Bear Naked
Page 42“Including you?”
“Including you.” And he stalked past Glory’s brother, ignoring the way the man sputtered behind him. The scent of Glory’s stalker was richest right around her bedroom window, and Ryan wanted to snarl and rip and tear.
“Fuck you, Williams.”
“Not on your best night, Walsh.” He batted his lashes at Temp. “Your hair just isn’t blue enough.”
“Ryan.”
He froze, shoes in hand. “Hey, sweetheart.”
She tapped her toe, her arms across her chest. She’d been terrified when she woke up alone, and only calling Julian had calmed her. “Where were you?”
He put his shoes down on the carpet by the door. “I was checking out your old apartment.”
“Old apartment, huh?” She shook her head. She’d deal with that later. Fucker thought she didn’t notice that he was sneaking her stuff over? Hmph. “And what did you find at my old apartment.”
“Wolf signs and your brother.”
“Temp was there?” Glory flicked the light on, enjoying the way Ryan flinched. That’s what he got for not telling her he was leaving. “What was he doing there?”
“You know, I forgot to ask him.”
“Uh-huh.” She glared at him as he began stalking toward her, that I want a taste of Glory look on his face. “Don’t even think you’re getting out of this.”
He whined, his shoulders slumping. “But Mo-om.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “Tell me when you’re going out, okay?”
She choked on a laugh. “He’s overprotective, like someone else I know.”
Ryan grunted. “He knows more than he’s telling me.”
She settled on the sofa next to him, wrapping her long, silky nightgown around her legs. His apartment was always cold for some reason. “Ryan.”
“I’m sorry.” He cuddled her close, and she tried to ignore how safe she suddenly felt. Waking up alone had sucked monkey balls. “But there’s something about him I just don’t trust.”
She stiffened. “Your Hunter instincts?”
“No.” His expression was uncomfortable. “I don’t even know if I have Hunter instincts yet.”
“You do.” It was one of the things she and Barney had discussed when he’d arrived on Ryan’s doorstep so early in the morning. “But he also said you’d know if something was setting them off.”
“So maybe I just dislike your brother?”
She bopped him on the shoulder. “You know, he didn’t leave me behind voluntarily.”
“Bullshit.”
“Rye, Temp is only two years older than me.” She stared at her mate, willing him to understand. “He was eighteen when my father kicked me out. He could have left Faith and come with me, yeah, but instead—”
“Instead he sacrificed himself to protect Faith.” His arms tightened around her. “Except Faith said she has scars.”
“I have scars too, Ryan.” Her father was careful not to make them too deep, but yeah, they were there. She patted his chest when he grumbled. “But Temp managed to keep him from hurting us too badly. You have no idea how many times he stepped between my father and I, trying to save me. He’s got more scars than I do. He’s even gotten his jaw broken taking a blow for me.”
Ryan relaxed beneath her petting. “He sets my teeth on edge.”
“Maybe?” He shrugged. “Until I know for certain he’s not somehow involved in everything, I’m reserving judgment.”
“I trust him, Rye.”
He leaned his chin on top of her head. “I know, and I’m praying you’re right and I’m wrong.”
They sat like that for a while, simply enjoying each other’s company. Glory was almost asleep when Ryan spoke again. “Your sister got presents.”
Suddenly wide awake, she pushed away from his chest to stare at him. Or at least she tried to. Damn stupidly strong Bear. “What?”
“Temp says Hope got gifts just like the ones you’ve been getting, just geared toward a teen.”
She snuggled closer to him since he wasn’t letting her go. And, damn it, he did make her feel safer than anything else ever had. “We guessed the guy doing this was probably the one who had my sister.”
Ryan tugged the braid she slept in at night. “I won’t let him get you.”
“You keep saying that, but you can’t really promise it.”
“I can.”
The thought that Ryan could get hurt protecting her from a psycho filled her. “If anything happens to you, I’m going to be pissed.” Damn it, her voice was shaking.
He hugged her tight. “Yes, SG.”
“I mean it, Rye. If you die, I’ll kill you.”
“Yes, SG.” He stroked her back, soothing her, but she could hear he was amused.
His embrace tightened almost to the point of pain. “It was strongest under your bedroom window. It was like he marked his territory.”
“The dog pissed under my window?”
“Yeah.”
She shuddered. “That’s so gross.”
“And one of the reasons you’re moving in with me.”
“I want a house.” She hadn’t meant to blurt that out, but it was true. It was something permanent, something neither of them could walk away from.
His grip eased. “Near Bunny and Tabby?”
Oh, God. He was going for it. “I was thinking between them and Cyn and Julian. I’d really like that.” Glory couldn’t hide the yearning she felt for a real home.
She could feel his smile as he pressed his face to her hair. “Me too, SG. Me too.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Wakey wakey, little Bear.”
Ryan was gonna kill him a Bear. “Fuck, Barney.”
“No thanks, you’re not my type. Not enough jiggle in your wiggle.”
Ryan groaned and rolled over, glaring blearily at the clock. “What fucking time is it?”