Page 10 of Bear

CHAPTER FOUR

Bear

My head snaps aroundat the sound of a car tearing out of the lot and a purple-haired minx basically throwing us a giantfuck youwith the burning rubber she leaves in her wake.

Crow asks, “You wanna chase her?”

“I got a better idea.” I grin and bang on the roller door again. “Open the fucking door now, or I shoot it open.”

A chain rattles and the next minute, the door rolls up to reveal Bobby Ray. He sighs. “She just left.”

“Where is she headed?”

“Home. We do family dinners on Friday nights.”

“You got an address?”

“I know where it is,” Saint says.

“Great.” I turn back to Bobby Ray. “Then we’ll see you there.”

“Hey, you’re on your own with this one, brother.” Saint lights a cigarette. “I gotta get home to Kami.”

Bobby Ray chuckles. “Well, I hate to state the obvious, but Jupiter might not take too kindly to you showing up at all, much less being empty-handed.”

“We’ll take our chances.”

“Diner’s still open,” Crow says.

I nod and tilt my head in that direction. “Prospect, go see if they got some kinda pie.”

Crow’s face gets all pinched up, like he’s pissy that I’m ordering him around. “Sure thing, boss.”

“Somethin’ sweet.” I pull my billfold from my jeans and hand him some cash. “Peach.” Then I turn my attention back to Bobby Ray. “Threats clearly don’t work on your sister. Maybe all she needs is a little sweetness.”

“You think a pie is gonna bring Jupiter around?”

“I think I’m almost out of patience, and between you and me, that’s a dangerous thing. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“She had to stop at the market on the way home. If you leave now, you might even beat her to it.”

I walk back to the bike and wait for Crow. When he returns with a pink pastry box in hand, I take it from him and check the insides. Then I stick my thumb inside the golden lattice on top and pull it out, sucking it clean.

“Remind me not to ask for a slice after dinner.” Crow screws up his nose as he climbs on his bike. I slide on behind him, so ready to quit riding bitch.

***

JUPITER’S YOUNGESTbrother glances nervously at the exit when the screen door closes and Tink calls, “Tuck?”

“Back here,” he says, his voice breaking on the words.Poor little bastard. I bet the last thing he expected when he opened the door was two burly bikers coming for dinner.

“Why the hell is there a Harley parked in my—”

“Hello, Tink,” I say, kicking out the seat opposite me at the kitchen table.

Her eyes dart from mine to Crow’s and then to the cold beers in our hands. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Your brother invited us to dinner.”

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