Wicked Bite (Realm Enforcers #5)(56)

She took the note. "Thursdays?"

"Yeah. Except for the Tuesday two months ago. In fact, tell him I still have a pair of his jeans and an ugly green shirt if he wants them back. Last time he shifted back to bear form, I forgot to drop them off at his cabin."

Her ears rang. Bear had been meeting this man every Thursday and had left behind clothing when he shifted to bear form? "Um, Smitty? Just curious. How long have you and Bear been meeting up?"

"Why?" Smitty's voice lowered.

"I'm just wondering."

"Give him the message, girlie." Smitty hung up.

She stared at the quiet phone receiver. Talk about secrets. She'd known Bear hadn't remained in bear form the last three months. Just who was Smitty? More important, why had Bear been shifting into human form every Thursday? Was it to pick up Apollo?

It couldn't be. But he had so many accounts with so much damn money. Bear could certainly finance a new drug-both the manufacture and the distribution. In fact, if he was the manufacturer, it would've been brilliant to have another motorcycle gang distribute the drug, to keep the Grizzlies clean and off the DEA's radar.

Until one of her people had blown up the rival motorcycle gang, and its members had scattered in every direction.

Bear wasn't a drug runner.

Right?

He nudged the door open with one hip and carried in two cups of coffee. "There's a plane meeting us in three hours to head to Los Angeles." Snow swirled in after him, and he handed her one of the cups. "Now, you're going to tell me all about George Flanders, your uncle, and everything else I don't know." 

She looked at him, no longer surprised by the intelligence shining in his eyes. "Right. Because we don't keep secrets from each other. Correct?"

He took a sip of his steaming drink, his gaze intense over the cup. "Exactly. Glad you're finally on board."





Chapter 18

The private plane was too confining. Bear shrugged off unease and tried to stretch out his legs. After nearly two hours in the air, Nessa sat next to him, staring out the window, while Lucas played poker with Logan and Garrett up ahead of them.

Bear glanced at the woman. His woman.

She'd been out of sorts all day, but looked sexy as hell in a blue pencil skirt, white blouse, and black boots. She'd ignored him the entire flight. Maybe she was just worried about her uncle. "Every one of my contacts is trying to track down your uncle," he said evenly.

When she turned her head, a couple of curls escaped the clip she'd used. "This is a bad idea. We shouldn't have Lucas and the boys with us." Her eyes glowed, and concern deepened the hue. "George was very clear that I had to come alone. I knew I couldn't talk you out of coming, but this is too much. They're too much."

Bear reached for her hand, but she jerked it away.

A growl filled his chest, and he cleared it. "I understand your concerns, but we're all trained in combat missions. Going into something like this without backup is fuckin' crazy."

Anger poured off her. "Aren't you the strategic fighter today."

Was that sarcasm? It was. His temper stretched to meet hers. The silent treatment had grated on him the entire day. Now she was being a smart-ass? "I'm tryin' to be real understanding here, baby. Your uncle is taken, you just got mated, and life must be overwhelming." He bit back a threat or two. "How about you lose some of the attitude?"

Her smile lacked any charm whatsoever. "You're right. Thank you for the plane ride. It sure is nice to have friends with money, now isn't it?"

The hair rose at the base of his neck at the derision in her tone. "What is wrong with you?" he snapped.

Lucas looked back, and Bear glared until he turned around again.

Nessa crossed her arms in a huff and focused out the window once more.

That was it. He grabbed her waist and lifted her right out of the seat, plunking her on his lap to straddle him. Her legs went on either side of his hips, and she slapped his chest.

He grabbed her forearms and drew her in. "Talk. Now."

She snarled. Actually snarled. "Let me go or you lose a testicle."

"Mom? Dad?" Lucas called back, chortling. "Stop fighting. You're scaring the kids."

Bear ignored him and yanked the offensive pin out of Nessa's hair. She protested, pushing against him. Her hair cascaded down and all around them, scenting the air with roses. For once, the smell didn't calm him. He leaned in until his face was right at hers and whispered. "You want a fight right here and now? I'll make it happen. I don't give two fucks who's in the plane with us."

Her glare could burn through concrete.

He kept his voice low so only she could hear-probably. "If not, tell me right now what has crawled up your ass."