Read Online Amir (BBW Bear Shifter Moonshiner Romance) (120 Proof Honey Book 3) by Becca Fanning - Free Book Online
Authors: Becca Fanning
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him in waves, and at least she felt some small relief that she was no longer going to have to spend time around him. They both watched in fraught silence as Big Al squared up to Kurt. They were both the same considerable height, though Al was much wider round the middle, and Kurt seemed too hurt to be intimidated.
“I’m willing to cut you an offer, Mr. Ruxpin,” Big Al began. “You remember that toy? It was a talking teddy bear. Ahh well, before your time I guess. Well, I can make my seven gees back in one night, taking bets on a high profile fight. If I can get a shifter in to fight, I’ll score a fortune and you’ll be all clear. How does that sound, kid?”
“No,” Stacey said at once. Jack grabbed her wrist and shook his head.
Kurt glanced at her, those gold eyes flashing with hidden pain.
“Who would I be fighting?” he asked.
Big Al shrugged, giving a genial grin. “Just a couple of my boys. No weapons, I swear. Just ropes, you know, to restrain you if they win.”
“How many?” Kurt asked.
“Five?” Al returned.
“Three.”
“Four.”
“Done.”
They shook hands before Stacey could even protest again.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to suggest the venue,” Kurt said. “Fairhaven’s private land, it’d be better for both of us to keep this quiet.”
“Good thinking,” Big Al returned with another grin. “If you were half as good as gambler as you are a dealmaker, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Come on Jack, let’s get organized.”
Stacey waited until they’d left, and then she rushed to Kurt. He stepped away at once when she reached for him.
“Are you crazy?” she demanded. “Big Al Moschino’s not a good guy. You can bet those damn boys of his will be armed up to the back teeth.”
“What does it matter?” Kurt shot back. “It’s my only way out. And it looks like I’ve got nothing left to lose anyway.”
His stern voice broke on the last few words, and Stacey felt her tears returning. She knew it was a mark of how strong their bond was, the fact that she could cry so easily with him. Kurt looked at her, then looked away again at once. If he really wanted to be away from her, surely he’d have already left the deserted bar? He was still standing there, which meant she still had a chance to make things right.
“What we have,” she began, her voice shaking, “what we feel when we’re together, you can’t fake that. I didn’t tell you why I was here, sure, but everything else I said was true. I really do want to help you. There was nothing between me and Jack except him being a creep. You gave me the strength to admit what I really want.”
“What’s that?” Kurt asked, eyes still downcast.
“Something true,” Stacey admitted. “Love.”
The word hung like electricity in the air between them. When Kurt finally turned to face Stacey, she felt her chest rise with the force of impossible hope. He stepped towards her, but did not reach for her. Instead, he tried to grin. It almost made its way onto his face, lighting up some of the shadows there.
“Do you think that’s what we are?” he said softly. “Love at first sight?”
“I didn’t believe it either, until it happened,” she replied.
The fight was two nights later, and Stacey and Kurt had talked and talked in the time in between. They had not shared so much as a hand-holding moment, though, and Stacey knew she’d have to give it some time before Kurt could trust her again. Their conversations were long and winding, learning more about each other every time, but ultimately everything came back to the moment which was looming between them. The fight would decide Kurt’s future, and Stacey’s too. If all went well, they’d be free to start over. If it didn’t… Stacey couldn’t handle thinking about that other option.
Kurt had chosen the venue, just like Big Al promised. He and Stacey walked up the steep hiking trail that led to the dirt bowl, a little
“I’m willing to cut you an offer, Mr. Ruxpin,” Big Al began. “You remember that toy? It was a talking teddy bear. Ahh well, before your time I guess. Well, I can make my seven gees back in one night, taking bets on a high profile fight. If I can get a shifter in to fight, I’ll score a fortune and you’ll be all clear. How does that sound, kid?”
“No,” Stacey said at once. Jack grabbed her wrist and shook his head.
Kurt glanced at her, those gold eyes flashing with hidden pain.
“Who would I be fighting?” he asked.
Big Al shrugged, giving a genial grin. “Just a couple of my boys. No weapons, I swear. Just ropes, you know, to restrain you if they win.”
“How many?” Kurt asked.
“Five?” Al returned.
“Three.”
“Four.”
“Done.”
They shook hands before Stacey could even protest again.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to suggest the venue,” Kurt said. “Fairhaven’s private land, it’d be better for both of us to keep this quiet.”
“Good thinking,” Big Al returned with another grin. “If you were half as good as gambler as you are a dealmaker, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Come on Jack, let’s get organized.”
Stacey waited until they’d left, and then she rushed to Kurt. He stepped away at once when she reached for him.
“Are you crazy?” she demanded. “Big Al Moschino’s not a good guy. You can bet those damn boys of his will be armed up to the back teeth.”
“What does it matter?” Kurt shot back. “It’s my only way out. And it looks like I’ve got nothing left to lose anyway.”
His stern voice broke on the last few words, and Stacey felt her tears returning. She knew it was a mark of how strong their bond was, the fact that she could cry so easily with him. Kurt looked at her, then looked away again at once. If he really wanted to be away from her, surely he’d have already left the deserted bar? He was still standing there, which meant she still had a chance to make things right.
“What we have,” she began, her voice shaking, “what we feel when we’re together, you can’t fake that. I didn’t tell you why I was here, sure, but everything else I said was true. I really do want to help you. There was nothing between me and Jack except him being a creep. You gave me the strength to admit what I really want.”
“What’s that?” Kurt asked, eyes still downcast.
“Something true,” Stacey admitted. “Love.”
The word hung like electricity in the air between them. When Kurt finally turned to face Stacey, she felt her chest rise with the force of impossible hope. He stepped towards her, but did not reach for her. Instead, he tried to grin. It almost made its way onto his face, lighting up some of the shadows there.
“Do you think that’s what we are?” he said softly. “Love at first sight?”
“I didn’t believe it either, until it happened,” she replied.
The fight was two nights later, and Stacey and Kurt had talked and talked in the time in between. They had not shared so much as a hand-holding moment, though, and Stacey knew she’d have to give it some time before Kurt could trust her again. Their conversations were long and winding, learning more about each other every time, but ultimately everything came back to the moment which was looming between them. The fight would decide Kurt’s future, and Stacey’s too. If all went well, they’d be free to start over. If it didn’t… Stacey couldn’t handle thinking about that other option.
Kurt had chosen the venue, just like Big Al promised. He and Stacey walked up the steep hiking trail that led to the dirt bowl, a little
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