Page 43 of Bear Hunt

It makes me chuckle, but I don’t understand the dynamics here, and the introduction of another new person has my heart racing a little. They all seem to be really comfortable with each other, though, despite what they’re saying.

“Oooh, she used your full name, brother. You’re in trouble!” The one I think is called Boner is bent over laughing and Shade is just shaking his head at the situation with a smirk on his face.

“Sorry, Vanessa. Let me take these.” With a small grin, he winks at her before planting a kiss on her cheek and taking the bags from her hands.

She narrows her eyes, wagging her finger in warning.

“You’re lucky I love you boys. How are we all?” She moves around the room, greeting each of them, and when she gets to Bear, she air-kisses the side of his face and looks toward me. I feel my muscles tense and my breaths become faster at being under her scrutiny. “Is this the famous Athena I’ve heard all about?” She’s not actually scrutinizing me, but I can’t help being wary of this new person; it’s an instinct I find difficult to control right now.

Bear wraps his arm around my thighs from where he’s sitting beside me and gently rubs from my hip to my knee, up and down. It makes my knees feel weak and I wish I was sitting, but it also makes the building bubble of fear relax.

“I’m Vanessa. These boys are like my children; albeit unruly ones. I’ve known them all since they joined the club, and some even before that.”

I expect Bear to speak for me, to answer her, confirming that I am who she thinks, but he’s consistent with the gentle rubbing of my thigh and I think he’s trying to encourage me to speak. For myself.

I keep wondering when this whole dream is going to turn into a nightmare, but it just keeps getting better.

“It’s nice to meet you. Yeah, I’m Athena.” I awkwardly hold out my hand to shake hers, but she chuckles and pulls me in for a hug. I freeze, my arms by my sides, then I feel a heat at my fingertips and realize Bear is rubbing slow circles with his thumb on my palm.

It relaxes me and almost brings me to tears, but I need to shake myself out of it and start believing in this new reality. One where not everyone wants something from me that I don’t want to give. Where people say what they mean and do what they say.

She pulls back and my near meltdown must be obvious on my face because she immediately looks horrified.

“Oh no, Athena, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to grab you like that, I—”

“I’m okay. But thank you.” I don’t think she totally buys what I’m selling, but she accepts it with a sharp nod and light smile.

“You shoulda sent one of the prospects. It’s cold out.” Shade scowls at Vanessa, shaking his head.

“Oh shh, you. It’s been so long since I left the compound I almost forgot what the outside world looks like.” She starts unpacking the box, freely moving around the kitchen like she’sbeen here a thousand times before. “These groceries should last you a few days, Bear. I didn’t know if Athena has any dietary needs so I got the basics for now. And yes, Grinder, I bought the ingredients for the eggnogs. Oh, and I brought some of my macaroni and cheese. Easy to heat up.” She smiles as Grinder does a strange happy dance? If that’s what it is?

“I told you, you’re the best.”

“Thanks, Vanessa. Appreciate it.” Bear stands and kisses the top of my head. “You good, Baby Girl?”

I’m a little overwhelmed, but that seems to be my permanent state of being when I’m around anyone other than Bear. Sometimes I can handle it better than others, but hopefully it will get easier with time.

I nod, quickly remembering he likes me to use words when he raises a brow. “Yeah.” He rewards me with another of his stunning smiles.

“Do we have any volunteers to go for a long ride with that chip? We need to get it moving if what Bash said earlier is right. There could be someone else following the signal.”

“I’ll do it!” Mac already has her riding leathers back on, and her first aid kit is all neatly packed away.

“No. Psycho would kick my ass if I sent you out with that thing. You’ve had enough of an experience with The Firm to last a lifetime.” Bear quickly shuts down Mac’s suggestion.

It surprises me to know that they have already dealt with The Firm, and the fact that Mac has experience with them and clearly survived, well, she’s a freaking warrior. I never would have guessed that she has any trauma just by looking at her, or even speaking to her, but trauma doesn’t have a face. It’s invisible until it’s provoked.

“You know what, Bear…” Mac’s eyes narrow and she purses her lips. “You’re not wrong. Okay. Sensible Mac in the building. Look at me grow.” She laughs.

“I’ll do it. Mom’s visit meant I couldn’t go on that run to the warehouse so I could use a long ride.” Boner stands from the couch where he was scrolling through his phone and moves toward the line of helmets by the front door.

“How far is a long ride, and will it be safe?” The whole reason I was going to leave in the first place was to keep my past away from these people who have been nothing but kind, and now they’re all throwing themselves onto the fire for me and I’m worried for them.

My information on The Firm is severely lacking, even after all the time I spent around them, so I don’t feel helpful in the slightest with this situation. I love that Bear wanted to include me in the conversation, but the extent of my knowledge and general life experience isn’t great. They’re going to ask their mechanic, Crow, to take a look at the GPS in the car to see if there are any saved or used addresses they can work with to help find where I escaped from, because other than it being in Montana, I have no idea. The only useful thing I could give them was that it’s secluded.

“Athena has a point. I’ll ask Diablo and Jonesy to meet you on the way out of town so you’re not alone. Maybe pay the Reapers up in New Jersey a visit, make sure Flower got back home okay and check out their turf. While you’re there, see if Glitch can do his thing with the chip and find us some information.” Shade takes out his cell and begins tapping on the screen.

“Sure thing. I’ll leave now and meet them at the gas station near the compound in fifteen.”

---