Bear by Lily J. Adams

Chapter Twenty: Hope and Love Win

 

Delphia

 

Riding back into Holbeck with a bunch of army retirees was like an action scene fresh out of a movie. Bear coming to rescue me in Cutover blew my mind. He understood me; he knew what I was feeling inside. He’d lost a loved one, we were one and the same. Bear was like home to me. We rode back to his place and his friends lined up behind him as I got off the bike feeling a bit self conscious. I wasn’t exactly looking my best. I pretty much resembled the runaway that I was.

As Bear unloaded my stuff from his saddlebag, one of his army friends approached me. He was a little taller than Bear with a mischievous smile. “Hey, I’m Keys, it’s nice to meet you. I’m glad you’re back here with Bear and I’m sorry we had to meet like this. Holbeck is the safest place to be and you got the goods with this guy.” He looked at Bear fondly.

Bear’s broad smile warmed me up as Keys clapped him on the back.

My handshake was as limp as I was feeling. “Nice to meet you, Keys, and I’m sorry I messed up your ride with Bear. Nobody was supposed to find me.” A wash of guilt went through me.

Bear stopped me from the rest of my pity party. “The guys were pretty pumped to be out on the road and it gave them an excuse to speed. Don’t worry we got plenty of time to hang out,” Bear claimed as his customary grin came over his face.

“That’s right. I’m Roller by the way, pleasure to meet you.” A handsome man with short, cropped hair and a smile to rival Bear’s shook my hand. “Right now, it’s time for some food, so I think we should head down to the wharf. It’ll give you guys some time together.

Bear massaged my shoulder as I followed him inside. All I wanted to do was lie down and rest.

Bear didn’t utter a word as I laid down on the couch. He just sat beside me and lifted a pillow under my head. “Rest as long as you need. Been a long day and night. Get a shower when you want. I’m glad you’re back.”

“Bear… I’m sorry about what happened to your girlfriend.” My voice was muffled into the pillow. “I’d been so scared about losing you.”

Bear was quiet for a minute and I thought I’d pushed him too far with the comment.

“I made a promise to you and I won’t break my promise. Murphy’s gone and I honor her memory, I should have listened to her that night.” Bear paused with a croak in his voice as I clutched his hand. “We were at this party and all of us were drinking. Not thinking straight. Super stupid.” He pushed out a hard breath as if he was beating himself up over the moment. All over again. “It all spun out of control so fast. It was a straight head-on collision. I got the scars across my belly as a reminder.” Bear lifted his shirt to show me a little jagged scar over his ribcage.

Gasping, I touched it. Running my fingers over the scar, I didn’t know how I never noticed it before. “I’m sorry Bear.” I took his large hand, weaving my fingers into his.

“It’s not your fault, Delphia. I wanna be with you regardless of what’s going on. I’m falling hard in love with you if you didn’t already know. I wanna focus on what we have and moving ahead together.”

His big smile and fierce declaration shocked me and did something very profound to my heart. I felt as if he’d just changed my whole life by telling me he loved me. I felt a little shy because if I was being honest with myself, this was my first time being in love. I muffled my voice down deep into the pillow as I replied, “I love you too.” I wanted it to be heard and I wanted it not to be heard.

“What? I missed that… tell me again,” Bear asked as his eyes focused on my face.

“I think I’m in love with you too.” I sat up.

“That’s enough for me, baby. Let’s not give up on us because things are getting rough on the outside. We stay together, no more running away. We face it together. Can you promise me that?” He tipped my chin up to meet his magnetic gaze.

“I can,” I whispered as the roughness of his lips glided over mine.

“I get it. I made you a promise to watch out for you…and you shouldn’t have doubted that.” He smoothed my shorn hair with his hand. “I like the hair. Suits you. A more sophisticated Delphia,” he admitted softly as he took in my new look.

I smiled at him. “Thank you.” I touched the bottom of my hair self-consciously.

“Sleep. Rest. I’ll be here when you get up.” He smoothed my new short locks with a gentle hand.

I rested for a few hours. By the time I got up, showered and ate with Bear, I felt like a new woman.

Bear looked at me with interest. “I gotta tell you that you being blonde is super hot. You look good with any hairstyle, but I really like it, it suits you.”

“You think? I was going for a disguise.”

“I know.” Bear and I were in his bedroom while I grabbed a few things out of my bag. The craving sensation to touch him and have him caress me was starting to rise. I watched his form as his triceps flexed. My eyelashes fluttered, and a wanton ache filled my core.

Bear caught me watching him as he stole a look, running his hawkish eyes down the length of me.

Excitement brewed inside me, as he ran his thick fingers delicately over the landscape of my arm sending tingles all through it.

The next moments were a blur. All I knew was that I was in a world full of sensations. My body was filled with pleasure. Bear’s lips were all over me, and our clothes were in a pile heaped on the floor next to the bed. I was helpless to the reaction of my body as he penetrated me over and over again. I cried out in passion at his raw display of power and sensuality. It was what I wanted. It was all I needed in the moment after the harrowing day I’d had.

We were entangled in our own world as he grunted and moaned with me, taking me to greater heights with his girth. “Delphia, you feel sooo good. Like home,” Bear groaned as a drop of his sweat dripped onto my breasts.

I didn’t know what it was, but my whole body craved this man. He made me feel incredible both inside and out. “Hmmm,” I moaned as he rocked inside of me, bringing me to a sweet orgasm that faded all of the shitstorm of events from my mind. He gathered my fingers into his hands; his eyes fixated on mine with a depth I wanted to sink into.

Groaning loudly, his body unleashed at the peak of his climax.

We both dropped into the soundless bliss of one another and rested.

There was no other place I longed to be.

“Sweet Delphia. I’m glad you’re here with me. I want you to be nowhere else but here.”

“I’m not going to run again. I just got scared.”

Bear wound his thick, muscular leg around my body with a deep, knowing smile. “I know, because I have some chains out back somewhere, and I’ll put them to good use if need be,” he teased with affection. “I’m joking, but you don’t have to run. Talk to me. I’m going to be right here for you every step of the way. You don’t have to go through any of this stuff alone anymore.”

A calm fell over me. I just had to have faith that nothing would happen to him. I never wanted to be parted from him again. I lay on his chest, knowing that he and I would make it after all.

 

 

“We gonna do this? We’re official?” I asked Bear.

Both me and Bear were making our connection official as we walked into Wheelz together. It was a big night, because not only had the article come out about Rocky, but also the Rebel Saints had won the bid for the Red Stone Casino by the skin of their teeth. It was a private celebration and everyone would be there.

I didn’t know myself anymore because I wasn’t nervous. I felt good on the inside.

Harper was the first person to see us as we walked through the door. “I knew it. I knew it! You two. I knew it would not be long.” She touched me lightly on the shoulders and kissed my cheek.

Bear lightly squeezed my hand before he dropped Harper’s hand and tugged me closer with a large arm around my shoulder. “Yep. You were right.” He was grinning from ear to ear.

Harper patted Bear’s large bicep. “I’m so happy this Red Stone bidding is finished. Bones has been stressed the hell out over it. Jaz is pumped too. It’s been a long road. It’s almost crazy that we won it.” Harper’s warm eyes rounded as if she was still trying to come to terms with it.

“It has been a long journey. I thought Bones and Numbers were about to blow a gasket, so this is a good thing.” Bear smiled at her in their shared gratitude for the situation.

Bones came over with a wide, happy smile as he put an arm around Harper. “Hey, you two. Nice to see you together. Delphia, I’m glad you’re safe. I don’t know if I personally told you, but if you ever need our help we are more than happy to cover you. You’re with Bear. You’re with us.” Bones’ expression changed to a solemn look.

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” I gave him a shy nod.

Bear flashed me a wink.

Angie and Jaz approached us.

From Angie’s swaggering stride, it was clear she had news for me. “Delphia, wow! I saw you and Bear walk in together and your hair. You look wicked—in a good way.”

Jaz’s eyes were twinkling as she approached and came over to say hello.

Bear was busy talking to Bones and Smoke.

Jaz’s infectious cheer made me feel even more uplifted than I already did, and she enveloped me in a hug.

Angie arriving at the same time increased the fluttering of butterflies in my stomach because she clearly had something to tell me.

I took it to be good because a smile had taken over her pretty face. “Thank you. I didn’t mean to dye it, but it came out okay.” My hair was blow-dried and behaving, which was a good thing.

“More than okay,” Angie observed. “Jaz, I’m glad this casino business is over for you. We won it.”

Jaz and Angie high-fived.

Angie’s sparkling gaze swung back over to me. “Delphia. The article came out today, Rocky has been picked up and the case has been reopened… and on top of that, there’s fresh charges for the robbery. We did it too, girl. I told you I would make sure we got justice. This is the beginning, but it’s a good start.”

As Angie revealed the news, my heart pounded, skipping at a rapid rate. “I can’t believe it. Finally, my brother can rest.” Tears were rising, but I kept them at bay.

Angie gripped me in a hard hug. “Rocky is locked up. There’s too much evidence against him.” She stepped back from me to look at my face with both hands on my shoulders. “His reign of terror is over. It’s really over, Delphia.”

“We need cocktails! Celebrations all around,” Jaz cheered.

I grinned as I felt the heat from Bear’s gaze across the room. We connected and my lips were locked in a silent smile, letting him know all was well.

Feedback over the mike stopped everybody in the room for a moment, “Hi, now that everyone is here I feel the need to drop in with a quick speech,” Bones announced.

I looked around at all the bikers, the old ladies and friends of the MC brothers in attendance. The electric energy was palpable. From the way Bear described things, the Rebel Saints had battled long and hard to gain ownership of the casino.

“I say quick, but let’s see how this goes.” Bones cleared his throat as he put his fingers on the pool table.

Everyone laughed.

He went on, “We’ve been through a lot of battles and transitions as a club over the last couple of years and it hasn’t been easy. We’ve had our eye on the Red Stone Casino for a loooong time.”

The men all jeered at the statement.

“But we’ve won the war. There’s a new chapter opening for the club, and as Rebel Saints we always make it through. Every step has been worth it.” He nodded his head as tears formed in his eyes. He really cared about the club, and it showed.

“You did it, Bones! Keep going,” Smoke called out as he raised his drink in encouragement.

Bones grinned and cocked an eyebrow at him with a glass raise of his own. “Thanks. On top of that, we are going to start dipping our feet into the security detail world. It’s going to be new for us and that’s just what we need.” The whole place was quiet as Bones looked into every face in the place. “I’m proud of each and every one of you. We’re all in this together. I’m proud to have you all on board at the Rebel Saints. We went legit and it has paid off. Let’s make the next chapter even better. I want everybody in the place to have a good time tonight and let loose!”

Cheers and laughter rang out.

Just then, Bear crossed the room to reach me.

Jaz and Angie and I were headed to the bar to kick the celebrations off with a drink. Chalk was dancing around the pool table with his pool stick. Bones and another guy, Coyote, were hugging and there were even tears flowing. A couple of other brothers who I didn’t know were in the building. It seemed like a big event. I felt like I was a part of something super special. Mia was being given a congratulatory kiss by Numbers, her partner, and I was overjoyed to be a part of it all.

Bear clasped my hand at the bar. “You’re a real survivor, Delphia. I want you to have a good time okay? There’s a lot of celebration going on… for both of us, and it’s just the beginning.” His warm, yummy lips took possession of mine.

Despite the crowd around us, we fell into the kiss like we always did. There was no one else but us in this moment.

Finally he pulled back and looked into my eyes.

As always, he’d lit my fire on the inside. “With you by my side, I feel like it is a new beginning,” I gave him a simple answer loaded with the promise of a future between Bear and me.

Sometimes... you have to stop running and face your fears in order to grow.