Big Bad Bear (3 page)

Z
eus listened quietly
at the door of the guest bedroom. With his bear senses, he could pick up even the slightest motion or the quietest noises with his hearing. Inside, his mate rustled lightly and gave a little snore as she napped.

His mate
. Sooner or later, she was going to have to hear that from his own mouth. But for now, it was enough just to have her so near.

As much as he wanted to let her sleep, dinner was fast getting cold, and he was certain she would be hungry. He’d sensed the tension in her before she’d turned in. And Zeus wasn’t going to stand for his mate ever going hungry. Not on his watch.

Zeus tapped the door lightly a few times, hoping it wouldn’t startle Carly. There was the sound of sheets shifting, and for a split second, he imagined being there with her, on top of her, making her scream his name in pleasure.

He shook his head, hoping to clear the thought from his mind. Never had he been this dumbfounded by a woman. Never before had anyone had this sort of effect on him. Then again, she was his mate. She would always mean more to him than anyone else ever could. All he could do was treat her right and hope the feelings he had for her would become mutual.

Carly came up to the door and opened it, looking a little drowsy, her hair sticking out of its ponytail in several places. It looked so soft, as always, and he had to restrain himself from wanting to touch it.

“I made some dinner, if you’re hungry,” Zeus said.

Carly took in a long whiff and smiled. “Smells delicious. Are you sure it’s okay? I’m not imposing or anything?”

“It’s fine,” he said, letting her walk past him and down the stairs toward the kitchen.

For dinner, Zeus had cooked up some steaks and potatoes. He certainly hadn’t learned to be a master chef in the service, but nothing made the men happier than a good cookout with delicious grilled meat, so Zeus knew enough to get by.

He watched as Carly’s eyes lit up at the dinner laid out on the table. Outside, the sun had already set, and the warm evening light was turning a cool blue that settled over the surrounding forest around them. His favorite time of day.

He pulled the chair up for her to sit down, then took a seat himself. He quickly served up a large portion for Carly, which she responded to with a suspicious eyebrow.

“This isn’t a trick or some sicko game for you, is it? Rescuing women and bringing them back here to feed them ridiculous amounts of food?”

“No,” Zeus said, a small smile teasing the corners of his lips. “It’s not every day a woman like you needs rescuing. And as for dinner, I just know you’re hungry.”

“How did you…? Never mind,” she said, turning to the food in front of her and cutting several bites before trying it. She took one bite and chewed slowly. Zeus waited eagerly for her reaction.

“Aw hell,” she said, looking both pleased and peeved at the same time.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. That’s the problem. It’s delicious. I’ve never tasted something this good before.”

“How is that a problem?” Zeus asked, confused.

“I was hoping it would be as bad as all the other cooking men have tried to do for me so I could stop seeing you as Mr. Perfect,” she said, waving a fork at him before taking several more bites at one time and eating rapidly.

“Would you like me to stop?” he asked.

“No, don’t. It’s nice to have a guy like you around. Someone who actually gives a crap
about things like owning his own place or being able to cook,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Zeus asked, leaning back in his chair and listening intently.

Carly looked at him questioningly for a moment, as if not believing he actually wanted to hear more. But when he didn’t interrupt her, she finished another bite and continued.

“Let’s just say I haven’t had the best luck with relationships in the past. At best, they expect everything from you and do nothing to show they actually care. At worst, they straight up abandon you and leave you to the wolves. The last man I took up with falls under that category,” she said, cutting her steak vigorously, as if the memory of it put her on edge.

“You don’t have to talk about it,” Zeus said, not wanting to open up old wounds.

“No, it’s fine. It’s what brought me out here actually,” she said, taking another bite between sentences and closing her eyes as she moaned a little from the flavor. It made Zeus think of making her moan in another way. “This last guy, we were together for a couple years. He never made any commitments, but I figured being a girl with average looks like mine and the kind of bad family history I come from, it was the best I was going to do.”

“You’re gorgeous,” Zeus interjected. It made him angry to think of anyone that could have ever called her average or less than. To him, she was stunning.

Carly looked up at him, and he saw a faint flush spread over her cheeks just before she stifled a smile and continued her story. “So anyway, a year ago, he gets this genius idea to come back to his hometown and open a business. A coffee shop to be exact. And I figure, why not? By that point in my life, I was broke from having to bail my brother out of prison and trying to pay off my mom’s rent because her drinking meant she couldn’t hold a job. But I was done living my life for them, letting them keep me from ever moving forward. A new place, a change of scenery, a chance at getting paid more than minimum wage for once in my life? It sounded like it was worth a shot.”

Zeus felt anger burn through him at what his mate had been through, but he was glad she’d found her way here. Still, he was disgusted by her family.

In his case, he had no family. His mom had left early and his dad had been mostly absent, not caring when Zeus left at eighteen to enroll in the military. But no family was probably better than the kind of family Carly had.

She sighed and moved her food around on her plate, drawing his attention back to her. “So we moved here, opened up shop, and what do you know, but my boyfriend goes on a spending spree? The second the bank gave us a business card, he spent it on everything from a new TV to fancy shoes, all the while talking about how much money the business was going to bring in and how we were going to be rich,” Carly said, speaking animatedly with her hands, then taking another bite of steak.

Zeus could tell from the second he heard the story that her ex was a complete tool, not even worthy of being called a man. In his mind, it was a male’s duty to love and protect and provide for their mate, no matter the circumstances.

“So what happened?” Zeus asked.

“As expected, things tanked fast. The business didn’t do too bad, especially the baked goods. But between my ex’s spending, him missing work all the time, and the incredible loan debt we had taken on, it was only a matter of months before the business went bottoms up and we had to shut down. And being the idiot I was, I had cosigned personally on all the loans. So when my ex skipped town one day with a passing trucker, it all fell on me to pay back,” she said with an annoyed sigh.

“Did you ever think of leaving too?” Zeus asked.

“All my family ever did was run from problems. But I decided to stay and fight, even if it was going to take me the rest of my life to finally break free,” she responded, finishing off the last bite of steak.

That made Zeus happy. Not the fact that she’d been through so much crap in her life, but that she was such a strong woman. Someone who didn’t run when things got tough.

“So here I am. Working as a waitress at the town bar.” She paused for a moment, looking vulnerable for the first time this evening. “You probably think I’m dumb as dirt for doing all of that though, don’t you? Getting in over my head, getting stuck out here in the middle of nowhere with more debt than the government hanging over me?”

Zeus reached out a hand to cover one of hers across the table. He could see sadness in her eyes, and he wanted to make it all go away if he could. But even if not, he wanted her to know he would never judge her.

And if she allowed it, he would be hers forever.

“No, I don’t think you did anything wrong. You took a chance, and the people you trusted most were the ones who failed, not you. I think you’re an incredibly strong woman, Carly. Maybe fate brought you out here for a reason,” Zeus said.

Carly didn’t recoil at his touch, but instead, just smiled a little. Her hand was soft and warm beneath his, and just the slightest feel of her skin made him come alive inside, made his bear roar with approval.

“Well, if I’m honest, Bearstone Village isn’t all
that
bad,” she said, her eyes roving over Zeus’s chest unabashedly before looking back up to him. His mate liked his body. That was definitely good.

“I’m glad you think so,” he said warmly.

Right then, Zeus’s phone gave several loud beeps, and he quickly pulled it out to see what the source of the interruption was.

“What is it?” Carly asked.

“It’s the perimeter. Someone’s outside,” Zeus said, flipping to the camera that had a view of the front porch.

“Perimeter? What do you mean?” Carly asked, sounding worried.

“I have a field of sensors that let me know if anyone is within fifty feet of the house. I don’t like unexpected company.”

“What do you mean unexpected?”

A second later, a loud knock sounded on the door.

C
arly was petrified
.

Just a second ago, she’d been enjoying the feel of Zeus’s hand over hers and the buzzing warmth it caused to build in her. But now there was someone unknown at the door, and she was suddenly and painfully aware of the fact that she was in a house in an unknown location with a stranger, and the same men that had threatened her earlier in the day could be outside right now.

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll go get it,” Zeus said, standing and leaving the kitchen for the front door, out of her sight. The moment he was gone, she wished him back. Even if he was a stranger, he was a stranger she felt safe with.

Carly heard the door open and two low male voices speaking. One was Zeus’s. The other was a voice she’d never heard before, still low and masculine but more amicable, friendlier sounding. The sound stopped, followed by two pairs of big feet coming down the hall toward the kitchen.

Around the corner appeared Zeus again, followed by another man who was almost equally huge and every bit as hot.

Carly couldn’t help but stare agape at the two men before her. Ares was around the same height as Zeus but with tanned skin and boyish features and golden-blond hair with the slightest hint of a curl to it.

“Carly, I’d like you to meet my friend, Ares. Ares, this is Carly,” Zeus introduced.

“Ares? As in the god of war?” Carly asked, befuddled.

“One and the same. Charmed,” the man said with a smile, offering a hand, which Carly took. His hand was much rougher and worn, and guessing from the dusty denim and heavy leather boots he wore, he did something in construction. His deep-green eyes looked amused as they shook hands.

“He’s the one I called to go get your things while you were asleep,” Zeus said.

“Yeah. I also fixed your lock while I was at it. That thing was so old and busted. I only had to jiggle it a few times for it to open. The new one should work a lot better,” he said, handing over a duffel bag and putting it next to Carly’s seat. “Your stuff.”

“T-thanks,” she stuttered, looking down at the duffel and then back at the two men. Ares had the same rough, handsome looks as Zeus but with a calmer, friendlier demeanor. Still, she preferred Zeus’s dark, silent strength.

Ares grinned slightly and leaned into Zeus. “I think she likes you,” he whispered to his friend a little too loudly.

“I’m right here, you know,” Carly said.

“Hey, who can blame you? Our man Zeus here is built like a Greek god,” Ares said playfully, poking at Zeus, who didn’t appear to be amused at all by the antics.

“So Zeus and Ares, that can’t be your real names,” she said.

“Well, no. They’re our call signs from the military. Except for Zeus here, who was unfortunate enough to have that for his birth name. But it just sort of fit him, and those of us in his squad picked names to match.”

She eyed him skeptically. “You seem too friendly to be the god of war,” she said doubtfully.

Ares grinned. “You should see me with a rocket launcher.”

That made her laugh, and she turned to Zeus curiously. “So you were in the army? Like, special forces or something like that?”

“Something like that,” Zeus said cryptically, not seeming eager to talk about it. “I can’t really tell you more than that.”

“Top secret,” Ares said, putting a finger up to his lips playfully.

“So are there any other Greek gods around here I should know about?” Carly asked, looking between them.

“Just Hades. And he’s too busy ruling the underworld to be bothered these days,” Ares answered.

“Literally or figuratively?” Carly asked.

“You’ll know if you ever meet him,” Zeus said, then turned to Ares. “We need to talk about the Devils.”

“I know,” Ares said, sitting on a chair in the kitchen and spreading his long legs over another. “I heard about what happened down at the bar. I thought we weren’t getting involved with the Devils just yet.”

Zeus joined him at the table, and Carly sat next to him, feeling safest at his side. Ares seemed like a nice enough person, but she knew Zeus better.

“They were extorting the owner, and Carly accidentally got involved. I had to intervene,” he said, and she could hear the low growl of withheld anger in his voice.

Ares’s green eyes flicked to her. “Ah, of course.” The corners of his mouth lifted in a slight grin. “So, Carly, are you by any chance single?” he asked out of the blue.

Carly’s mouth opened in shock, and from the corner of her eyes, she saw Zeus’s expression tighten. She looked over to see a small vein twitch at the corner of his brow as he frowned at his friend.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” Zeus said tersely.

She looked between them, not really understanding what was going on. Was he being possessive of her? That wouldn’t make sense.

“Hey, it’s just a question,” Ares replied, raising his hands in mock defense. “Carly’s a gorgeous girl, and there aren’t a lot of ladies out here.” He sent Zeus a teasing glance. “Can’t fault a man for trying.”

“I’m not taken,” she said quietly. “But I’m not really looking either.”

“You don’t have to answer him,” Zeus said irritably. “And anyway, we’re supposed to be talking about the Devils. Carly, if you want to turn in for the night, you’re welcome to. Or you can stay and listen.”

“I’m good for a while,” Carly said. “I don’t like to sleep right after eating, and if there’s anything important that needs to be discussed, then I want to be here for it.”

Plus, she was kind of enjoying watching Zeus interact with Ares. He brought out a side of Zeus she hadn’t seen, one she liked.

Zeus raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t question her further. Instead, he turned to Ares. “All right. So what do they know in town about what happened today, and how did you hear about it?”

“I heard it from some of my construction guys that happened to be working across the street. You made quite a commotion. Not enough to draw the whole town, obviously, but enough to let people know. I think all anyone knows is a bar fight broke out, but everyone was gone before people started coming in for the evening.”

“So nobody else knows about the Devils’s involvement?”

“Except for the Red Devils at the bar and probably the owner, Rob, yeah. Pretty lucky, in my opinion.”

“Lucky and unlucky. If there had been other people that had called the cops, they wouldn’t have done anything about it anyway. They’re too scared of the Devils to mess with them. If we want to stop them, it’ll be up to us.”

“What do the Red Devils have to do with all of this?” Carly asked.

Zeus looked over at her, a long, discerning glance that seemed to be appraising just how much he wanted to say. After a prolonged moment, he spoke.

“About a decade or so ago, they were a small biker gang that was displaced by a bigger rival gang out somewhere in the Midwest. For some reason, when they rolled into this town, they set up camp here and haven’t left since. Though they’re no big-time operation, they still practically run the town from the background,” Zeus said.

“Extortion, money laundering, arms trading, drugs. The usual,” Ares added. “A little place like Bearstone Village is a great spot to be if you don’t want anyone finding you. They’ve been messing with the town businesses without anyone doing anything about it for years. But ever since Zeus and I have been here, we’ve been keeping an eye on it.”

Carly wondered if that was why Zeus had come to the bar so much. But it didn’t make sense, because she’d never seen trouble there before today.

“What about the police or even the FBI?” Carly asked.

“Like I mentioned, the police are afraid. And the regional FBI office has no proof that would make it care about a little nowhere town like Bearstone Village. And the people here are too scared to complain,” Ares said.

“That’s not to say we’re not fighting the good fight. Zeus and I have been studying them and waiting for the right moment. But it’s slow going, and the last thing we want to do is turn my hometown into a war zone.”

“Well, that still might happen sooner than we thought,” Zeus said to Ares.

“So how do I play into all of this?” Carly asked.

“You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They would have silenced you, or worse, if I hadn’t been there. But as it is, they aren’t going to sit back and let you be. You’re a witness, and they’re going to want you out of the way.”

She gulped. “So now what do I do?”

Ares grinned and walked over to Zeus, putting an arm around him as the other man stayed straight faced. “Just stay here with my man Zeus. If he can’t keep you safe, no one can.”

She frowned. “Still, it’s not your problem, and I hate to be a bother—”

“You’re not a bother,” Zeus said. “I’m happy to have you here.”

“And this guy spends way too much time alone,” Ares said, teasing. “You’ll be doing him a favor, staying with him for a few days in his lonely mountain cabin.”

“You’ll be safe with me, Carly.” Zeus looked her straight in the eyes, causing something thrilling to zoom through her, straight down to her toes. “I promise.”

“And you can bet he means it. This guy always makes good on his promises. There was this one time back in the service where he—”

“Not now, Ares,” Zeus said sternly, cutting him off.

Carly laughed and then let out a long, relieved breath. “All right. You’ve convinced me.” She gave Zeus a small smile. “I’d be grateful if you let me stay with you.”

Zeus nodded at her. It was settled. “Ares and our colleague Hades will keep eyes and ears out down in town to see if the Devils are planning on making any moves. I’ll stay here with you and guard you twenty-four-seven.”

“Wait, what about my job?” Carly asked. If she didn’t go back to the bar, she couldn’t pay bills. If she missed payments, the debt would increase.

“Don’t worry about it,” Zeus said. “I’ll have Ares check into your accounts in town and make sure they get paid regularly.”

“I can’t just let you pay my bills,” she said, eyes widening in shock.

“Let him,” Ares said. “The man’s a whiz at investments. He’s saved half the businesses in town when the crooked bank wouldn’t help them.”

Zeus shook his head as if the praise embarrassed him and he wanted it to stop. “All that matters right now is your safety, Carly,” he said. “But if things do settle down and your job isn’t available, Ares and I own several businesses in town, so finding a job for you won’t be a problem at all.”

“I’d definitely hire you,” Ares said with a wicked wink.

Zeus frowned. “On second thought, we’ll find a job for you somewhere
other
than his construction company.” He glared, unamused, at Ares. His expression gentled as he turned back to Carly. “But we’ll make sure and make it right after this is over. After all, if we’d dealt with the Devils sooner, maybe you’d never have gotten involved.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said. “I’m just glad you were there at the right time.” She met his gaze shyly, and he stared back, a warm, intent expression in his deep-blue gaze. Though he had a hard, masculine face, whenever he looked at her, he seemed to soften.

Maybe she was just letting herself get carried away, but she felt somehow special to him. She looked away as heat began to rise in her at the thought of them being alone together in the cabin for more than a few days.

Just his presence turned her on. She didn’t know how she was going to make it.

As if sensing something suddenly, Ares stood and made to leave. “Well, looks like you don’t need me anymore right now. You two take care,” he said, nodding to his friend, then tipping an imaginary hat to Carly before walking out. “And don’t worry about the sensors. I won’t forget to take care of them on my way out this time,” he said before the door opened, then closed.

As soon as the door was shut and the sound of Ares’s boots walking down the front steps faded, Carly was acutely aware of just how quiet the cabin was and just how close Zeus was sitting right next to her, his body so much larger compared to hers.

Carly squirmed in her chair, unsure what to do next. She was in a new house, depending on a man she barely knew and was extremely attracted to. It made her feel awkward.

Zeus seemed to sense this, and he stood up, grabbing her duffel bag from the ground. “Do you want to sleep now?” he asked.

Carly tried to stifle a yawn that came out of nowhere. Then she nodded her head yes and stood to follow Zeus upstairs.

Aside from a few lights in the living room, the rest of the house was dark, and through the windows, Carly could see the house was surrounded by pervasive blackness on all sides, illuminated by only the slightest hint of moonlight.

But despite the darkness, she felt safe here with Zeus. It was an odd feeling, one she’d never really had with another man before in her life.

He turned on a light and led her down the hall, and she folded her arms around herself, trying to ignore the growing chemistry between them. It was hard not to start falling for the man, with the way he was already taking better care of her than anyone had in her life.

Not to mention the fact that she’d always been attracted to him.

His back spanned almost the entire hallway as they walked toward the room at the end. She felt when she was with him, nothing in the world could hurt her. But what would happen when it was all over? She needed to be careful not to get ideas too quickly or she’d just be hurt when it all ended.

“Are you sure you really want to do all of this for me?” Carly felt compelled to ask.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” he asked solemnly.

Carly looked up at him, and in the dim light of the hallway, she could see his bright, blue eyes watching her closely. They were the color of a clear mountain lake, cool and inviting and intense all at the same time.

She tightened her arms around her self-consciously. “I don’t know. Because you barely know me. Because no one ever does things like this for me. I’m not the kind of girl men sweep off her feet. I’m just… average.”

Zeus folded his arms and gave her a piercing gaze that seemed to see straight into her soul, as if they were the only two people on the face of the planet right now and she was the only one that mattered to him.