.

First Char went, her arms and legs wrapping around him tightly as she held her breath, then arching backward as she called his name, echoing off the walls around them. A moment later, Mark felt his own release pulled from him as well, an overwhelming sensation of pleasurable shocks coursing through him again and again, so powerful it was almost painful, but not.

As he came, he could hear his bear roaring with contentment, could picture the both of them running in the forest, could see his wife in the future, their cubs following them.

For a long time, they jointly experienced the powerful feelings of rapturous release, still together even after they’d finished.

Once he could think again, Mark cupped his mate’s face and gave her a long kiss, entwining their lips in a sealing promise of forever.

“How about dinner and then a nap for my mate?” Mark asked, pulling out of her slowly, then picking her up and standing to get out of the tub.

“Nap first. Dinner after,” she replied, practically glowing from happiness, her body completely relaxed in his arms as he wrapped a robe around both of them, then took her to the bed and laid her down.

“Whatever you want. So long as we’re together, whatever you want is what I want,” he said, lying on the bed next to her.

For a minute, Char just ran her hand along the plush sheets and looked around her at the especially prim decorations of his room.

“You might have had the look of some upper-crust, fancy-pants rich boy when I first met you, but by the way you charged in to rescue me without thinking earlier, it looks like you’re all bear,” she said with a grin, her beautiful brown eyes watching him intently.

Mark laughed in response, then came around Char as she turned over to allow him to be the big spoon behind her.

“I guess you’re right. All it took was finding my sassy, beautiful mate to do that,” he said happily as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled the sheets over them with his other hand. “For you, I’ll be a bear, all the way to the end.”

“As long as you’re
my
bear, I couldn’t be happier,” she said, followed by a contented sigh.

“Always.”

J
amie grabbed
Char’s hand and pulled it towards her, eyes bugging. “Wow,” she said, looking at Mark and shaking her head. “When you go all out, you go all out.”

Char grinned and pulled her hand with her ring back, folding her arms since she felt a little awkward. “I guess Mark’s a little possessive.”

Mark put an arm around her. “Darn right. No one’s going to look at that finger and not know she’s taken.”

Hercules came up, putting an arm around Hera. “I’m pretty sure no one would ever mistake any of our mates for not being taken.”

“Yeah,” Hera said, rolling her eyes but giving her mate an affectionate smile. “Since you’re always hanging around.”

“Isn’t that the point of a mate?” Hercules asked, brushing his long hair over his shoulder. Mark just laughed and sat in a nearby chair, pulling Char onto his lap. In the last couple weeks, Char had gotten really comfortable in the office. Business had been a little slower, which was good because everyone was still adjusting to the fact that everyone in the office was now mated.

They’d also been recently recruiting.

A knock sounded on the front door downstairs and Bronson walked into the front office and reached down to buzz whoever it was in. They’d upped security recently just to avoid any incidents from people who they may have pissed off.

“Who’s that?” Mark asked. “One of the new recruits?”

Bronson shrugged. “I don’t have any appointments.”

“Then why did you buzz them in?” Mark asked, getting up gently and settling Char on the chair behind them.

Limes came protectively around his pregnant mate, glaring at the door.

“I didn’t think it would be a problem, given that it’s broad daylight, someone who was requesting permission, and there are four of us here.”

“Right, ‘cause Cage is visiting Carrie’s friends back in her hometown, right?”

“Right,” Bronson said. “Anyway, everyone just calm down. I’m sure it’s just something normal. Someone who needs our help. Something like that.”

“Fine by me,” Mark said. “I think I’ll let the two of you handle it. I have something I need to show Charlotte.”

“Something else already?” Jamie teased. “I mean, look at that ring. I think you’re good on the surprises for a while.”

Char grinned. Secretly, she was pleased by the ring. It was a large, two carat princess cut diamond on a simple platinum band, and everything about it screamed Mark. After what they’d been through, she was just glad they’d made it together and were mated. Wearing his ring was just the cherry on the top.

“What are you going to show me?” she asked, as Mark reached out a hand to help her up just as the elevator dinged outside.

“It’s a surprise,” he said. But then he trailed off as the rest of the office went quiet. His face went paler as he stared out the office doors with the other guys.

Jamie and Char shared confused looks and then tried to get on their toes to see past their hulking men who were taking up most of the view.

“Is that…no that isn’t…” Limes said, looking aghast as he kept his mate tucked safely behind him.

“I think it is,” Bronson said.

“Is who?” Jamie asked in frustration.

“Yeah,” Hera said, pushing at Hercules, who finally moved. “Oh dang. That looks like Beau Hunt.”

“Beau Hunt?” Jamie asked. “No way.”

Beau Hunt. Char had to think for a moment. Then it clicked. A famous rock star who’d toured with multiple bands and was one of the most recognizable men on the planet. Not to mention, a lot of women thought he was one of the best looking.

She frowned. “What’s he doing here?”

The other men looked at Hercules, who had frozen. Char peeked out from behind Mark and saw a man walking toward them, almost looking like he was glowing. He had blond hair lit in shades of gold and toffee, waving around his face, that classically handsome face that lit up so many news stands.

And even though she’d heard a lot of celebrities seemed smaller in person, somehow Beau Hunt seemed a whole lot
larger
.

She did a double take, looking from him to Hercules. There was something there bugging her, but she couldn’t put a finger on it…

“Herc, is that your brother?” Bronson asked. “The one that was coming?”

“Half-brother,” Herc choked out. “I mean, I’d heard he was someone famous, and that’s why he hadn’t been able to get out here sooner, but sheesh. I mean…”

“If I look close I can see a resemblance,” Mark said.

“Yeah,
real
close,” Limes muttered, earning a punch in the arm from Hercules.

Beau was wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket over a fashionably distressed tee shirt and tight, semi-ripped jeans with combat boots. It was a look only a rock star could pull off.

When he took off the sunglasses and pulled open the door to the office, Char had to resist the urge to put up a hand to block the light coming off of him. He just radiated, there was no other way to put it.

She looked up at Mark and saw him looking down at her curiously. She smiled up at him, loving how every time they made eye contact she felt centered again. Safe and warm.

She’d let the rest of them deal with the mystery that was Beau Hunt. She just wanted to go see what
her
rock star had planned for her.

She put her arm through Mark’s as Beau walked forward, his eyes pinned to Hercules, his handsome face polite but intently interested, as if he had waited for that moment a long time. Then he reached out and pulled Hercules into his arms for a hug, wrapping him tight, and she figured that was as good a time as any to get out of there.

She tugged on Mark, snapping him out of his bug eyed look at Hercules and his brother. “Come on, now’s our chance. Didn’t you have something to show me?”

Mark raised an eyebrow. His face was so handsome it still took her breath away every time she looked at it. She loved every smooth line, every hard angle. That perfect nose, that strong chin. Those soft blue eyes that could look so hard or so hot at any moment.

He didn’t ask questions, just led her outside to the elevator and held the door, taking one last peek at what was happening in the office behind them.

Then the doors closed and he relaxed against the wall with a sigh. “Wow, that’s something else.”

“What, Hercules meeting his family?”

Mark nodded. “Still, I didn’t think they’d be anyone that famous. Weird. Imagine how big the other ones are.”

“Yeah, plus there is something about them.”

“I’m not sure what kind of shifters they are,” Mark said. “But they have a real pull to them, don’t they?”

“He does, but maybe that’s just because rock stars have charisma?”

Mark shrugged, and then his mouth quirked and he looked down at her with a playful glare. “Hey now. Giving other men compliments?”

She shoved him. “I left to be with you, didn’t I?” She put a hand in his and squeezed it three times to signal I love you. “You know you’re the only star in my life.”

He flushed and was lost for words for a moment but then squeezed her hand back. “Wow. Beau Hunt showing up in Bear Claw Security.”

“I think you’re more star struck than I am,” she said.

“Well yeah, I listen to his music. Doesn’t everyone?”

She shrugged. “I actually had to think about it to remember who he was. I don’t follow tabloids.”

He turned to pin her against the wall of the elevator. “That’s right. My mate’s kind of cut off from the world. Not that I mind her not thinking about other men. I like it that way.”

She snickered and pushed him back, but not before placing a quick, gentle kiss on his lips that promised him other things when they got home.

She checked the clock on her phone as they got out of the elevator. “It was fun showing the other girls the ring, but I probably better get back to work.”

“Actually, what I want to show you involves that,” he said, pulling something out of his pocket. It was a wide white envelope and he handed it over to you. “Here, this is yours.”

She frowned down at it. Some kind of present? Mark loved to do spontaneous things like bring flowers home, and he’d even surprised her with the ring, but this was something she couldn’t guess.

“Should I open it?”

He nodded, leaning against his shiny silver Porsche as he waited patiently.

She tore the envelope open gently and then pulled out a folded sheaf of papers. She opened it and began to read, and then gasped and dropped all of it on the floor in shock.

She looked down at the papers, feeling like the world was swimming, as his arm came around to steady her and he reached down to scoop the papers off the ground.

She looked down at them once they were back in her shaking hands and tears bit her eyes as she realized they definitely were the title to the building for the shelter.

They wouldn’t have to pay rent. They wouldn’t have to worry about their lease.

Mark gave her a gentle squeeze. “I know how much that place means to you. And it gives women like you a chance to get free. Is it a good wedding present?”

She nodded, still teary eyed and swiping to dry her eyes. “Of course.”

“It’s owned by my company. A new one I started just for this. I didn’t want you to have to deal with tax liability if I gifted it to the shelter. But you know it’s as good as yours, and you know you have the location as long as you need.”

She nodded, her throat still tight with emotion, still totally lost for words.

Then she threw her arms around him, holding him as tight as she could. He had such a big heart, and now that heart was all hers, and she was bursting with just feeling how lucky she was.

“You’re the best man I’ve ever met, you know that?”

He was embarrassed but pleased, she could feel it in the tentative strokes of his hands over her back. “Thank you.”

She pulled back, still wiping tears. “Oh my gosh. I have to tell Connie and the others.” He opened her door and helped her in, which was good because her legs were still shaking. “Oh, Mark. I can’t believe you did it.”

“I can. I’d do anything for you,” he said, getting in on his side of the car. He took her face in his hand, tilting her chin, and then took her in a long, searing kiss she felt all the way down to her toes, like lightning running along her nerves.

He was everything.

“And after work, I’m going to give you a present,” she said, looking at him meaningfully.

“Ooh, my favorite present?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“So, spaghetti? You’re finally going to cook for me?” he teased.

She laughed out loud. “No. I was gonna say sexy times.”

He gave her a smoldering grin. “Well I’m definitely good with that,” he said. “Guess we better hurry and get you to work.”

She giggled. “Guess so.”

He started the car and pulled out of the garage, and then when they were out on the freeway, she put a hand on his thigh, giving it a squeeze. He put his hand over hers, holding it tight. “You know what the best part of every day is for me?” he asked.

“What?” she asked

“Going home and being with you,” he said. “I feel lucky every day, like I’m living in a dream.”

She flushed. “I do too. Except when I wake up, you’re still there.”

“And I always will be.”

She held his hand and rested against the seat. “Always” felt great when everything was this perfect.

* * *

* * *

T
hank
you so much for reading Char and Mark’s story!
I loved writing Mark’s story and I hope you enjoyed the series! I hope if you enjoyed it, you’ll leave a review on the page to help others find it! It really helps us authors.
Also
, quite a few people have emailed wanting to know more about Hercules’s family. So if you liked Beau Hunt and you’d like to see some more of him, let me know in your review!

Thanks again for reading and being such great fans and people!

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