Hard (The Bear Chronicles of Willow Creek #2) by Emily Minton, Julia Keith Page B

you out enough?”
    I have to laugh at his question, positive he already knows the answer. He definitely did his best to wear me out. Two hours of Eli’s hard fucking should have knocked my ass out, but it didn’t. Instead, my body feels deliciously achy while my mind is in overdrive. 
    “Don’t worry, big man. You did your duty.” I press my body into his and let out a long sigh as I run my fingers through the coarse hair on his chest. “I just have a lot on my mind tonight.”
    His hand rubs a slow circle over my hip as he asks, “What’s keeping you up, Liza? You know you can tell me anything.”
    I lie there silently, debating on what to tell him or even if I should say anything at all. I know telling him the truth about my foster father will bring out his protective alpha side, and that could be dangerous for Mr. Adams and for him. On the other hand, I hate to lie to Eli. Just the thought of not telling him the truth makes bile crawl up my throat. For some reason, this man makes me want to swing my closet door wide open and let it all out. 
    Taking a deep breath, I tell him my darkest secret. “My foster father was always trying to have sex with me, ever since I was a kid.”
    As soon as the words are out of my mouth, Eli is rearing back, his body automatically tight with tension. “What the fuck? What did he do to you?” he growls out as his arm becomes a steel band around my waist. “And tell me the truth. Don’t leave a damn thing out.”
    Wiggling just enough to loosen his hold, I go on. “Nothing ever happened. I knew how to protect myself from him.”
    “Did he touch you?” Eli asks, but I can hear the bear rising up in his voice. 
    “No, not even once,” I reply quickly, not mentioning all the accidental brushes of Mr. Adams’ hands. “But, I’m worried about my foster sister, Natalie.”
    Nat is such a sweetheart. Just the thought of that bastard touching her makes my stomach roll. I wish there was something I could do to get her out of there, or at least to make sure he won’t ever lay a hand on her. But, there’s not. Family Services is not gonna give her to a woman with no job who’s living in her sister’s house. Especially one living out of state. 
    “That’s the one you’re always texting?” he asks quietly.
    My hand moves down to his, and I intertwine our fingers. “Yeah, she’s a great kid, but she’s been through hell. Her parents were shit, and she had no one to help her out. She doesn’t deserve to have an old man sniffing around after her.”
    Different scenarios run through my mind as I consider the best way to help her. Of course, I consider calling Family Services or even the cops, but I’m worried that will only make it worse. At least, where she’s at now, I know what to expect. If she went somewhere else, it could be better. Then again, it could be a hell of a lot worse.
     “I want to help her, but I don’t know how. Anything I do could make it worse,” I say, blowing out a frustrated breath. 
    Eli is quiet for a moment, but I can feel the anger coming off him in heated waves. His entire body is tight with tension, and his chest is rumbling. I can even feel the tips of his claws lying against my naked back. He’s about to lose control to his bear, and as much as I love his furry half, I don’t want to share a bed with a bear.
    Knowing I need to do something before he blows, I roll into him and place a kiss on his whisker-covered chin. “There’s nothing I can do about it tonight, so why don’t you work your magic again and knock me out.”
    Smirking down at me, he says, “Now that I can do.” His hands instantly move to my ass, giving it a tight squeeze. 
    With those words, he rolls us so he is above me. Looking into my eyes, he says, “I will never let anyone or anything hurt you. You know that, right?”
    Raising my head to kiss his lips, I whisper, “Yes, baby, I know that.”
    After everything that’s happened between us, and everything