Bear Read online

  “See you tonight,” her son said as he hopped out.

  Roxie leaned over the seat. “Have a good day, baby. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Chad shut the door and rushed off to a group of girls. Roxie fought a grin as she began to pull away. Maybe he’d finally gotten over his breakup with Becca. Just before he was out of view, she saw him look over his shoulder and witnessed his face falling. She followed his gaze on instinct and sighed. Becca. Okay, maybe not.

  Roxie didn’t know what had happened between the two of them. They’d broken up over the summer after two years together, and her son hadn’t wanted to talk about it. She’d gently told him she was here for him and would listen whenever he was ready. Being a single mom wasn’t easy, but knowing your boy needed a man to confide in was a kick in the ovaries.

  Scott was lucky to have Brody in his life now, and it wouldn’t be long before that big Viking was bending over backward for Xander, too. Roxie wished Chad had a father figure in his life like Scott and Xander did. Hell, it’d be nice if his actual father came around—no. She wasn’t going there. She hadn’t seen the guy in over ten years.

  Eleven years and one month, but who’s counting?

  Roxie's cell phone rang with Xan’s ringtone, and she pressed the speaker. “Hey there, momma.”

  “If you were a true friend, you’d bring me a double espresso.”

  “Girl, I got you. You’re allowed some caffeine while breastfeeding—”

  “With a shot of Bailey’s.”

  Roxie laughed. “Spoke too soon.”

  “I’m so tired. Xander was up half the night. Brody jumped up every time the baby cried. It shouldn’t be humanly possible to be both exhausted and frazzled.”

  “Every mother on the planet can testify to that.”

  Xander’s cry came over the line. “He just went down,” Xan groaned.

  “What is that charging bull sound drowning out that precious baby?”

  “That would be Brody running to the nursery. He was in the kitchen making coffee.”

  Roxie snorted. “That baby already has his daddy wrapped around his little finger.”

  “Yep. It’ll be a miracle if Brody goes into the shop as planned.”

  “Aww, I remember how hard it was going back to work when Chad was a baby. At least being a mechanic comes with paternity leave. Or is it his other role that comes with those benefits?” Roxie teased.

  “Ha, ha. You know there’s no separating the two when it comes to those guys and where they work.”

  The Bang Shift Garage, that was where. The only auto shop in town wasn’t just filled with mechanics jonesing over rebuilding the latest hotrod, though. Nope, Brody and his crew were also mercenaries. Oh, yeah, but they weren’t a bunch of hired guns. Well, they were, but not just that. Apparently, they got a lot of their contracts from the federal government, so most of that gig was on the level. Most, but not all. Even though Roxie had known the guys working there for years, she’d learned about this side hustle from Xan. It was one of those federal contracts that had brought Xan and Brody together.

  “The guys called a meeting, but Brody was planning on going up there anyway since the owner of that old green car is supposed to pick it up today.”

  Roxie turned down the volume when Xander’s cry pitched higher. “Jesus, that boy’s got a set of lungs on him.”

  “Is that Roxie?” Brody asked in the background.

  “Hey, Brody,” Roxie sang.

  “You better be headed to the shop,” he called out. “Your new tires are collecting dust.”

  Roxie groaned. Too bad she wasn’t expected there because she needed the local mercs to do some shady vigilante shit for her instead of installing those dang tires. Hell, even if there was someone she needed to un-alive, she couldn’t afford to hire them. She was broke as a joke, a fact she’d stressed each time those men pestered her about getting new tires whenever she’d get a flat. She was fully aware those suckers had been patched them so many times they were practically polka-dotted, but the last blowout had been the final straw. The Bang Shift guys had ignored her when she’d given them her regular spiel about not being able to afford a new set of tires, and they had ordered them anyway.

  And by they, she meant one man in particular. She had no doubt who was the driving force behind the decision.

  “I got a lot of errands to run,” she hedged. When she put this off today, she intended on delaying again. And Again.

  “Bullshit. Bear already said if you canceled again today, we’re hijacking your ride. He has run outta patience.”

  Teddy “Bear” Knight, the de facto ring leader of the Bang Shift group, knew exactly how to piss her off and rev her lady engine. Too bad the second one was done without his active participation.

  “Just suck it up, girl,” Xan said. “You’re not gonna win this.”

  “Fine,” Roxie said with a groan as she neared the turn she’d need to take. So much for putting this off again.

  “Are you wearing makeup?” her bestie asked quickly.

  “I’m hanging up now.” She refused to own up to any primping that may or may not have happened while Chad was eating breakfast.

  Of course, she had makeup on. She was rebellious, not blasphemous. Regardless, she refused to be all flirty with a certain pushy man when he’d been the one to make such a big deal out of this. She was a stubborn woman, and Xan dang well knew that.

  By the time Roxie pulled up to Bang Shift Garage, she was cussing Teddy six ways to Sunday. The man infuriated her to no end. Ever since he’d rolled up into town on that damn Harley all those years ago, he’d consumed way too many of her wayward thoughts. She still didn’t know his entire life’s story, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Oh no, she’d made a complete fool of herself many times trying to get that big, bald, hunky specimen to open up to her, and he’d shut her down damn near every time.

  Except once.

  The honkytonk had been packed that night, but she’d only had eyes on Teddy. She still remembered the way his worn jeans had cupped his hot ass and how his T-shirt had hung loose on his chest but clung tightly to his biceps. Lord have mercy, but that man had been sex personified.

  Little had she known back then, but Jamie Foxx had been preaching to the choir when the DJ had announced the oldie track he was about to play, giving everyone the excuse to “Blame it on the alcohol.” She’d been too wrapped up in wondering how in the world that kick-ass song had become old school when Teddy had leaned against the bar right beside her to order another drink, almost knocking her Cosmo out of her hand.

  He’d been drinking whiskey and not the good stuff. His arm had brushed against hers, and when he’d turned to apologize, heat had flared in his eyes. He’d had a shit day, but that was all he’d told her. When he’d invited her to sit with him, she hadn’t been able to resist. They’d chatted as he’d tossed back more booze. Soon their conversation had veered into illicitly dangerous territory, leaving no doubt what he wanted. She clearly remembered slipping out of his embrace a few times with the excuse of him being drunk, but she hadn’t put up much of a fight.

  She’d only meant to see him safely home.

  When they’d gotten to his place, she’d intended to leave once he was inside. He’d had other ideas, and her stupid vagina had overruled her brain. Oh, she’d tried resisting the man she more than liked, but damn, he hadn’t played fair.

  “I wanna fuck you so hard you’ll feel me for a week, little momma.”

  No other words spoken could make a woman fall on her back and spread her legs faster to the god among men.

  As for the walking bit, he’d been right.

  The second bay door opened, startling her out of her memories. Roc stepped out and waved at her to pull in. She backed out of the parking spot she’d taken and followed his directions without hesitation. A former cartel prince, that man was the meanest SOB of the Bang Shift. It still amused her that little ol’ Heather had him by the balls.

  After slowly navigating through the bumper barriers on either side of the overhead door, Roxie got out, tossed Roc the keys, and marched to the vinyl couch by the front desk.

  “This is stupid,” she muttered as she took a seat.

  “There’s no arguing with them,” Heather said, coming around the desk. Hunter’s little sister had gotten roped into helping around the shop part-time, but now that she and Roc were an item, Roxie figured the college girl would be up here whenever she didn’t have class, taunting her brother with impromptu make-out sessions with her boyfriend. “Thought you’d have learned that by now.”

  “Ha! If you only knew.” Roxie glanced around the shop as she tucked a stray strand of hair back into her messy bun. Her red, wavy hair wasn’t curly enough to be cute. It was a mess without product and effort, which she usually made when she knew she’d see Teddy, but her pride had stopped her today—after her mascara was applied. Maybe if Teddy had bought her tires out of love and not pity, she’d feel differently.

  “He’s out back.”

  “Who?” she asked as if she didn’t care. Because she did not.

  Heather chuckled. “That’s the game we’re playing today, huh?”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Roxie stepped to the vending machine to get a soda to sip on while she waited. The moment Roc was done with her car, she was hightailing it out of here. As she waited for the drink to drop, she glanced to the side and saw a partially covered car in the farthest bay. She frowned. The color and shape sparked a memory she couldn’t place.

  “What’s that look for?” Heather asked.

  “Whose car is that?”

  Before Heather could answer, the back door opened, and Teddy walked in with grease stains on his mechanic’s shirt, w
iping his hands on a towel. Roxie’s mouth dried at the glorious sight. She gulped down a swallow, not even caring in the slightest if it made her burp. Okay, maybe a little.

  “Hey, Bear,” Heather called out as she walked around the desk.

  Teddy gave Hunter’s little sister a cursory glance as he headed to Roxie’s car, but his gaze landed on Roxie instead.

  Her traitor nipples beaded at his gaze, and he froze mid-step as if just now registering she was here.

  He changed direction and walked toward them. She put the drink down on the table, readying herself for battle.

  “Roxie,” he said with a short nod.

  “Teddy. Always a pleasure.” She propped her hand on her hip, thrusting her boobs in his direction…because she was a complete moron. Make that a complete love-sick moron.

  He grunted. “Looks like Roc got started installing your new tires. Shouldn’t take too long.”

  “I told you it wasn’t necessary.”

  “And I told you I’m not fighting with you about this.”

  “You two never quit,” Heater muttered, her lips twitching.

  Teddy glared at Heather. “Don’t you have work to do?”

  “I was just looking up the owner of the GT4 for our customer here.”

  “Why?”

  “GT4?” Roxie asked, rocking back on her heels. Her mouth fell open as her brain reeled. Xan’s words from earlier drifted through her mind. The owner of that old green car is supposed to be there today. She knew someone who had once owned a green GT4. She could still see the Wild Wild West key chain that had dangled from the ignition. It couldn’t be...

  “I know, right?” Heather said. “When was the last time we had a Ferrari in these parts, much less an antique?”

  Roxie knew the answer to that, but her mouth hadn’t caught up to her brain.

  “What’s wrong?” Teddy asked, stepping up to her and resting his hands on her waist. His touch was almost enough to distract her from the track her thoughts was on.

  She heard footsteps before Roc came into her peripheral vision.

  “Who brought in that car?” she asked, her voice shaking.

  “Howes,” Heather said.

  Roc stepped beside his girlfriend. “House?”

  Heather shook her head and spelled it out. “I didn’t write down a first name.”

  “It’s Thad,” Roxie breathed. No way. How…when?

  “Wait, Thad Howes?” Teddy asked. His gaze shot to Roc whose eyes narrowed instantly. Roxie didn’t understand their reaction, but she was still grappling with her own.

  Was Thad in town, or had he shipped his car here to be worked on? If he’d sent it here, why, out of all the garages in the U.S., did he pick this one?

  “The Shadow,” Roc muttered.

  Teddy cupped her face, drawing her out of her thoughts. Where she knew she was sporting a look of shock, his expression was one of steely resolve. “How do you know that name, babe?”

  She blinked at Teddy, shaking her head. It couldn’t really be him, could it? Her imagination was just running amok. She moved away from Teddy and walked toward the car, needing to see it for herself. She’d know immediately if it was the one she’d been in several times. Maybe she was wrong. Surely, she was. Her thoughts from earlier this morning were why she’d ventured down this path. It was the only thing that made sense.

  She hadn’t seen him in—

  “Roxie?” Teddy asked as he walked up beside her and grasped her arm. “I need you to tell me how you know Thad Howes.”

  She opened her mouth, but something clicked at the other end of the bay, a sound that seemed foreign among the typical hum of the shop. Teddy’s gaze shot in the direction of the car right before it suddenly exploded, the force of it knocking her off her feet and on top of Teddy. He rolled her underneath him, shielding her from raining debris. Either the fall or the blast stole the breath from her lungs, and she gasped, trying to suck in some air. People shouted around her, but their voices sounded hollow. When the alarms went off, they drowned out all other noises.

  The sprinklers soaked her as Teddy pulled her to her feet. She slipped a few times, but he only tightened his grip, tugging her out of the building and walking several feet away from it.

  Roxie was moving on autopilot.

  Teddy was trying to say something to her, but her ears weren’t working yet. She blinked at him, clearing the moisture from her eyes, and watched his lips mouth the words, “Are you hurt, babe?”

  She shook her head, too numb to feel anything, much less physical pain. He guided her across the asphalt, putting more distance between them and the garage, but her gaze darted around to the others. Heather sat on the grass while Roc checked her for injuries. Blade talked to someone on the phone while he paced. Hunter, Gauge, and Axle rushed in and out of the shop, but she wasn’t sure what they were doing exactly. At least Brody and Shelby hadn’t been in the bay.

  When Roxie and Teddy got to the other side of the parking lot, he stood close and gently rubbed her cheek. “You gotta tell me, babe. How do you know Thad Howes?”

  The truth was she hadn’t known Thad very well at all. That had always been a problem. They’d only dated briefly, but it’d been long enough to impact her life, forever changing its course.

  “He’s…um…he’s Chad’s father.”

  Chapter Two

  Bear’s hands shook like mad, so on impulse, he rubbed them together in an attempt to make them stop.

  It wasn’t working.

  He’d spent his youth tackling lineman, his young adult phase fighting dudes bigger than him, and the last several years of his life accepting contracts to take out the lowest of the low as a member of the Bang Shift group of mercenaries. He’d been beaten, restrained, and shot at more times than he could count, but never once had he ever felt true fear. The closest he’d come to being scared had been when his father had been arrested all those years ago, but Bear had been more worried than anything else back then.

  The feeling back then had felt nothing like what he felt today.

  Hell, he couldn’t even blame his reaction on their headquarters being hit—rather than his team being attacked out in the field—since it wasn’t the first time the shop had been targeted. Gauge still rubbed his chest every once in a while after having taken a bullet earlier this year right on the loading dock. Bear could lie to himself and pretend his reaction now was because they had no idea just how much damage the bomber had wanted to cause, but there was no denying the truth. His nerves were toast because Roxie had been here when the car had exploded. She could have gotten hurt. Or worse.

  Wiping his hand over his bald head, his gaze kept darting to the woman who pushed all his buttons. She stood next to his teammate Shelby, who was thankfully keeping her occupied while Bear dealt with the aftermath of the chaos. Blade had immediately called the others—except Brody—to help get a handle on the situation before Gauge called the sheriff’s department. Now, some local deputies were scoping out the damage. Bear should be paying closer attention to the investigation instead of the redhead to his right, but he was finding it really fucking hard to take his eyes off her for even a few minutes.

  He shouldn’t be surprised. Ever since he’d driven into town nearly eight years ago, she’d driven him to distraction. At first, he’d avoided her, too focused on Colonel’s objective for the team he was creating, but after some time and several run-ins with the fiery woman, he’d started flirting right along with her. It had been as natural as breathing around her. Even learning she was a single mom hadn’t stopped him from being interested. Half the time her son, Chad, was with her when she’d brought her car into the shop or Bear had run into her at the store. Hell, not only had it not bothered him in the slightest that she was a mom, he’d liked her kid, too. Then one day, he’d mentally slammed on the brakes of any potential relationship, and it had nothing to do with Roxie.

  Cancer had finally claimed his father’s life.

  He’d taken off for a few days and rode up to the Ozarks to lock up the old farmhouse he’d grown up in. He’d mourned his father and the closing of that chapter of his life at the small funeral he’d arranged. After he’d buried his father, he’d returned to Mayflower with a gaping void in his chest, and Colonel had pushed him into throwing himself into work to help block the pain. Bear vaguely remembered making a beeline for the bar and drinking his bodyweight in liquor, but damn, the resulting hangover had been one he’d never forget. Neither would the chewing out he’d gotten when he’d made it into the garage the following morning.