Page 63 of Bear

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Jupiter

Itake the shot ofwhiskey that Tennessee hands me and toss it back. My eyes are puffy from crying and I feel like shit. My brother is dead. Bobby Ray is gone, and I can’t fathom a life without his stupid jokes and pain-in-the-ass attitude around the shop. And Mama’s dining table is going to feel a little emptier at family dinners. It’s too loud at the clubhouse, and lockdown is just as fucking miserable as it sounds. All around me, people are drinking and smoking weed and partying as if that’s the sole reason they came here.

“Hey.” Jeb sits on the clubhouse couch opposite me, sandwiched between Tuck and Liam—who seems to be having the time of his life, drowning in club whores and whiskey. “You should get a glass of water or something.”

“I’m fine,” I tell him, but that’s not true. I’m far from fine. I’m restless and heartsore and I want to hit something. I want to hurt someone. I want my big brother back.

I stand on shaky legs and walk toward the kitchen. When I enter, I find Bambi, Tyra, Asia, and some of the other girls whose names I don’t remember. There are too many people here. It’s too noisy, too crowded. I can’t breathe.

I head to the fridge and pull out a bottle of water.

“Jesus, girl. You look like shit.” Asia’s judgmental gaze roams over me from head to toe as she sits on the counter.

I don’t dignify that with a response—just twist the cap off my bottle and take a sip.

“Asia!” Bambi warns. “She just lost her brother.”

Asia remains unmoved, and why wouldn’t she be? It wasn’t her brother’s throat that was slit.

“What?” Asia gives Bambi wide, innocent eyes and shrugs. “She does. I’m doing you a favor, girl. I mean, if you plan to hold onto a man like Bear, at least make a little effort to look like you deserve him.”

“Jesus you’re a bitch,” Tyra says.

“I’m just sayin’. That man isfine, and you’re ... you’re definitely punching above your weight. I’m so fucking bummed Ruin replaced me with you on that shoot. At least I would have made that shit look realistic. And what was the fucking point? You did it to save your brother, right? But look where that got you. This whole thing is your fault. The reason we’re stuck in this clubhouse on lockdown is because your idiot brother screwed over the Kings.”

Hot rage courses through my veins and I fly across the room and slam the heel of my palm into her perfect little face. She screams and cups her nose. Blood pours between her fingers and drips on her skirt. She tries to get away, but she can’t because she’s sitting on the kitchen counter and I’m right up in her face.

“Oh my god. You broke my nose, you fucking psycho,” she screams.

“Fuck you! You don’t know anything. Don’t you dare talk about him like that.” I lunge for her again and she flails her arms to ward me away, smacking me in the cheek.

“Fuck!” Bear pulls me off her, but I struggle in his grasp, reaching for her. “Jesus, woman. Calm the fuck down.”

“What the fuck happened?” Ruin demands of Bambi while Crow and Mako tend to Asia. Bear drags me from the room. In a heartbeat, I’m thrown over his shoulder, and all I can do is thrash against his back as he carries me through the clubhouse.

The cooler night air hits my body as he moves outside. He sets me on my feet, and I lurch forward, but he’s too big and too damn strong for me to push past.

“Stop!” His eyes are hard as he holds me at bay. I shove at his chest, but he grabs my arms and turns me, pinning me in place between his big body and the stone wall of the clubhouse. “Now, I don’t wanna hurt you, darlin’, but I ain’t afraid to put you over my knee and spank this attitude right the fuck out of you in front of everyone.”

A harrowing sob tears free of my chest, catching me off-guard. I swallow around the lump in my throat, but tears fall from my lashes anyway. Bear releases his brutal hold on me and turns me to face him.

“Aw, hell, Tink.” He pulls me close and wraps me tightly in his arms. “You’re breaking my goddamn heart.”

“I can’t believe he’s gone.” I clutch his cut and hold on for dear life. His long hair falls around my shoulders, he smells of shampoo, leather, and whiskey, and his arms around my body take the edge off the pain. “I don’t know how we do this without him. I don’t know how to be strong for the others when I’ve been shattered into a million pieces.”

“You’re okay, darlin’. You’re stronger than you know.”

Sterling opens the door and we both turn to look at him though I can’t see much past Bear’s huge bicep. “Sorry to interrupt but Prez wants everyone at the table.”

I sniff and let go of Tennessee’s cut. I step back and swallow hard. “Did I really break her nose?”

Bear grins and glances at Sterling with a “can you believe this woman?” expression. “Yeah, Tink. You broke the bitch’s nose.”

Sterling laughs. “She’s still inside, screaming about how she’ll get it fixed.”

I grimace and Bear wraps his arms around me. “Come on, killer. Let’s get you settled in.”

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