Page 82 of Bear Hunt

“Why me?” It’s a question that’s been swimming through my mind for longer than I care to admit. Bear is glorious, handsome, amazing, kind, a great cook, and so many other wonderful things, and I’m just me. A broken woman nearing thirty with zero life experience and covered in scars.

Without hesitation, Bear grasps the sides of my face, his thumbs caressing my cheeks softly. I can smell myself on his lips and that thought alone excites my body all over again.

“Baby Girl, whynotyou? You are the strongest, most incredible woman I’ve ever known and the fact that I get to call you mine makes me the luckiest fucker in the universe. I’m not gonna waste a second letting you believe otherwise. We clear?”

He encourages me to move my head closer to his, so I’m not hovering above his face, our noses millimeters apart, our breaths mingling, and my lips automatically part.

“I don’t care that it’s soon. I love you, Athena.” His words are a whisper that tickles against my skin and I feel them deep in my bones.

My cheeks flush and my eyes water because I feel exactly the same. I think I have since that first moment I saw him on the side of the road.

“I love you too, Brock.”

A grin spreads across both our faces and I’m unable to do anything other than kiss him. We both push every ounce of our words into it, our tongues melding together as one, and it’s no surprise we’ve spent every moment he’s been home in his bed or eating… or both.

The rest of the time, Mac and Kincaid have kept me company while Bear and his club brothers have been out searching for Shade. He’s been missing now for almost a week since the explosion and I know they’re all worried.

Bear pulls me on top of him and grips my thighs, encouraging me with his strong hands to shift up his body to sit on his face ashe kisses every inch of my skin that comes into contact with his lips.

“Don’t we have a charity run to join this afternoon?” I giggle, pretending to protest, but making zero efforts to stop him.

“We have time for lunch. You shouldn’t let Bears go hungry, Baby Girl.”

“Kid reckons he’s the mutt’s nuts getting to ride with the VP.” Sledge ruffles Paxton’s hair before zipping up his leathers and sliding his cut over the top.

“Brother, I love ya, but what the fuck?” Crow shakes his head, the same confusion written all over his face as I’m sure is on mine. Glad I’m not the only one wondering if Sledge speaks an entirely different language than us.

“Wait a minute, I think I know this one!” Pausing with his helmet hovering over his head, Grinder leans forward as if he’s about to reveal a secret. “The kid would rather ride with the prez or someone fun like me.” He laughs and continues to gear up for the big charity ride today.

“Fuck you. Mutt’s nuts is the dog’s bollocks, ya know? Great, amazing, fucking fandabidosie. He fuckin’ loves it, mate.”

“Why didn’t you just say that?” Grinder mumbles as he pulls on his gloves, his voice a little muffled now that his helmet is on.

“I fuckin’ did! Wanker.” Sledge slaps the side of Grinder’s helmet, but it’s not hard enough to hurt him and I find myself relaxing back into Bear.

I hadn’t realized I’d even tensed up. Understanding that the way they joke around with each other is their love language hasbeen confusing, but I’m getting used to it the more time we spend with them.

Kissing the top of my head, Bear rubs my arms and spins me to face him.

“You ready?”

I nod, because yeah, I really am. Being on the back of Bear’s motorcycle with him is such a rush, and now, seeing all of these bikes together, at least half of them already running and the engines growling, it’s amazing.

Raising his dark brows, his deep brown eyes bore into mine, and I know what he wants. My words.

“I’m ready.” I grin up at him, lifting onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He still has to bend a little for me to get to his soft lips, but it works before he wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me. It makes me squeal into his mouth a little, and he chuckles, sending that warmth that only he can provide through my body.

“Get a room.”

“Ah, Boner, man, don’t be such a scrooge. Let the lurve flow free, dude.” Grinder winds his hips in circles before grabbing Boner and thrusting against his leg like an excited puppy.

“Fuck off.”

Laughing, they both head off toward their bikes, pushing and shoving at each other.

“Want me to do the honors?” Bear holds up the brand new black helmet he had Crow spray a custom design on for me in the workshop—before it was burned down. Luckily, it was already in the garage on the compound that houses all the brothers’ motorcycles in the West wing of the main big building.

On one side, there’s a golden spear with a pretty looking snake wrapped around the top and held by the paw of a large grizzly bear. And on the other side, written in delicate gold swirls, are the words “Bear’s Old Lady.” The detail is phenomenal, and mine isn’t the only helmet Crow worked his magic on. Bear’shelmet has similar gold swirls of writing across the back, only his says, “Athena’s Old Man.”