Bear to the End (Bear Claw Security Book 5) (9 page)

And dammit, he had been.

“I’ll get the door fixed,” he said. “And then we’ll talk.” He let her go. “You make sure the other women are okay.”

She nodded and went to do that, and he walked outside to call Bronson and ask for him for a referral for a glass job. Bronson just said he’d send someone over, and Mark was grateful he didn’t ask a lot of other questions.

Bronson was good at sensing when he didn’t want to talk and not pushing his buttons.

And he was too overwhelmed right now to explain what was going on anyway.

Hercules and the others would probably just say serves him right for going ahead with this plan, but he really hadn’t had a choice. Unless he wanted his mate unprotected or going to another agency, and who knew if they could have protected her…?

He waited until the glass guy came and then made sure he could complete the job quickly and also add some security to the door, paying for all of it out of his pocket.

While he was at it, he was going to do some other things for the shelter. Once Charlotte knew who he was, he could do things like that freely, without fear of discovery.

Ugh, the thought of her knowing still sat like a cold rock in his stomach. But it was the right thing, so he was going to tell her.

He just wanted to make sure the door was repaired with a good deadbolt so if she tossed him out on his ass, she’d be safe until he could get another Bear Claw Security guy over there.

He looked up several times to see her staring at him with an indiscernible, thoughtful expression.

Clay had called him rich. Had she heard that? Or was she just nervous that her own lie had been called out? Not that her lie was anywhere near as bad as his.

When the door was repaired, he paid and tipped the guy, and then Char walked over to him.

“The other ladies said we’re closing the office for today. We’ll post a number on the door for emergencies, but other than that, everyone needs to calm down a bit.”

“Because I threw a guy into a door?” he asked, feeling ashamed he’d triggered any of them.

“No,” she said. “Just his threats about shutting us down and the way he creeped lots of them out before I got here.”

His fingers tightened into fists. “He didn’t hurt any of them, did he?”

She shook her head. “No, but all the women here know the look of a man who isn’t afraid to hurt a woman. Who might even like doing it.”

His jaw tightened. “I don’t understand it. I just don’t understand it at all.”

She shrugged. “There are a lot of things I don’t understand. Like why Clay would say you were rich.”

He opened his mouth to answer, but she put a resigned hand up to stop him, touching his mouth with one finger.

“We can talk at home,” she said. “I’m tired right now.”

He helped her into his truck and started it up so they could head home. His fingers gripped the steering wheel all the way, until they were numb and his heart was pounding.

Time to tell his mate the truth and hope she could love him anyway.

W
hen they got
up to the apartment, Charlotte took off her jacket and went into her room to change. She was already starting to feel numb inside, based on what she suspected, but she wanted to be as comfortable as possible if her fears were about to be confirmed.

The guilty, resigned expression on Mark’s face wasn’t helping. He looked like a man being led to the hangman’s noose.

She left him in the living room, where he was making sure the door was securely locked, as usual, and headed into the bedroom where she changed into some comfy, thick sweats that hid her completely.

Right now, she felt vulnerable, and the best way to counter that was to be warm and fuzzy and hidden from the world.

When she walked back into the living room, she saw Mark pacing on her ratty carpet.

If he really were a rich person, how had he been feeling about staying at her place this whole time? And why had he been doing it? Did he think it was funny?

Was it just because she didn’t want to work with him, and he, like a lot of rich men, just wanted to prove he could do whatever he wanted?

He faced her, his unbearably handsome face drawn tight as he opened his mouth to speak. “Sit down,” he offered.

She did, taking up the small couch.

He paced in front of her. “What do you want to know?”

“Are you rich?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered.

She swallowed painfully, feeling a lump forming in her chest. “Are you the man I met in the office that I didn’t want to work with? Are you pretending to be your twin?”

His jaw tightened. “Yes.”

She slumped back with a sigh. She didn’t even know what to say just yet.

He came in front of her and knelt, but she scooted back as far away from him as she could, pressing herself into the hard back of the threadbare couch. “I was going to tell you. Before he even showed up. After what we shared last night, I didn’t want to keep lying to you.”

She folded her arms, more for self-protection than trying to look indignant. Like she could shield her heart from the oncoming pain if she just held herself tight enough with her puny hands.

“So you at least admit that’s what you’ve been doing,” she said. “Lying to me.” She hated how dead and dull her voice sounded. It was like when she’d first discovered Clay had been lying to her, meeting up with other women behind her back. And then when she’d confronted him, he’d hit her. And hit her. And not stopped hitting her until she’d walked out his door.

And then he’d began hunting her. Like it was a game. Disappearing for months at a time only to turn up and scare her and ruin everything, like he had today.

Mark gently tried to make her face him, but she turned away, tears biting her eyes.

“What else do you want to know about me?” he asked. “I’m who you think I am. I promise. That’s why I didn’t want to talk about my past. I hated lying to you. I never wanted to mislead you…”

“Then why did you?” she snapped, eyes stinging. “Was this fun for you? Sneaking around, letting me think you were someone else, someone I could relate to? Someone I could trust?”

His mouth tightened. “Maybe if you’d been honest from the start, I would have known why you didn’t want to work with someone like me. We could have talked it out. Changed my clothing.”

She scoffed. “Changing your clothing wouldn’t change who you are. You’re still someone like Clay, someone who thinks nothing of deceiving someone so you can have the upper hand and laugh at them.”

“When have I laughed at you?” he asked, sounding exasperated and hurt. He stood, raking his long fingers through his hair. “Char, I didn’t do it to trick you.”

“Well, it worked,” she said bitterly. “You put on different clothes and worked your way into my life. Good job.”

He shook his head. “If different clothes were all it took to get you to be with me, then hell yeah, I was going to do it. I want you. I like you.”

“I didn’t like you and you knew it,” she said.

“You wouldn’t have even given me a chance,” he said.

“And that was my choice,” she snapped.

“But you’ve liked me just fine the past few days. You’ve made love to me. We’ve shared great moments, and I’ve been falling in love with you, but you are seriously going to throw all of that away over me being rich?”

“Over you being a liar,” she said. “Don’t you get it? It changes everything. I don’t know you.” She tried to keep panic from overwhelming her as she realized how true that was. “The Mark I thought I knew was someone I couldn’t imagine lying.” She gaped. “Wait, is Mark even your middle name?”

“It’s my first name” he said. “Everyone calls my brother Bronson, and I didn’t want to hear his name from your lips.”

She frowned. “I bet. You controlling asshole.”

“How am I controlling?” he yelled. “Yes, I came into your life and misled you so I could take care of you. But I didn’t want to trick you, and I wasn’t trying to get something from you.”

“Bullshit,” she yelled at him. “And you’ve gotten a lot. So good for you! You infiltrated the poor person’s house and got her to put out. In a way, you’re no different from Clay, thinking you can come down to my level and sweep me off my feet and set all the rules just the way you like them.”

He took in a sharp, deep breath and rose to his full height. “I’m nothing like Clay, and you damn well know it. And when you calm down from your tantrum, you’ll realize I wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t have a choice. You’re my mate. Can’t you feel that?”

She blinked up at him, thinking of the connection between them. But a mate wouldn’t have tricked her like that. Lied to her like that. “You aren’t my mate,” she said flatly, feeling her heart crack in half at the thought.

His face fell, and she could see the devastation she’d wrought with her words. Well, he’d done worse. He’d made her fall in love with a lie all over again.

And he’d made it so wonderful that she would have gone on happily believing it as long as possible. Who knew when he would have told her?

They’d been destined not to work from the start. Maybe she was just attracted to the wrong men. She’d been surprised to be just as attracted to him at her home as she had been at the office. Now she knew they were the same man.

“Does your twin even know you were impersonating him?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “Though I didn’t tell him before I did it. But he wouldn’t have taken this job anyway. He’s married.”

“So you lied about that, too.”

“No,” he said snippily. “You asked if
I’m
married, and I’m not.”

She let out her frustration in an exasperated sigh. “And now you can get the hell out of here.”

He looked at her like he couldn’t believe her. “You’re seriously going to end it all over this? You don’t think we can work it out at all?”

“What’s there to work out?” she asked. “You’re a liar. What else will you lie about?”

He folded his arms and walked to his duffle, which he swiped up with one hand. “Fine. I’ll call someone over.” He walked into her bedroom to pack, and she felt her heart pound at the thought of him leaving. “It’ll have to be a guy and his mate, because none of them would be able to stay alone with you here.” Then he disappeared into the room.

When he was packed, he brought his duffle out and sat on the floor next to the door with it on his lap.

When the doorbell rang, he stood up to get it. But before he did, he pinned her with one last glare.

“I really thought I’d proven myself to you. I thought despite the lie about my name, my background, the things I couldn’t change about myself if I wanted to, you loved me for me.”

“I don’t know who you are,” she said emphatically, even though her heart ached, urging her to be less closed off than her memories allowed. But she was too hurt right now to even consider it. She was still reeling.

The worst part was she hadn’t ever seen it coming. She was stupid all over again. Too stupid to be in a relationship if she could get fooled like that so easily.

He sadly put his hand on the doorknob. “You know, people lie for good and bad reasons. I wouldn’t have held your lie against you.” He sighed. “But I can see why you hold mine against me.” He shook his head. “But you’re safe, and I don’t regret it at all. You’ll like Limes and Jamie. They’re good people.”

And then he opened the door, and his blond head and wide back disappeared through it, leaving her empty and upset.

An intimidating man with a shaved head and tattoos walked in, followed by a curvy girl with short curly hair pulled into a short ponytail.

Char looked up at them curiously, heart still aching over losing Mark.

The man folded his arms and cocked a hip. Goodness, he was giant. And a little scary. The woman next to him had friendly brown eyes and linked her arm through her mate’s.

“I’m Jamie and this is my mate, Limes.” She wrinkled her nose. “Funny name, I know. But you’ll get why soon enough.”

Limes gave her a sour look but then affectionately kissed the top of her head and moved her out of the way of the door so he could lock it.

Then he turned back to Char with a narrowed stare. “So why’d you have to go and fire my friend?”

C
har just gaped
at the man in front of her. His mate nudged him, but he ignored her and took a step forward, staring her down.

“As far as I heard, he was doing a damn good job for you.” He shook his head. “Do you know what that man could be making, and he’s here? I don’t even know why he does so much for Bear Claw, except he loves his brother.”

Char opened her mouth to defend herself, shocked by this man’s audacity, but he put up a hand.

“No,” he said. “I get that you feel lied to, but seriously, you find out a man is rich and you punt him out of your life? Why?”

His sharp voice made her flinch back into the seat, and he stopped immediately, looking uncomfortable and apologetic.

His mate sent him a withering glare and shoved him back toward the door as she came over to sit with Char.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking sheepish as he leaned on the door. “I never know when to shut up.”

“That’s for sure,” Jamie said. “You scared her.”

“I scared you too first time I met you,” he muttered.

“You scare everyone. Now shut up,” she said. She gave Char a sympathetic smile and looked at the couch, gesturing to ask if she could sit there. Char moved so she could.

She liked the other woman, felt a kinship with her. She had a quiet strength to her that she liked.

“We heard it’s been a bit of a tough day for you. If you want to go take a rest in your room, it’s totally understandable.”

Char stared at the new people standing in the center of her small living room and decided she could probably trust them, despite the rudeness of the bigger one.

Still, he had to have something redeeming about him for the kind woman next to her to be mated to him.

“I think I could use a nap,” she said, putting a hand to her temple as she felt a headache coming on. It was a lot to take in, seeing Clay for the first time in a while and then finding out about Mark.

She didn’t know what to think, and the past was still swirling around her, making it hard to see or feel things clearly.

“We’ll probably call in for dinner. Can I bring you some when it gets here?” Jamie asked.

Char nodded. She wouldn’t mind seeing the other woman a little later, maybe getting to know her better.

“Great. We’ll see you then,” she said with a smile.

Char gave her a weak wave and trudged into her room, shutting the door behind her. She sat on the bed where she and Mark had made love the first time, when it had been raining outside.

It was raining now, but it didn’t feel the same without him there.

Did it really matter that he was rich?

No.

But it did matter that he’d lied. That he’d tricked her. That he thought she was stupid and he could just do whatever he wanted and ignore the fact that she hadn’t wanted to work with him.

But wasn’t she glad he had? She’d felt much safer and happier since he’d been with her.

She sighed and rolled onto her side, watching the rain make little tracks down her window as she stared at the gray buildings opposite her apartment.

She could hear Jamie and Limes talking outside in her living room about food.

She took a deep breath and thought back to Clay. How she’d picked him, how she’d been tricked by him. As someone who grew up with a single mom who’d had to work hard for everything and who had eventually succumbed to her smoking habit, she supposed she’d made an ideal target.

She’d been vulnerable, without family, and just a waitress when he’d come into her life and swept her off her feet. He’d been kind, caring, and taken care of anything she wanted. She supposed his wealth hadn’t hurt either.

Perhaps the reason she really hated herself was because she might have missed red flags just because it was so nice to finally have someone taking care of things that she didn’t consider whether it was too good to be true.

At least with Mark, she could say she wasn’t swayed by his money because he hadn’t shown her he had any.

If she gave him another chance and she tried to get to know him, would he be the same person? Or had he been putting on an act all along?

All she knew was already her bear was growling for him, upset with her for pushing him away so abruptly.

She heard a knock on the door and then Jamie’s gentle voice. “Can I come in?”

Char sat up, pushing back her hair. “Yes,” she called out. “Come in.”

Jamie walked in holding a bag that was rolled at the top. She handed it to Char and sat on the small chair that was in the corner of the room, facing the bed.

“Thanks,” Char said, opening the bag to find a sandwich and a bag of chips. She began to eat them slowly, knowing it would help her feel better. But it also made her think of Mark and how he was always making sure she was eating, and that made her heart hurt a little bit.

“You want to talk about what happened today?” Jamie asked.

Char shook her head violently.

“Or just about Mark in general?” Jamie asked.

Char eyed her warily. “I don’t know. It’s still a lot to take in.”

“I can imagine,” Jamie said, folding her arms and walking over to the window. She was curvy and soft and quiet, the exact opposite of her ripped, tattooed mate outside. How had they ended up together?

“Your man is… intimidating,” Char said, setting aside the remains of her sandwich.

Jamie laughed, a light, tinkling sound. “I suppose. When I first met him, I didn’t even want to work with him.”

“Why did you hire him, then?” Char asked.

Jamie shrugged. “He didn’t give me a choice. See, I had requested him by name before meeting him. I was intimidated by big guys, so I wanted to hire the tech guy, thinking he’d be a nerdy, unassuming type. Geeky and harmless, you know?”

Char nodded. “Not what you got, huh?”

“Nope,” Jamie said. “And once Limes was there, he didn’t want to leave. And then one thing led to another…”

“And you’re mated,” Char said.

“Yup,” Jamie said. “And happy.”

“Why didn’t you want to work with a big guy when you were hiring a bodyguard?” Char asked.

“I figured anyone who worked there would be capable, and frankly, big dudes who looked like Limes scared me,” she said.

“Someone hurt you?” Char asked.

Jamie nodded. “And you?”

“Yes,” Char said.

They shared a silent look between them, two survivors who understood what the other had been through.

“I’m sorry about my husband,” she said. “He means well, but he’s protective of his friends.”

“It’s fine,” Char said, waving a hand.

Jamie slumped in the chair again. “Personally, I get why you threw Mark out. He was wrong for lying to you. But did he really have a choice when you were judging him on first appearances?”

“He could have walked away.”

“Not if he thinks you’re his mate.”

“I don’t know,” Char said.

Jamie grinned and folded her arms. “I know a man acting like a mate when I see one. I think you do, too. What he did was crazy and stupid. But shifters can be that way when they’re chasing the woman they love.”

Char sighed. “I know. But I also feel if I were his mate, he shouldn’t have hurt me. Or he should have told me sooner. Or… I don’t know. It just set off a lot of things. I’ve been tricked before, and it went bad. I don’t want to be with another liar.”

“It sort of depends on why someone lied, right?” Jamie asked. “All humans are going to lie. I think it depends on their reasons whether they should be forgiven. Maybe you can use your break away from Mark to think about his actions and whether he’s someone you could forgive.”

“I can forgive him,” Char said. “But I don’t know if I want to be with him.”

“I get it,” Jamie said. “You’re hurt. You’ll need time.” She heard Limes call her from the living room. “Gotta go see what he wants. You want me to come back after?”

“No,” Char said. “Go be with your man. I think I’m ready to just do some reading and go to bed. Maybe do some thinking. But thanks for coming to talk to me. You’ve been a big help. It’s good to have a friend.”

“You’ll always have one in me,” Jamie said. “And I’m sure the other girls at Bear Claw would love to meet you.”

Char blinked tears out of her eyes at the thought of just being there and fitting in with the other mates. But she didn’t know how to get there, how to trust Mark again and go back to things as if nothing had ever happened.

“I appreciate that,” Char said.

“Oh, and Limes wants to know if you’ll be going in to work tomorrow,” Jamie said. “Since we’ll need to come.”

“I think it would be good,” Char said. “To help me clear my head. Plus, the women there need me.”

“Sounds good,” Jamie said. “We’re happy to go where you go.” She walked to Char and gave her a small hug and then stood up, waved, and left through the door, shutting it behind her.

Char leaned back on the bed, watching the rain again. Time to think about who Mark Bronson really was. And see if her heart could find the room to let him in again.

* * *

T
he next day at work
, Char tried to keep her thoughts off Mark, with no success. She missed seeing him around the office, missed his smiling face over the cubicle, missed his eyes tracking her around to watch out for her.

She was distracted when her phone rang and picked it up absentmindedly.

“Hey,” the other woman said quietly. It was Lilah, the one with the rich husband who’d been trying to control all her assets. “Did you tell someone to contact my husband?”

Char blinked. “Of course not. You know how we feel about confidentiality.”

The other woman sighed. “I thought as much. It would have been a miracle either way, but now I have no idea who did it.”

“What do you mean?” Char asked.

“The same day I came to see you, someone called my husband. I don’t know who, but he was furious because someone threatened him. Still, he told me I had my accounts back and he wouldn’t mess with me anymore and to call off my friend.” The other woman let out a light laugh, sounding more relaxed than Char had heard before. “The problem is I have no idea who to thank.”

Char was speechless. “I can’t think who would do that either.” Except she kind of could. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized perhaps if Mark ran in the same circles as Lilah’s husband, he might have called him and not said anything to Char about it.

It sounded exactly like something he’d do.

In fact, the whole time she’d been in her room the night before, she’d only been able to think about the nice things he’d done. Taking her out, treating her well, making love to her like she was treasured, helping her feel safe again.

Why did he have to go and build it all on a lie and make it so hard for her?

“You still there?” Lilah asked.

“Yes,” Char said, embarrassed she’d zoned out.

“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I’m sending in to make a donation, you know, to give back after you helped me.”

“We didn’t make the phone call, Lilah. You don’t owe us anything.” She ran a hand through her hair. “But donations are always appreciated.”

“I’ll be mailing it in, then,” she said. “Thanks so much again.”

Char said her good-byes and then hung up the phone, speechless. Clay would have never done something like that. Anonymously good. She slumped on her desk, cheek resting on her hand, and sighed.

Jamie saw her and came over to sit in front of her desk. “You doing okay? Who was that?”

The other woman seemed genuinely worried, so Char told her.

Jamie listened intently and then sat back with a nod.

“That was nice of him, if it was him.”

Char nodded. “I suppose so.” Her head was still spinning. Despite the lies, she was starting to be able to form a picture in her head of who he was. It was hard, sifting through what was him trying to be his brother and what was really him, but she was doing her best.

“You look tired,” Jamie said. “You sure you want to stay here?”

Char nodded. Her phone rang again, and not wanting to bother Jamie, Char stood and walked to the other side of the room to answer it.

The voice on the other side when she answered chilled her to the core.

“Hi, Charlotte,” Clay said, his voice silky smooth. She was about to hang up when she heard him let out a hiss. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’d listen.”

She gripped the phone. “Why?”

“And I’d take a few more steps away from your friend if you don’t want her hurt.”

So Char did, trying to look normal as she secluded herself near the back exit. “What’s going on?”

“The lease is expiring on your building,” he said.

A chill when through her again. They needed that building. They sheltered women there who were at very real risk. “What do you want?”

“I just want to meet with you,” he said.

“Fat chance,” she said.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. “I’m on the way to meet with your landlord. If you aren’t with me, I’m going to buy it up front and raze it to the ground. If you are with me, I might be open to negotiation.”

She looked over at Limes and Jamie, who were talking. Then she saw Jamie double over, holding her stomach, and dash off to the bathroom.