Page 88 of Bear Hunt

“Baby Girl, you never need to ask me if you can use your safeword. It’s yours. For you to use whenever and wherever you want to. Okay?” He’s frowning, but not because he’s angry with me. I know most of his frowns, I think, and this is more of a he’s angry with my past thing. He’s currently picturing himself murdering Master in several different ways.

“Okay. Thank you.” I smile and lean up to kiss him again. “Do you wanna try the pie?”

“Let’s take it home. We’ll share it with Paxton while we all watch the movie. Has he told you which one he chose? Because he told me it’s a surprise.” Taking my hand, Bear picks up the sweet potato pie and we head back toward the bar room.

“Kid’s shit at pool, but he’s a quick learner so he’ll be on par with us soon enough.” Boner ruffles Paxton’s hair playfully.

“Maybe I was just pool sharking ya, and next time I’ll take all your money.”

“Not until you’re sixteen, Kid. We don’t take money from children.” Boner winks and Paxton scrunches his nose up, narrowing his eyes before sticking out his tongue. “Exactly.” This time, Paxton laughs with the others.

He’s just another person these club members have taken in, without question, and are now treating as one of their own. IfI knew people like this existed, I would’ve tried to escape years ago.

“Wanna head back and watch that movie?” Bear holds out an arm for Paxton, who immediately buries himself into his side with a hug. He’s not afraid to show his affection and I love that the cruel life he’s lived so far hasn’t dampened that.

“Yup. I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but ‘Thena definitely hasn’t. It was my mom’s favorite.” His bottom lip wobbles a little when he finishes speaking but he takes a deep breath and controls it. I wish he didn’t feel like he had to, though.

Bear and I have discussed whether he’s gonna need a therapist, but I wanna see what Paxton thinks because it should be his decision. However, that conversation can wait until tomorrow because his happiness today has been like seeing Paxton from before.

“Catch ya later, little shit.”

“Call you tomorrow, Bear.”

“Let me know how the sweet potato pie goes down.”

There is a chorus of goodbyes before we leave the bar room and head to the front door of the building. We’re using the truck because, while Bear’s motorcycle is pretty big, there isn’t room for three people.

“Do you think I could learn to ride a motorcycle sometime?” The idea just came to me, and it feels like a great one for so many reasons. The first being that Bear wouldn’t feel the need to use the truck quite so often.

“Sure thing, Baby Girl. We’ll start in the new year.” He doesn’t even question it. I thought I’d have to explain myself.

I huff a laugh and he squeezes my fingers gently between his large ones.

“Can I learn too?” Paxton runs up behind us after insisting he could carry the rest of his gifts from the club members himself—Bear had already put most of them in the truck earlier this afternoon.

“You know you can. But we stay off the roads because I’m not getting arrested for putting a twelve year old on a motorcycle.”

Bear opens the passenger door for me and helps me inside before leaning across me to clip in the seat belt. After making sure Paxton has the rest of his gifts in the back safely, he then climbs into the driver’s seat and starts the engine. It’s already warm in here, as if the truck has been running for a while already.

“Had Jonesy make it toasty in here before we left.” Winking, Bear answers the unspoken thought in my mind. He really does think of everything when it comes to our comfort.

The journey home is peaceful, Christmas decorations and lights lining the dark streets, and the whole time, Bear holds my hand in his, squeezing gently every time Paxton points out another display.

“What the fuck?”

I’m suddenly alert when Bear curses and the truck stops abruptly outside his house.

“Stay here.” He’s out of the truck in seconds and striding purposefully toward the two figures by his front door.

Before I have time to really worry or start to panic, I see him throw his keys at the visitors as he turns back toward us.

“It’s Ophelia and Jarrett.” Bear leans across and unclips my seat belt, then holds a hand out to help me out of the truck. “They have something to talk to you about.” He’s scowling as he shrugs, like he’s unhappy about not knowing what they have to say.

“Do we like them?” Paxton’s voice from the back seat before he clambers out of the truck makes me smile.

“Yeah, Son, we do. They’re good folks.” Bear leads the way toward the now-open front door.

“Okay.” Paxton grabs a few of his gift bags and follows.

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