Page 15 of Bearnapped at the Altar

Told you so.

“Oh, not like that.” She laughed and waved her hand. “I’m exhausted, but my mind is racing. Every time Gideon does something completely awful, my anxiety keeps me up all night.”

“You didn’t give him a chance to do anything awful today,” I couldn’t stop my voice from rumbling. I hated that this wolf had her so scared. “You’re safe with me.”

“I keep telling myself that, but then I’m worried I might have put you in danger too.” She sighed. “I won’t be able to forgive myself if Gideon does something to you in retaliation. So maybe we should consider this the moment when the job is complete, and I’ll make sure you have my email address to send me the invoice. And since I’m sitting here in your shirt, I feel like I can be honest with you and say we might have to set up an installment plan. I’m pretty sure any money I planned to get from Moonlight Mates will be tied up in some breach of contract nonsense since I left rather unexpectedly.”

My bear roared inside me. Hell no. Don’t let this woman go.

“No,” I gritted out, trying to control the feelings of the beast within. “The job isn’t done. We haven’t had a chance to talk about what you know, what you saw while working for Gideon. And you said yourself that you expect him to retaliate. I didn’t get you out of that phony marriage just to leave you vulnerable to a worse attack.”

Tegan sighed and leaned back on the headboard of the bed. She hugged a pillow to her stomach, like she could feel my gaze on her.

Sweet moon, she was beautiful.

“Normally, I’d spend my insomnia time doom scrolling on my phone, but that’s not an option.” She bit her lip again.

“When my daughter was little and she couldn’t sleep, I’d read to her,” I said.

Tegan bristled. Maybe I shouldn’t have compared her to my daughter. But my bear was making all kinds of inappropriate suggestions about how he could help her fall asleep.

“Then when she got older, she outgrew the stories, but she couldn’t fall asleep,” I continued. “So I used to let her tell me stories. She has a pretty wild imagination. Then she’d add in her aeronautics studies. Half the time, I had no idea what she was talking about, but I loved listening to every bit of it.”

“You’re a good dad.” Tegan had finally relaxed, and as much as she didn’t plan to sleep, there was no denying she was exhausted.

“I was supposed to call her tonight, and I forgot,” I rumbled. “Pretty sure that knocks me off the pedestal you just put me on.”

“I’d love to say that daughters are super understanding when their dads get too wrapped up in work, but it’s definitely not a quality I ever mastered. In fact, it might be the direct source of my daddy issues.” She grinned when I groaned. “The good news is, if your daughter is anything like me—although I must say she sounds way smarter—she’ll appreciate any effort that you put into making it up to her. And if you insist on sticking with me, I’ll make sure that you do it.”

Natalie was fourteen, at the age that too many fuckups like this could cause me to lose her. She was already so far away. Wasn’t sure she’d be ready to welcome another woman into our lives—that was, if Tegan planned to do any more than a little behind the scenes advising.

With both my daughter and this job, I was in way over my head, and I needed all the help I could get.

“Deal.”

Tegan slept like a rock, snoring softly but barely moving. How did I know that? Because I didn’t sleep a wink. My thoughts raced all night, thinking about what it would be like to finally get the best of Silverclaw, to the utter disappointment Natalie must have felt when I didn’t call her back. Although she hadn’t left me any messages, I could feel the judgment radiating all the way from Houston.

I rubbed the crick in my neck while I waited for Bellamy to arrive, and texted Natalie.

Me: Sorry about last night. Job was a little more involved than I was expecting. How was your test?

Natalie: No worries…I went out with some of my friends last night. I think I did okay.

Me: Just okay?

Didn’t believe it for a second. Okay was on par with failure in Natalie’s world. One of these days, I’d get her to stop being so hard on herself.

Natalie: I might have aced it. *wink emoji*

Me: That’s my girl. We’ll have to figure out a long distance celebration.

Natalie: Ooh, I can think of a few things.

Me: Whatever you want. We’ll make it happen, okay?

Natalie: You’re the best.

Me: Remember that the next time I say something you don’t like. Bellamy’s here. Gotta go.

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