Page 42 of Bear Hunt

“Okay, so y’all give me space.” Mac points to all the brothers who take a step back and sit on whatever available surface they can find. Why they all needed to be here is beyond me. I mean, Grinder and Boner have nothing to contribute to this chip removing party. Bash though, yeah. I need to talk to him and see what exactly they found on that phone.

“We found the chip, it’s just between her shoulder blades, below her neck.” Because I don’t want them to see Athena’sscars, I grab some scissors from the kitchen and come back to cut her shirt just wide enough to pull the sides apart and give Mac the room she needs to work with it.

“Exactly where Glitch thought it would be,” Bash mumbles like he’s in awe of the tech guy the Reapers allow us to borrow once in a while.

Athena kneels on the carpet and lays her upper body across the coffee table after I’ve taken our forgotten cups back to the kitchen, where Bash follows me, Grinder and Boner in tow.

“We have to consider the possibility that their back-up is either here or on their way. These aren’t badly organized Rebels, these assholes are pros and this ain’t their first rodeo.” Bash’s back is to the living room, and as he speaks, my eyes lock on Athena’s, who’s waiting while Mac sterilizes her scalpel. I need to be there, holding her hand and giving her the support she deserves. The support she’s never had before.

“Yeah, I know, but right now, the only thing I want to think about is Athena. You get me?” Ripping my gaze from Athena’s bewitching green eyes, I look down at Bash and see the understanding in his nod.

“Of course. Go. We’ll plan something here in the meantime.” I stop right beside Bash as he speaks and shake my head.

“No. We all talk with her in the conversation. This ain’t just club business, this is her life.”

Moments later, I’m holding Athena’s hand as I watch Mac do her magic. She makes a neat little incision, pops out the chip, and places it in a baggie.

All the while we get as much intel from Athena as possible, but it turns out she really doesn’t know much that can help us. It’s not surprising but it is disappointing.

When Shade comes over, he cleans up the wound, looking at me over Athena’s head. I don’t need to read his mind to know exactly what he’s thinking.

These sick motherfuckers need to go down.

Chapter Sixteen

Athena

Well, this day took a turn I wasn’t expecting. In so many ways…

When Bear told me about his mom, something just came over me and it was like I knew what he needed.Ineeded it too, but in that moment it wasn’t about me. I was already on his lap, straddling him, before I really thought about what I was doing, and then we kissed… oh my gods, we kissed.

Never would I have imagined that kissing could be like this. Sure, I’ve had lips on me, pressed against my skin in places I prayed to all the gods they would never touch again. I’ve felt the lingering touches of men and women who didn’t see me as a person but a means to their own deprived pleasures. I’ve been touched and groped and beaten to within an inch of my life but I’ve never been kissed like my breath was giving the other life. Like touching me was sacred and making me happy was an honor. My entire life, people have taken from me, but tonight I was given much more than just a kiss, I was given hope.

Bear makes me feel so many things, but mostly brave.

Finding out The Firm chipped me was something else altogether. I don’t really know exactly how I feel about it, if I’m honest with myself. I’m still trying to navigate the real world on my own and I’m not entirely sure I even know which way is up at this point. It’s like I’m going through all the motions, subconsciously falling back on my training and pushing down any real feelings.

“All done. You handled that like a rockstar, Athena. You should come and see me for some ink sometime.” The older man Bear calls Shade starts packing away everything he and Mac used to remove the chip in my neck. I figure he’s older than the rest of them by the amount of gray speckling his beard.

“Thank you. But what do you mean by ink?” I’m standing beside Bear, where he’s sitting on one of the dining chairs, my thigh pushing lightly against his and his arm wrapped behind me. The feel of his palm on my hip is warm and sends tingles across my skin.

“Tattoos. I’ve given every one of the brothers at least one, including your man there.”

My heart flutters when Bear doesn’t even flinch at being called my man. I don’t know that he actually is, but just the thought is enough to make me brave enough to put a hand on his shoulder.

“Got my first one this past weekend.” Mac pushes back the sleeve of her sweater to show me a tattoo on her wrist. It’s cherries shaped like skulls and it looks so good.

“I love it. Okay, yeah. I think I will come and see you for one of my own.” The idea of a tattoo is exciting, and thoughts of what I could get run rampant through my mind.

I like the thought of marking my skin on my own terms.

“You didn’t flinch once when Mac sliced you open, and if that doesn’t say badass…” Grinder trails off, jumping up from thecouch in the main living space when the doorbell rings and he answers the door.

I guess the way I am could be seen as badass, but mostly I’m just in my own head about everything. Showing any real emotion has always been unacceptable and I’m used to suppressing it, to sitting quietly through the pain.

“You’re the best, Nessy.” Grinder hugs the woman with several full paper bags in her hands at the door, and when he pulls away, she’s scowling at him. But then a smile takes over her face and she rolls her eyes.

“Diego Russet, what have I told you about calling me Nessy?” She walks into the house with her brows raised, and I swear if she wasn’t holding bags she’d look as though she’d have her hands on her hips too.

---