Jade Crew: Captive Bear (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Ridgeback Bears Book 4) (8 page)

***

“Ferro!” he yelled, pushing open both doors into the bar in a grand gesture.

The bartender looked over at him, as did the other occupants. Luthor shot him a glance, then resumed looking out the window that had occupied his attention. The other occupants were a human couple who looked distinctly out of place, but to their credit, they didn’t flee. He gave them a friendly nod as he went by, walking right up to the big slab of mahogany that formed the bar top and looked Ferro right in the eye.

“I need your help,” he said.

Ferro considered his words for a moment. “Not sure how much help I can be.”

“I just need to know something.”

This time Ferro didn’t respond. He just stared at Darren and waited for him to continue speaking.

“Was there anyone else in the bar last night who followed us outside when we left? Someone that perhaps had a professional-looking camera?”

“Saw that interview,” he remarked. “Recognized the parking lot. Thought it odd that someone was there watching you, but didn’t see anybody leave here. They must have been outside.”

“Shit,” Darren swore, slapping his hand off the bar as he looked frustratingly at Kierra. He desperately wanted to protect her.

“You didn’t manage to catch the person up on the mountain earlier I take it?” Ferro said from behind him.

Darren spun. “What did you just say?” he asked dangerously. They hadn’t told anyone about that incident.

“The news,” he said, clicking the TV on behind him. “It’s got pictures of you two up on the mountain hugging. They said it was from earlier today.”

Darren gripped the table so tightly his knuckles began to turn white from the pressure. Only the soft, tender touch of Kierra was able to get him to relax. He watched as she pried his fingers loose, one by one, and wrapped them around her own hands.

“It’ll be okay,” she said, ignoring the TV which was still showing the two of them in a close embrace. “I promise.”

He tried to believe her, but he couldn’t. Someone was putting the woman he cared about in danger. That was unacceptable to him.

“I should go down to the station. They’ll give me the name of the photographer, I promise,” he said nastily, stepping around Kierra.

“No,” she snapped, her hands pulling hard on his, forcing him to halt his progress.

“They’re dragging your name through the mud,” he growled. “This could just be the start. Who knows what else they’re up to?”

“Who is ‘they’?” she asked.

“Whoever it is that wants to see you lose the election. Someone must really want you to not win. Were you likely to win?” he asked abruptly.

Kierra paused, but then shook her head negatively. “No, unlikely. I’m pretty sure that Jordan Immolt was going to get reelected. That was part of my campaign, because I’m fairly certain he’s been bought out by LMC.”

A sinking sensation came over Darren as he realized that his own employers might be out to get her. He couldn’t tell her that either, not without exposing her to what was really going on in the Valley, and he didn’t’ have the authority to do that.

Shit. This is all going to hell in a handbasket quicker than I can blink! How has Garrett been dealing with all this shit?

Darren realized he had a newfound respect for his Alpha. Garrett had handled his duties as an Alpha, the loss of his memories, the finding of a mate, and the continual, growing crises that were erupting all over Genesis Valley with a calm that Darren didn’t think he could match. It was truly impressive he thought, now that he was able to see it from the same perspective.

The problem with everything going on now was that he knew the person—or persons, they had no idea if it was a single individual or a group orchestrating the problems—wouldn’t hesitate to quietly remove someone like Kierra from the equation if she was causing too many issues for them.

That was why he was so worried. Unfortunately he couldn’t tell Kierra that, so he would need to find another way to convince her. It was time to go with his backup idea.

“Okay, I have a plan,” he said, pulling her away from the counter. She hesitated. “Don’t worry,” he told her with a grin, “it does not involve wanton destruction of city property. It’s actually quite sneaky. I think you might be proud of me.”

“Whoa now,” she said with an answering smile, her features brightening. “Let’s not jump to conclusions here.”

“Ouch,” he said in a monotone voice. “Here’s what I’m thinking. You get in your vehicle, drive to the opposite side of town going one route. I’ll go another, and then I’ll pick up
your
tail from there, and see if I can’t find someone following you.”

She frowned thoughtfully. “The major problem I see with that is that they’ve only photographed us together until now. Other than that,” she said, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek for support, “I do think it’s quite devious.”

The touch of her lips on his skin dispelled any frustration he may have felt as she poked a huge hole through his plan. Truth be told though, she was right, and her speaking up had likely cost them an afternoon of driving around aimlessly. Not that there was too much of the afternoon left he noted, as the sun was already past its peak and beginning to descend. With mountains to the west of town, sunset came very early in the winter months as the sun dipped below the high snow-crusted peaks.

He just hoped there wouldn’t be another blizzard. Despite the trucks and snow tires, it was still a slog to get from one end of town to the other. Most of the plowing in town was done by volunteers. Many of the townsfolk had plows, and would clear off driveways and parking lots in exchange for a cup of hot chocolate or steaming coffee. But the roads were another matter, and the city—even with an investment from LMC—only had two big roadplows. So, it took a while for the streets to be cleared.

“I was so proud of myself,” he said aloud, pretending to be hurt by her lack of faith.

She smiled and punched his shoulder lightly. “Knock it off mister!”

“You should at least humor me,” he said in protest.

“What do you mean?” she asked, suspicion coloring her tone.

“You need to get home still,” he explained. “Why don’t I follow you home at least? Worth a shot, right?”

She considered it for a second and then shrugged. “Sure, I don’t see why not. It’s something that has to happen anyway. Although they really haven’t threatened me yet. They’ve simply taken photos I wished they hadn’t.”

He nodded, unwilling to tell her that it might progress from there. The shadowy figures that seemed to have taken control of the LMC would stop at nothing to eliminate someone who threatened them. Kierra didn’t need to know that. Not yet at least. There was no sense in alarming her more so than she already was.

As he followed her through the streets though, he kept his senses on full alert, looking for any sign that someone else might be following her big blue SUV
or
that they might actually be tailing him. The two of them had discussed the route she would take back home ahead of time so that he could follow at a good distance, but he still couldn’t pick up on anybody. Either they knew what the two of them were doing, or they weren’t following her this time.

Or they’re way better at hiding what they’re doing than you want to think.

Darren pushed that thought aside as he pulled into the driveway behind her vehicle. It was a cute little two-story house built sometime in the last century. White shutters surrounded the windows and what he could see of the roof was done in reddish sand-colored shingles instead of the typical black. Normally he hated gaudy accents like that, but with the gentle slopes and varying angles on such an older home, it actually seemed to work.

“Beautiful place you have here,” he complimented as he walked up to where she waited near the front door. There was a small concrete porch out front topped with a metal awning that kept it mostly clear of the falling snow or any rain in the other seasons.

“Thank you,” she said, fiddling with her keys, the thick wool of her gloves making it slightly more difficult than normal to slide it in smoothly. In the end though she got it to go and opened it with a flick of her wrist as he watched. “Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked, holding the door open in invitation.

Darren hesitated. If he went inside now, not only would any person watching them have more damning photos, but he also knew that the tension between them was likely to lead to…other activities.

Kierra must have picked up on his tentativeness, because she turned back to face him. The smile that she bestowed upon him was etched with a bit of fatigue, but there was no indication that she had been making the offering out of sheer politeness either. With a mental shrug he walked inside. It wasn’t like he didn’t want anything more to happen either.

In fact, the idea of having Kierra to himself, alone, without winter clothing and a blizzard getting between them was very, very exciting.

Kierra

What are you doing?!

She had invited him inside. On purpose no less. A purpose that had very little to do with having a drink, and much more with wanting to spend more time with him. Near him. Quite possibly wrapped up in his arms. The mental image alone was enough to send a pleasant tingle through her system.

“Here, let me grab that,” she said, snatching his coat and tossing it on to a hanger next to her own. “Welcome to Chez Valcke,” she laughed, spreading her arms to show him the place.

She had to admit it wasn’t much. The hardwood floors needed refinishing. The paint was fresh, but the baseboards were worn and in need of replacing. Things such as doorknobs and handles were clearly several decades out of date. But overall it was in good condition and she had no complaints.

Directly ahead and to the left were the stairs to the upper level. They ran up along the wall. The downstairs was mostly open-concept. She guided Darren forward. There was a closet to the right of the front door, then a hallway with a washroom, storage room, and door to the garage in it. After that the floorplan opened up.

There were three distinct rooms, yet no walls separated them—although it had taken some expensive renovations to get to that point. The kitchen was to the right, bordering the hallway and the far wall of the house. Alongside the kitchen was the dining area, and then moving counterclockwise from there were the entertainment and seating rooms.

“I actually really like this layout,” Darren commented, wandering through the rooms, and essentially her life as well. Pictures and knickknacks lined the walls and filled shelves. “I didn’t know you had a sister,” he said, pointing out a picture labeled “Sisters” in bright pink writing. It showed a much, much younger Kierra and another girl with big gap-toothed grins as they held up their missing teeth.

“Yeah, that’s Kim,” she said, leaning against the cupboards in the kitchen as she watched Darren. He was so handsome she thought dreamily, as his long, dexterous fingers put the picture back on the shelf. “She’s not actually my sister. Not by blood at least. You wouldn’t have known it when we were growing up though. Closest friend that I’ve ever had.”

“Do you still talk?” he asked, moving through the entertainment room and circling back to her.

She dropped her hands from the crossed position as he approached, but Darren grabbed them and held them in his own as he looked at her, awaiting an answer.

“Sometimes,” she admitted, her eyes dropping. “Kim left Origin when she was sixteen. I didn’t want her to go. I think mainly because I couldn’t go with her.” She looked up at him again. “Sixteen is a tough age. . So when all of a sudden you’re thousands of miles apart? We barely had the internet then too. Very primitive messaging systems and such. Before you knew it we’d found new friends, and we began to talk less. There’s no hate or anything. We just drifted apart.”

He nodded in understanding, his surprisingly soft hands giving hers a reassuring squeeze as he continued to hold them. Then without warning, his arms were suddenly around her, pulling her tight. There were no reassurances that everything would be okay. He wasn’t trying to make a big deal out of something that wasn’t. Instead, he was simply giving her a hug. Letting her know that he was here now.

Kierra wasn’t sure
how
she knew that, but she did. It was crystal clear in her mind as to why he was doing it.

Pulling her head back and craning it up to look at him, she gave him an inquisitive look.

“What?” he asked, smiling down at her.

“What’s your story? Who are you, where are you from?” she asked. Her voice was gentle but firm, indicating that it was time he shared some of his background with her.

His smile turned wry, and he stepped back from her. “How about a drink and a seat, and then I’ll tell you all about the glorious adventures of Captain Shaw the Magnificent.”

“Non-alcoholic beverage for you, got it,” she said deadpan in response to his boasting.

His hands covered his heart and he staggered slightly as if she had shot him. “Mine lady has wounded my pride!” he exclaimed, causing Kierra to spill some of the drink she was pouring as she giggled.

“Here, let me,” he said, swooping in behind her. Kierra froze as his body pressed up against her, his long, thick arms grabbing the cloth out of her hands as they wrapped around either side of her. She put her fingers on the edge of the counter, not daring to move. Her rear was pressed firmly into his crotch as he rested his chin on her head, mopping up the spill for her.

“There,” he said as the last of the spilled beer—which she realized with a shock he hadn’t said a thing about—disappeared from the counter.

Then, as quickly as he had come, he was gone. Kierra inhaled sharply, finally able to breathe again.

Holy shit. He’s…

Kierra couldn’t even finish the thought in her own head. He left her that befuddled sometimes.

“Here,” she said shakily, having managed to pour the rest of the beer into a mug without spilling it.

“Thank you,” he said graciously.

He waited until she had her glass of wine before tilting his drink in her direction. They clinked glasses and he took her hand and gently pulled her toward the couch.

“My story,” he said as they sat down. “Where to begin?”

She could tell he was talking to himself, but she couldn’t help answering anyway. “Maybe at the beginning?”

Darren dropped his chin and raised his eyebrows, giving her a look that said “really?”

“Yes. The beginning. How apt,” he said with a shake of his head. “Well I’m not from the Valley. I grew up in the suburbs. My dad was a respectable shifter and a project manager in IT. My mom worked part-time as a nurse.”

He shook his head again. “I really have no idea what caused me to turn out the way I did. But I had a temper. It started manifesting when I was oh, eight?” His eyes flicked up and to the left as he thought about it briefly. “No, probably nine. It got worse, and when I was sixteen, I found out this kid at school had tried to force himself on the girl I liked.”

Her eyebrows rose, but she said nothing, allowing him to speak. Kierra hadn’t expected him to just open up like this to her. She had expected a short version that she would then have to pick apart and pry the full story of his life from him, but apparently Darren had other ideas. So she sat back and listened to him talk, her hand in his.

“I found him the next morning, and smashed his face with a rock. It was pretty bad.”

He didn’t, she noted, sound as if he regretted his actions.

“I was told I was going to jail. So I ran away. It’s pretty hard for police to track, let alone capture, a shifter. I changed my name and roamed the country for two years. Eventually I heard of this place,” he gestured around, indicating the Valley as a whole.

“And you decided to come here?” she asked in surprise. Having grown up in Genesis Valley, Kierra really did not think of it as a place where someone would want to go. In fact, she had tried extremely hard to get
out
. It was only the luck of a job working for the city itself that had kept her there. There were times she still contemplated leaving, selling the house and most of her possessions, packing the rest into her SUV, and just going. It didn’t matter where, just anywhere but
here.

“Think about it from my perspective,” he said. “I was on the run from the law. I had no job opportunities. No schooling available. Nothing. Imagine what that would be like to a shifter. This was just before shifters went public too.” He sighed wistfully. “So there I am, down on my luck, contemplating what to do for my next meal. And the rumor of a place where my kind are not only tolerated, but trained and put to work in honest—if backbreaking—jobs. Where there is
always
work, and it’s understood that you did something bad on the outside world to get there, but nobody cares what you did before. Only what you’re going to do.”

“When you put it that way, I have to admit it makes a lot more sense. I always forget how much harder it must have been before the rest of the world knew you existed. We always knew there was something different going on here in Origin, but they never told us kids.”

She squeezed his hand, partially to reassure him it was okay, and partially because she wanted to. Adjusting her position on the couch, she allowed herself to settle into a new position somewhat closer to him. Not much, only a few inches. Kierra wanted to laugh at herself. It was like being in high school again and exploring whether that other person really did like you. And just not friendly like you. But like-like you. That was a big distinction.

Here she was, doing the same thing with a man she’d already kissed several times, who she’d invited into her house and then served a drink to. It seemed ridiculous that she couldn’t just reach out and cuddle with him, but that’s the way it was.

Darren’s arm dropped off the top of the couch, snaked around her waist, and pulled her right into him. The ease and speed with which it happened caught her completely off guard.

Holy hell. He’s strong.

Kierra knew she was no tiny tot, though she didn’t have any issues with her looks either. But the way that Darren, with one arm, and without seeming to exert any effort, had lifted her up and into his lap was a little scary. Some of her thoughts must have made it into her eyes.

He relaxed and pulled away from her as best he could, considering she was sitting on his lap. “Sorry,” he managed. “Was that too much?”

She took a moment to compose herself, but then shook her head. “No. I mean, it caught me off guard, but I like being close to you,” she said sheepishly. “It was just the display of strength. I knew you were strong, I just didn’t know—”

“That I was
that
strong,” he finished for her.

Kierra nodded.

He frowned.

“Really though, it’s okay,” she said, putting her hand on his chest.

“No, it’s not. I’m sure it will be okay, but I shouldn’t have been so blatant about it,” he said. “You should never be afraid of me. Never have to worry that my strength is for anything but your protection.”

She smiled. “I can think of at least oh, two other uses for your strength,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

His nostrils flared in amusement. “I’m serious,” he said.

“So am I,” she told him. Then, as if to prove her point, she lay her head on his chest. “Tell me more?”

He nodded from above her, accepting defeat. “If you insist,” he said lightly, his hand coming up to play with her hair.

Kierra closed her eyes and listened to the vibration of his voice in his chest as he spoke. “When I finally arrived in the Valley, I was initially earmarked for specialty training.”

“What’s that?” she asked, not moving from her position. His fingers were sending minor shivers of delight down her spine as they threaded through her hair.

“Stone Bear training,” he explained. “I went through several years of it, and was closing in on finishing it too,” he said remorsefully.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure. I must have pissed someone off, because whoever it was went through a lot of effort to frame me for crimes I didn’t commit.”

Kierra sat up at that, on edge once more. “What kind of crimes?” she slowly asked, dreading the answer.

“Destruction of property. Harassment. Theft.”

She shook her head. “Okay, I think you’re going to have to explain that.”

“I’m not sure I can, not even to this day,” he said with a frown. “I was involved with a woman at the time. Nothing serious,” he assured her, though she didn’t care. Neither of them were with their first partner. At some point adults have to accept that the person they care for has been with and cared for others before them.

“Anyway,” he continued. “One night, someone destroyed her car, trashed her house, left threatening love letters all over the place, saying if she cheated she’d be dead. They stole a bunch of expensive jewelry and a few other things. All the evidence pointed to me.”

She looked at him. Part of her wanted to ask. To hear him answer with his own voice to the direct question. But she couldn’t. Not now. He had already said he didn’t do it, that he was framed. If she asked him now, it would be tantamount to admitting that she didn’t believe him, which meant she didn’t trust him. He hadn’t given her a reason not to trust him yet, so that meant she had to believe him.

“What happened?” she asked instead.

“They threw me in jail.”

“Really? I don’t remember that. I feel like that would be a big deal here. Generally shifters don’t
go
to jail. Or get in trouble, really,” she said.

Darkness clouded his eyes, and she could sense that something about what she had just said was wrong. She didn’t know which part, however, because as far as she knew, that was the truth. Shifters rarely were publicly punished. At least not where the ordinary citizens of Origin could see or hear about it. So a shifter going to jail would have made the news.

“They put me in a cell at the LMC head office. They have a jail complex there. It gets used, though not that often,” he admitted.