Woodsman Werebear (3 page)

Drew watched Riley grow smaller and smaller from the rearview and winced as the animal inside threatened to shred him. Dammit, he couldn’t pull over and Change here. He was too close to her. Bear would charge right back there and scare the piss out of her.

Drew gritted his teeth, fighting for control. She was in Damon’s care now. He’d show her Castle Daye and provide her with whatever she needed. She’d never want for anything. Sure, Damon was cold and was only just now coming around to opening up again after several centuries of hardening his heart, but he had money and connections. He owned businesses and had a future that stretched on for eternity.

And where was Drew going? To hell, and fast. The Ashe Crew wasn’t out in the public—not yet—and Riley was utterly human. She was basically organs wrapped in rice paper. These woods and this uncertain life were no place for a woman like her. Now Brooke, Skyler, Danielle, Everly, and Diem? They were all bear and falcon shifters except for Danielle, and even she was a nature nerd adept at keeping herself alive in rough terrain. Women could make it just the same as men out here, but for as tough as she talked, Riley was a wounded bird. It was the moments in between her popping off with her bravado that he’d seen the vulnerability and fear in her eyes. Drew shook his head and muttered a curse.

The women of the Ashe Crew belonged to these woods, just as surely as the lumberjacks they’d mated to. Riley, however, belonged tucked away in Damon’s castle. Safe from the danger that surrounded bear-shifter life and safe from the monster in his middle that would surely ruin her if given half the chance.

Maybe if he’d met her before Mom had died…

Loss bowed him forward over the steering wheel. He would’ve stood a chance at making a woman like Riley happy before, but now he was a shell with no substance.

What could he offer her?

Not a damned thing of importance.

By the time he pulled up to the landing where he and the others would be working the lumber in a few days’ time, his mood had plummeted. Back to reality where his bear was a holy terror clawing at his insides and where Tagan had just banned him from the thing that kept him steady—bare-knuckle, no-rules boxing. Friggin’ A.

“Who was that in your truck?” Tagan asked the second he slid out from behind the wheel.

“None of your fuckin’ business.” Every word was a snarl, but Tagan was crossing into dangerous territory right now. Drew was already pissed, and the alpha knew better than to press his members when they were riled up like this. Did he not smell the damned bear in him? Even to his own nose, Drew reeked of fur and anger. “I’m going to help Bruiser set up the skyline.”

“Drew,” Tagan snapped, his voice crackling with power.

Drew turned slowly, allowing a snarl to curl his lip. “More orders,
alpha
?”

Tagan’s face went burgundy. “Stand down, Drew.”

Drew swallowed hard and grunted against the weight that pressed him toward the dirt beneath him. His knees buckled.

“It’s been two months, and you’ve chosen not to deal with what’s happened. At the risk of my crew.” Tagan angled his chin and glared him down, his eyes lightening to a snowy color. “Get your shit together, Hudson.”

Drew fell to his knees.

“Tagan!” his mate, Brooke, yelled. “Stop it.”

A long, feral growl rippled through Tagan’s throat, but one look at his mate, and his lips fell back over his teeth. She was a buck twenty of pissed-off blonde, their toddler Wyatt clinging to her hip.

“Can you not see he’s hurting?”

“It’s been two months—”

“Two months nothing, Tagan,” she gritted out as she approached. “We don’t all deal at the same pace.”

“He hasn’t dealt at all!”

“No, no, no,” Wyatt said, scrunching up his little nose and shaking his chubby little finger at his alpha father. Right now, that was one of three words in the kid’s entire vocabulary. Denison had taught him how to say
pecker
and, naturally, he knew
momma
.

Drew would’ve snickered if this was at all funny. Unfortunately, he was stuck in the mud with his neck exposed while his alpha had a spat with his lady.

“You think cowing him is going to help him?” Brooke asked, arching one delicate golden brow.

Drew cleared his throat. “Can I get up?”

Tagan didn’t say anything, just threw him a dangerous look and marched off. The farther away he got, the less weight pressed against Drew’s shoulders until he was finally able to stand.

“I’m sorry,” Brooke said low. “Tagan’s had a lot on his plate trying to figure out what to do about coming out to the public. The decision is torturing him, and you aren’t making things any easier. Drew, you’ve been a loose cannon for two months. Now, you know I love you. We all do, and we’re worried about you. You’ll come to dinner at our trailer tonight, and you and Tagan will work this out.”

“I wouldn’t be good dinner company tonight—”

“Didn’t say it was a request, Drew. Dinner is at eight after you are all done working.” Brooke turned and strode for a batch of trees where she’d set up her painting easel.

Wyatt was all wide blue eyes and mussed dark hair when he pointed at Drew and said, “Pecker.”

Fantastic.

With a growl, Drew stomped off toward the giant pine Bruiser was stripping to hang the skyline from. He wanted to kick everything.

After pulling work gloves from his back pocket, Drew gathered a pile of newly cut limbs and dragged them away. The last thing they needed was a snake den beneath their skyline. Bruiser was high above, strapped to the tree and dropping limbs every few seconds.

Thank goodness for work. Drew could be mindless here. Hard labor, sweat, and the stretch of long unused muscles settled his animal. Not like Riley had been able to do with those wide eyes of hers and that wry quirk to her full lips, but still, it was something.

And just like that, there she was again, taking up all the space in his head. His dick hardened and throbbed against the seam of his pants, and he tried to think of anything else to ease his boner. Like washing dishes. There. That was the least sexy thing ever. Unless he was washing dishes with Riley, standing behind her while she rinsed the suds off a dinner plate as he pressed against her back and pulled her earlobe between his teeth and
shit
. His pants were even tighter now.

He reached for the bigger limbs and focused on moving as much as possible at once, and after a few minutes, that helped.

Bruiser, donning spike boots, climbed down the skyline pole and nodded a wary greeting. “You gonna bite my head off today?”

Oh, right. Yesterday Drew had been on a tear with anyone who talked to him. Come to think of it, today he hadn’t been much better. “I won’t unless you’re going to push therapy time on me.”

“Man, you need some of that. Do you remember Changing last night?”

“What?” Drew dropped the heavy limbs in his arms and stared at Bruiser in horror. “No, I didn’t.”

Bruiser’s dark eyebrows lifted, and he nodded once. “Yeah, you did. You were roaring right outside the trailer park. Woke everyone up. Sleep walking now, are we?”

Or sleep-Changing, and that was terrifying. His bear was not to be trusted right now.

“Hey, is your father-in-law looking for a consort?”

With a baffled look, Bruiser shook his head. “I don’t even know what that means. Like a fuck buddy?”

“I guess. I mean, obviously he’s lonely, so it’s not that surprising he would bring a woman up to his mansion. It’s kind of weird that he chose a human, though—”

“Wait, what are you talking about? Damon isn’t looking for a mate. What human?”

“The human I just took to his house. She said she was expected.”

Bruiser’s dark eyes went wide. “Was her name Riley?”

“Yeeesss,” Drew drawled out slow.

“Shit, I’ve got to go. Was Diem at Damon’s house?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t she supposed to be working today?” Drew hesitated, then called out at Bruiser’s receding back, “I didn’t go inside.”

The slamming of Bruiser’s door on his truck echoed down the mountain. The engine roared to life a split second later, and then Bruiser peeled out, tossing gravel and mud behind him until his tires caught traction.

Huh. Bruiser knew Riley.

Drew’s gaze followed Bruiser’s mud-covered pickup as it sped up the washed-out logging road.

What had that little human done to catch the attention of a berserker bear and a death-bringer dragon?

Riley’s sneakers squeaked against the huge, white marble tiles that spanned the grand hallway. If she didn’t know better, she’d say this place was a museum, not a house.

A man who’d introduced himself as Mason walked slowly in front of her. Geez, he was huge. He wasn’t a tall man, but his shoulders looked as wide as the broad side of a barn. Was everyone around here lifting weights all day and eating loads of protein?

Grand chandeliers lit their way toward a large set of wooden double doors. Mason smiled kindly at her and knocked.

“Come in,” came the muffled reply.

Mason pushed the door open and strode into the room, introducing her. “Mr. Daye, this is Riley Miller.”

The man behind a sprawling mahogany desk looked up at her with surprise. When he stood, he was tall and lean with a runner’s build. His medium gray business suit had been pressed to perfection. His hair was dark as night, but at his temples, the slightest hint of silver was beginning to form. His face, however, made it impossible to guess his age. His smooth skin didn’t boast blemishes, or crow’s feet, or even smile lines.

“Ms. Miller, I wasn’t expecting you for another week. Have you run into trouble?” His eyes widened as he stepped around the desk. “Is the baby all right?”

“Yes, of course.” Riley pulled off her coat and angled herself to the side so he could see her very pregnant belly. “She’s fine. The doctor says she’s healthy as a horse.”

Mason snorted behind her, but when she turned, he was standing motionless near the doorway.

“Great.” Damon took a deep, steadying breath as he approached. “That’s great news. And please, don’t apologize. I’m happy you’ve come now. As you know, if it were my choice, you would’ve been here the entire pregnancy. I respected your wish to continue with your life until the delivery date approached, though. Was the money I sent you enough? Shall I give you more?”

“No.” Riley shook her head and repeated, “No. I’ve actually got the money you sent right here. I wanted to give it back.” She pulled the envelope from her duffle bag and offered it to him. When he crossed his arms over his chest, refusing, she explained. “I know it was drawn up in our contract you would pay me a certain amount, but I didn’t want to be a surrogate for money. I did it because I wanted to do something nice. And Diem and Bruiser’s letter left its mark on me. I wanted to help them start a family, not get rich. I can make my own way, sir.”

“Ms. Miller—”

“Riley, please. You are the grandfather of the child I’m carrying. It kind of makes us family until I deliver.”

Damon’s stoic face softened, and he nodded. “Riley, I didn’t give you the money because I thought you were a charity case. I gave it to you so you could be comfortable while you are growing my granddaughter. You see, she is very important to me, and to my daughter and son-in-law. More important than you could ever imagine, and we’re eternally grateful you have chosen our family to help. It’s a very selfless thing you are doing, but I’d feel better if you’d let me compensate you for your time and effort.”

“You’ve already paid all my doctor bills, Mr. Daye. And you got me in to see that specialist in record time when my morning sickness got to be overwhelming. I know I’m a week early, but I could use a place to stay until the delivery if you’ll have me. That’s payment enough.”

“Done. You’ll have a room made up, a key to the house, access to my driver, any food you desire and crave, and the money. Deal?”

Wait, that didn’t feel like a compromise at all. “You’re not going to let me give this money back, are you?”

A small smile took his lips as he shook his head.

“Okay, deal.”

“Mason, go pull Diem from her office and tell her she has an important visitor.” When the large man left to do Damon’s bidding, Mr. Daye leaned forward with a mischievous smile. “I want to be here when Diem sees your stomach for the first time. It isn’t customary for my people to be overly emotional about anything, but I must confess, I’ve rather enjoyed watching my daughter prepare to become a mother over this last year.”

Riley giggled and nodded. “I’ve been excited, too, especially to meet you and the Kellers.”

Damon retrieved a cold bottled water for her from a miniature fridge behind his desk while Riley straightened her sweater over her stretchy maternity jeans. She’d worn a fitted outfit today so Diem could see the pregnancy better when she met her for the first time. It was an enormous relief to be out of that heavy trench coat.

She sipped water and shuffled her feet, eyes on the door as her nerves kicked in. Sure, she’d talked to Diem on the phone a lot, probably more than any friend she’d ever had, but it was different meeting someone in person. Down the hall, she could hear the clacking of Mason’s shoes and the squeaking of someone following.

Riley made an
O
shape with her lips and exhaled slowly. This was it. The counselor had said the first meeting would be awkward, but they would settle into a comfort with each other eventually. For that, she was prepared. She’d imagined this moment a hundred times.

After setting the water bottle down, she clasped her hands behind her back and faced the door.

Her heart was beating against her chest as if it wanted to eject from her body.

Mason entered.
Here we go.

A dark-haired woman with porcelain white skin and amber colored eyes like her father’s entered. She wore comfortable-looking jeans with holes at the knees and sneakers much like Riley’s. Her expression was questioning, but when her gaze dipped to Riley’s belly, her face crumpled completely.

“Oh, my goodness,” Diem said, voice thick. She approached slowly, and Riley prepared for the awkwardness.

Diem jogged the last few feet and wrapped her up tight in a hug. The woman’s shoulders shook with quiet sobs, and Riley patted her hesitantly, then wrapped her arms around her and hugged her close. Tears burned her own eyes as she imagined how much of a relief the woman must be feeling.

“Oh!” Diem gasped, easing back and staring at Riley’s stomach.

“Yeah,” Riley said with an emotional laugh. “She gets feisty if you crowd her space.” When the baby bumped her again, she grabbed Diem’s hand and pressed it over the spot the baby was kicking or elbowing.

Diem’s dark eyes were rimmed with tears as she knelt down in front of Riley. “Hi, Harper.”

The baby rolled languidly, moving Riley’s entire stomach. “Harper. I think she likes it. That’s a beautiful name.”

“Thank you,” Diem whispered, as if she didn’t want to break the magic of the moment. “Bruiser came up with it.”

A shadow darkened the doorway, and Riley looked up to see a muscled behemoth standing splay-legged in the doorway, breathing heavy. His hair was short and dark, and his eyes a strange green-gold color. Chest heaving, he strode slowly into the room and offered his hand for a shake. His manner was much more reserved than his wife’s. Riley shook it and introduced herself.

“Horace Keller,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Friends call me Bruiser. You’re early. I wanted to be at the airport when you landed to pick you up.”

“I took the bus. Sorry for not giving notice. It was a last minute decision to come up here right now instead of waiting.”

“I’m glad you came,” he murmured, eyes still on her undulating belly and one hand stroking Diem’s hair.

His wife stood and asked, “May I?” She held Bruiser’s hand palm out.

Bruiser ducked his chin, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “No, it’s okay.”

Riley smiled her understanding and said, “I don’t mind at all. I’m not uncomfortable with touch, and she’s your daughter after all.”

“My daughter.” The soft words left Bruiser’s lips like a prayer.

Tears streaked down Diem’s cheeks as she pressed her husband’s hand against where Harper was moving the most. A soft gasp left his lips, and he looked up at Riley, a startled expression on his face. She laughed and nodded. “Welcome to my world. Harper has been active since sixteen weeks. Especially at night when I’m trying to sleep. You’re going to have a little party animal on your hands when she gets here.”

“Can we tell everyone now?” Bruiser asked Diem, a hopeful smile splitting his face.

“I think we should.”

“I don’t know why you waited,” Damon murmured from behind them where he leaned against his desk with his arms crossed and a lingering smile on his face.

“Well, because we just wanted to make sure the baby was okay before we got all of their hopes up.”

“Tell who?” Riley asked curiously.

“The Ashe Crew.”

Riley froze. “The Ashe Crew of lumberjacks?”

“How did you know?” Diem asked.

“Because I kissed Drew.” Heat blasted into Riley’s cheeks at the slip-up. “
Met
Drew. I meant to say I met Drew…Hudson. The lumberjack who is also part of the Ashe Crew.” She scrunched up her face as the Kellers stared at her. Clearing her throat, she nodded once. “Yep.” There was that awkwardness the counselor had warned her about.

Bruiser narrowed his eyes at her in an unsettlingly thoughtful expression, but it was Diem who saved her from the scrutiny. “I’m going to get her settled into a room,” she announced, tugging Riley’s hand and leading her toward the door.

The room she led her to was actually an elevator ride away, and then down another long marble hallway lined with half-naked statues of Grecian-style men and women. As beautiful as this house was, Riley found herself afraid to touch anything for fear of smudging her fingerprints on something.

“Okay,” Diem murmured, closing a thick, refurbished wooden door behind her. “Lay it on me. What’s going on?”

“What? Nothing,” Riley lied.

“Then why does your hair look all chopped up like you did it yourself in some cheap motel, and why is half your duffle bag full of socks?”

Hmm, Diem was extremely observant. Riley tried and failed to zip up her too-full luggage and tossed it onto a king-size bed with a towering headboard suited for royalty. She lay on the bed and spread her arms and legs like a star. She frowned up at the mural of muscular men wearing next to nothing. Their penises must be extravagantly small to fit behind those tiny fig leaves.

“My ex is a bit of a jerk about the whole surrogacy thing. It was just easier for me to come out here now instead of next week. The reason my bag is half full of socks is because I packed in a hurry and wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“Riley,” Diem said in a careful tone, sinking down onto the bed beside her. “I’m going to tell you this one time, and then I’ll let it rest. You’re safe here, but it’s best if we know if there is something we need to keep you safe from.”

Unable to admit her fears about Seamus out loud, Riley nodded. “If I think I’m in trouble, I’ll tell you first.”

“Okay. Now, your hair. You’re free to leave it like that, but I can even it up a bit if you like.”

Riley sat straight up. “Really?” If she and Drew crossed paths again, she wanted him to see more than a street urchin.

“Yes, really.”

“Diem, can I ask you another favor?”

“Anything.” She leveled her with such an honest look that relief slid the weight off Riley’s shoulders.

“When you go tell the Ashe Crew about Harper, would you mind if I go with you?”

A knowing smile spread across Diem’s face, but she didn’t mention Drew or tease her, which made Riley like the woman even more. “Of course. I think it’s only right you come. It’ll get you out of this stuffy house, too.” Diem stood and sauntered off toward an open on-suite bathroom. “I’d bring your duffle bag if I were you when we go.”

“Why? I thought I was staying here?”

Diem cast her a beaming grin before she said, “Asheland Mobile Park might not look like much, but magic happens there.”

Riley followed behind slowly. She couldn’t imagine wanting to stay in a dingy, dirty old trailer park over this place, but she’d only just met Diem and didn’t want to argue. Instead, Riley would bring her duffle bag to appease the woman.

Magic didn’t exist in her world.

Just the dark reality of fear and broken promises, and the singular goal to get this baby safely delivered to make up for some of the harm she’d done.