Read Online Bear My Soul (Fire Bears Book 1) by T. S. Joyce - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T. S. Joyce
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Something green and ugly slithered through Rory’s veins as she watched the woman walk out the front door.
When she looked back at Leah, the woman was grinning from ear to ear. “You look pissed.”
Lifting her chin, Rory said, “I’m unaffected.”
“Mm-hmm, I told myself that about Gage for an entire year, and now look at me. Raising his little mini-mes and utterly smitten.”
“It’s different for Cody and me. We don’t really know each other, and if we don’t find a way to get along, it’ll be Aaron who suffers for it. Cody was right. The safest way to do that is to be friends and focus on our son.”
Cody walked back with Boone, but a man stopped him and shook his hand. “Thank you for your service,” the man said.
Cody nodded and smiled, then made his way back to the table and slid in beside her, folding his long legs under the table.
“What was that about?” she asked.
Cody shook his head, apparently uncomfortable, but Ma spoke up. “Cody served our country. Two tours.”
Rory stared at him. “What? You’re military?”
“Was, and I hate talking about it, so let’s don’t.” His voice was hard and cold, snapping like a rubber band, but whether that leftover chill was from his encounter with Shayna or from a haunting experience overseas, she couldn’t tell.
“Okay,” she murmured as embarrassing heat crept into her cheeks.
From the edge of her vision, she could see him watching her with an unsettled expression, but she didn’t care. If he didn’t want to talk, and if he wanted to lock her out of that part of his life, fine. They were just friendly strangers anyhow, and it was obviously none of her business.
His hand slid over the top of her thigh, and she tensed, then scrambled over his lap. “I’m going to the bathroom,” she muttered as she stumbled off the end of the bench seat.
He didn’t get to touch her how he liked after talking to her like that in front of his family. Shocked, she’d asked an honest question. It wasn’t like she’d asked him anything too personal. For chrissakes, a stranger shook his hand and thanked him for his service, yet the mother of his child wasn’t allowed in on the secret? She felt like grit.
She slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She didn’t really have to pee, but for lack of anything else to do, she gave it the ol’ college try, then washed her hands. She could do this. Just friends. She wasn’t allowed to ask him about his life until he was ready to bestow his history upon her. Really, that was fair, because she hadn’t talked about her parents with him when he’d asked, and he hadn’t pushed her to share. She hadn’t rejected his question in front of her family, though. Gah, her head was beginning to ache. Puffing air from her cheeks, she turned and unlocked the door.
Cody’s giant torso filled the frame, and she squeaked, startled. Without a word, he pushed his way into the bathroom and locked the door behind him.
“What are you doing?” she raged in a whisper. “This is the women’s bathroom. No dicks allowed.”
He crossed his arms over his chest until his arm muscles bulged. “You’re mad.”
“I’m not.”
Cody shot her a look that called her out on her bullshit and stepped closer. Rory’s back bumped the sink as she tried to maintain space between them.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he whispered, placing his arms on either side of her, trapping her. “I’m proud of serving, but it wasn’t my choice to go to war.”
“What do you mean it wasn’t your choice? There is no draft.”
“There is for my crew. The government knows about us, Rory. We have to do what they want. At the time they asked me to serve, my instincts were screaming to stay with my people. They recruited my brothers, too. They separated all of us while it was my responsibility to protect them.”
“Why is everything your responsibility?”
“Because I’m alpha. I’m the leader of the Breck Crew.
When she looked back at Leah, the woman was grinning from ear to ear. “You look pissed.”
Lifting her chin, Rory said, “I’m unaffected.”
“Mm-hmm, I told myself that about Gage for an entire year, and now look at me. Raising his little mini-mes and utterly smitten.”
“It’s different for Cody and me. We don’t really know each other, and if we don’t find a way to get along, it’ll be Aaron who suffers for it. Cody was right. The safest way to do that is to be friends and focus on our son.”
Cody walked back with Boone, but a man stopped him and shook his hand. “Thank you for your service,” the man said.
Cody nodded and smiled, then made his way back to the table and slid in beside her, folding his long legs under the table.
“What was that about?” she asked.
Cody shook his head, apparently uncomfortable, but Ma spoke up. “Cody served our country. Two tours.”
Rory stared at him. “What? You’re military?”
“Was, and I hate talking about it, so let’s don’t.” His voice was hard and cold, snapping like a rubber band, but whether that leftover chill was from his encounter with Shayna or from a haunting experience overseas, she couldn’t tell.
“Okay,” she murmured as embarrassing heat crept into her cheeks.
From the edge of her vision, she could see him watching her with an unsettled expression, but she didn’t care. If he didn’t want to talk, and if he wanted to lock her out of that part of his life, fine. They were just friendly strangers anyhow, and it was obviously none of her business.
His hand slid over the top of her thigh, and she tensed, then scrambled over his lap. “I’m going to the bathroom,” she muttered as she stumbled off the end of the bench seat.
He didn’t get to touch her how he liked after talking to her like that in front of his family. Shocked, she’d asked an honest question. It wasn’t like she’d asked him anything too personal. For chrissakes, a stranger shook his hand and thanked him for his service, yet the mother of his child wasn’t allowed in on the secret? She felt like grit.
She slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She didn’t really have to pee, but for lack of anything else to do, she gave it the ol’ college try, then washed her hands. She could do this. Just friends. She wasn’t allowed to ask him about his life until he was ready to bestow his history upon her. Really, that was fair, because she hadn’t talked about her parents with him when he’d asked, and he hadn’t pushed her to share. She hadn’t rejected his question in front of her family, though. Gah, her head was beginning to ache. Puffing air from her cheeks, she turned and unlocked the door.
Cody’s giant torso filled the frame, and she squeaked, startled. Without a word, he pushed his way into the bathroom and locked the door behind him.
“What are you doing?” she raged in a whisper. “This is the women’s bathroom. No dicks allowed.”
He crossed his arms over his chest until his arm muscles bulged. “You’re mad.”
“I’m not.”
Cody shot her a look that called her out on her bullshit and stepped closer. Rory’s back bumped the sink as she tried to maintain space between them.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he whispered, placing his arms on either side of her, trapping her. “I’m proud of serving, but it wasn’t my choice to go to war.”
“What do you mean it wasn’t your choice? There is no draft.”
“There is for my crew. The government knows about us, Rory. We have to do what they want. At the time they asked me to serve, my instincts were screaming to stay with my people. They recruited my brothers, too. They separated all of us while it was my responsibility to protect them.”
“Why is everything your responsibility?”
“Because I’m alpha. I’m the leader of the Breck Crew.
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